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lighthead2toe
12-12-2012, 11:40 AM
Very sad news to learn of the passing of Ravi Shankar.

He was referred to as "Pandit," meaning teacher, scholar in the Indian culture where he was born.

His popularity blossomed in western culture when George Harrison of the Beatles became a student of his and the "sitar," the Indian classical instrument Ravi Shankar played was introduced into the Beatles music.

He was quite popular in Toronto when I lived there and after seeing him perform for the first time I kept going back each time he performed there.

His daughter, Anoushka would accompany him on the "tanpura," a sort of "drone sounding" instrument, and the "grand master" of the "tabla," the percussion end would be Alla Raka, who has since passed away as well.

It's well known also that Norah Jones, the currently very popular singer is the daughter of Ravi Shankar.

There is something in that music that I found quite uplifting; hypnotic in a way, and it gave me a feeling of being drawn into a kind of meditative state just being there seeing and hearing it performed live. It's a wonderful feeling.

On You Tube (sorry, I don't have the know how to put it up there) there is a video of Ravi performing on the Dick Cavett show with daughter Anoushka and Alla Rakha.

Will miss you Ravi.

charlene
12-12-2012, 02:04 PM
Sad news for his followers. I was never one but appreciated the influence he had on The Beatles/George Harrison and music in general.

Ravi Shankar on The Dick Cavett Show - YouTube

Bill
12-13-2012, 09:40 AM
As a fingerpicking guitarist, I find his work very engaging, inspirational, and it satisfies that same complexity of music need you get from people like John Fahey, Leo Kottke, and a lot of other folks. Stronger for me than the soundscape new age XM channels! This stuff just had more core touching power...not to just mellow out, but actually invigorate.

lighthead2toe
12-13-2012, 09:44 AM
Thanks so much for sharing this Char. I should go to computer school and try and learn a thing or two.

On another note, a thought came to me that somewhere in my 40 odd year collection of Gord stuff I have a recording of Dick Cavett singing "Wherefore and Why.

I think Gord appeared on his show as I recall them being friends.

niffer
12-13-2012, 10:25 AM
I had forgotten how young he looked. My husband and I saw him about five years ago here in Appleton, with Anoushka...much older and grayer, but still masterful.

I had also forgotten how handsome Dick Cavett was. Off-topic, but true :)

charlene
12-13-2012, 11:36 AM
yes, very true.. very handsome... ;)

Borderstone
12-14-2012, 07:16 PM
RIP Ravi.

A brilliant musician who inspired George Harrison.

Hard to beleive it was only about 4 years ago that I finally saw "Concert For Bangla-Desh".

How can one play one thing for so long? WOW!

I had no idea until yesterday that he was born in 1920.