This week, Ravi Shankar would have celebrated his hundredth birthday and to mark the occasion, his daughter, sitarist, composer and producer Anoushka Shankar has made two new music videos. There is also a newly authorised biography and a new album of some of his unreleased material.
Watch Fathers by Anoushka Shankar and Nitin Sawhney:
Anoushka: My dear friend and incredible musician Nitin Sawhney has helped me to record a live-from-home version of our song “Fathers.” It was written, as you can guess, in honour of both our fathers, who strangely passed away just a few months apart several years ago. Since tonight Nitin was to have been a guest performer in the Centenary performance at Royal Festival Hall, it feels fitting to share one of the songs we would have performed.
Watch Sandhya Raga by Ravi Shankar, performed by his students:
Anoushka: As part of the preparation for the Centenary concerts, I’ve been having an illuminating time delving into my father’s catalogue to make new arrangements of some of his incredible compositions. I couldn’t bear the thought that we wouldn’t be playing any of it tonight, so I asked many of my father’s students to record from their own homes around the world so we could play for you. Here is a taster of what you will hear when we reschedule these shows!
Indian Sun: The Life and Music of Ravi Shankar by Oliver Craske
Anoushka: This week sees the release of the very first authorised biography on my father. It’s a truly incredible piece of work, and I can testify to how much I have learned about my own father by reading it. It gave me a better perspective on the true impact he had on music and the world, and does a brilliant job of telling his fascinating life story with compassion and a broad perspective.
Listen to an NPR interview with the author:
Order it here: https://linktr.ee/indiansun
Nine Decades Vol 7: Live in Copenhagen by Ravi Shankar
24 April 2020 sees the release of new, previously-unreleased music from the Shankar family archives. For more information and to pre-order the album go here: https://eastmeetswestmusic.com/discography/ravi-shankar-nine-decades-vol-7-live-in-copenhagen/