Ananda Shankar – Ananda Shankar And His Music

Description

Mr Bongo proudly presents an official reissue of an iconic, exploratory albumby Indian maestro of the sitar, Ananda Shankar, aptly titled ‘Ananda ShankarAnd His Music’. Released on His Master’s Voice in 1976, the album is asublime collage of sitar-funk, traditional Indian classical music andpsychedelic grooves, from the Indian sitarist, composer and musician.

An official reissue of an iconic, exploratory album from 1976 by Indian maestro ofthe sitar, Ananda Shankar.A sublime collage of sitar-funk, traditional Indian classical music and psychedelicgrooves.

Includes the dancefloor favourites ‘Streets Of Calcutta’ and ‘Dancing Drums’.Vinyl LP features tip-on sleeve.

Nephew to India’s legendary sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar, Ananda’s musical familyand upbringing led to a deep respect and love of the wealth of music that emanatedfrom his birthplace. His travels to the west coast of America in the late ’60s though,saw Shankar immersed in the full swing of psychedelic rock. The collision of thesetwo musical worlds with a whole range of other Eastern and Western influences on’Ananda Shankar And His Music’, is a truly entrancing combination.

First big in the UK in the mid-’90s jazz/rare groove club scene, when it was unearthedby adventurous DJs and crate diggers, the sensational Indian-funk tracks ‘Streets OfCalcutta’ and ‘Dancing Drums’ became firm dancefloor favourites. The mixture ofdrum- heavy funk with Indian music and psychedelia is the perfect melting pot.Flavourful and balanced, it still feels fresh and exciting 40 years on.

Like a fine wine, this album keeps getting better with age and once-overlooked tracks are now seen in a new light. Aside from the main ‘club’ cuts that many have praised and loved, ‘The River’ is a part blissed- out, Balearic gem, part cosmic wild west soundtrack, that would provide the perfect complement to any sunset session. Elsewhere, ‘Dawn’ is a spiritual and meditative journey into Indian classical music, with ‘Cyrus’ floating you away to heavenly heights. On a different tip, ‘Back Home’ fuses styles and themes via an organ and Moog- infused, tripped- out excursion, whilst ‘Renunciation’ hits with a psych-rock sentiment to its sitar-soaked grooves. A beautiful time capsule of Eastern culture meets Western influence, where experimentation and intrigue produced a fusion of sounds that still sound as vibrantand alluring as they have ever been.

Tracklist

1. Streets Of Calcutta

2. Cyrus

3. The Lonely Rider

4. The River

5. Vidai (Parting)

6. Back Home

7. Dawn

8. Renunciation

9. Dancing Drums