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Ravi Shankar: a short journey and a music sampler
One of the most influential musicians of the 20th Century has left us. RIP, Ravi Shankar.
In the summer of 2001, my husband and I escaped to India for ten-day journey that included visits to Delhi, Dharamsala and Shimla. One of the things that made traveling in India different than traveling elsewhere, is that India –for me– had a soundtrack. The colors the women of the Himalayas wore. The odd questions the retired journalist asked me on the Jammu mail train. The smell of the soiled hiking boots I immediately disposed of when I returned to Narita. The excited smiles I received from teenaged girls seeking conversation with gen-u-ine Americans. All these things filled my ears with music. And that music was largely Ravi Shankar’s.
When I read of his passing, I clicked over to YouTube to fill myself Shankar’s work. What follows is but a small sampling of what I listened to.
ON THE DICK CAVETT SHOW
AS A COMPOSER/MUSICIAN IN THE BBC’S 1966 VERSION OF ALICE IN WONDERLAND
IN JUNE, 1967 AT MONTEREY POP
GEORGE HARRISON’S SITAR LESSON
REGARDING THE 1971 CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH
PERFORMER ON THE FILM GANDHI
RAVI & DAUGHTER ANOUSHKA SHANKAR PERFORMING RAGA ANANDI KALYAN
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Culture Clutch is a new compendium of the finest minds available. Other finest minds were not. Culture Clutch endeavors to offer observations concerning the scene. "It's fun. Go with it."
Illustration above by Hal Robins. All rights reserved.
Illustration above by Hal Robins. All rights reserved.
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