RIP, Ravi Shankar

[UMBS Go Blue]

Ravi Shankar, global ambassador for the sitar and Indian classical music, and an eminent figure in Western music too, passed away Tuesday in California. I was blessed to have seen him perform live at least 4 times in the last 10 years and was truly touched each time by his larger-than-life music and presence. RIP.

From the New York Times:

Mr. Shankar, a soft-spoken, eloquent man whose performance style embodied a virtuosity that transcended musical languages, was trained in both Eastern and Western musical traditions.
...
His instrument, the sitar, has a small rounded body and a long neck with a resonating gourd at the top. It has 6 melody strings and 25 sympathetic strings (which are not played but resonate freely as the other strings are plucked). Sitar performances are partly improvised, but the improvisations are strictly governed by a repertory of ragas (melodic patterns representing specific moods, times of day, seasons of the year or events) and talas (intricate rhythmic patterns) that date back several millenniums.

From the Wall Street Journal:

Shankar influenced the music of the Beatles and was also the father of jazz-pop star Norah Jones (he played no role in her life when she was growing up). Another of his daughters (by another mother), Anoushka Shankar, has also built a following as a sitar player.

[UMBS Go Blue]

Ravi performed at Woodstock, and this video purports to be of him at the festival.

Also an article from the BBC with a link to a slideshow that's quite a trip back in time.

[Nan]

When the Woodstock album came out, Ravi introduced me to a whole new way of listening to music. I thank him for that.

RIP Ravi.

[AYS]

He was my dad's absolute hero and I certainly grew up enjoying his music too.

One of my dad's cherished memories is that Ravi came to his (my dad's) apartment with a mutual friend to look at a couple of instruments my dad owned (he had some nice sitars and a tamboura) and he got to make him an egg salad sandwich.

Maybe they've met up again somewhere up there and are making music together (or eating lunch ).

[Buzz]

A true legend and a fantastic embassador for Indan music and culture. R.I.P.

[Vash01]

Perhaps the most famous musician/artist from India. He was truly great. I tried to go to his concert in the rare events he performed here (Arizona), but just never made it. I will always regret not having attended his live performance. I only have his music on CDs. Ravi Shankar used his incredible talent to bring east and west together and I think he succeeded.

This CNN article (link below) is rather disrespectful. They mention him as Norah Jones' father, but nothing about the rest of his family (his wife, his other children- and Norah's mother was not his wife). The whole Shankar family was very talented and famous. His brother Uday Shankar was a great dancer. His daughter's name is Anoushka and she plays Sitar too.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/12/showbi...html?hpt=hp_t3

[overedge]

A true legend and a fantastic embassador for Indan music and culture. R.I.P.

I thought about this when I first visited India. If it wasn't for Ravi Shankar, and for the Beatles going to Rishikesh to see the Maharishi, a lot of non-Indians in North America (like myself) wouldn't have had the faintest idea of what any Indian music was about.

[Cachoo]

Talk about an unofficial goodwill ambassador for his country: Ravi made me want to learn more about India. RIP.

[NancyNC]

I was also introduced to this style of music initially through his work with the Beatles and have greatly enjoyed listening to it over the years. RIP and thank you Ravi.

They mention him as Norah Jones' father, but nothing about the rest of his family (his wife, his other children- and Norah's mother was not his wife). The whole Shankar family was very talented and famous. His brother Uday Shankar was a great dancer. His daughter's name is Anoushka and she plays Sitar too.

Apparently they have edited the article because it mentions the wife and daughter by name, and also mentions that his daughter is a sitar virtuoso.

[UMBS Go Blue]

"Paint it Black" by the Rolling Stones just came up on my Pandora here at work and I instantly remembered that it has a sitar in it.

A quick Wiki search turns up the following:

• George Harrison of the Beatles was first introduced by David Crosby of the Byrds in August 1965 to the sitar and became familiar with Ravi Shankar
• He used it in the song "Norwegian Wood," which was recorded in October 1965 and released December 1965
• Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones used it in "Paint it Black," which was recorded in March 1966 and released May 1966, and became the first #1 US/UK rock hit with a sitar in it

Edited to add:

George Harrison taking a sitar lesson from Ravi Shankar

Interview with Ravi Shankar on teaching George Harrison

[beepbeep]

Norah Jones was to sing in my city today and has, understandably, cancelled the concert.

My mom liked him, more because of his association with the Beatles, and she says I'm just playing her.
She's in for a surprise with tomorrow's paper.

RIP

[Vash01]

Here is a very good article about Ravi Shankar:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/12/showbi...html?hpt=hp_c2

[Vash01]

I found this on yt- Ravi Shankar & his daughter Anoushka playing sitar on BBC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xB_X9BOAOU

[skatesindreams]

When the Beatles, and other musicians mentioned upthread, renewed interest in Ravi Shankar; my father said that he had heard him perform many times in NYC, years before - sometimes with his brother,
As he did with so much, my father gave me an appreciation of his genius.

RIP