Ananda Shankar

I have this one more album review to go before I can start writing about the ones that I thought would go first on this blog.

If Caravan’s album that I reveiwed was 35 years old how about an album that is 36 years old.

Even before the albums from Shakti (the John McLaughlin, L Shankar, Zakir Hussain, Vikku Vinayakram group), Illayaraja’s fusion music or any others from India or the West, there was Ananda Shankar, the self titled debut from sitar-great Ravi Shankar’s nephew Ananda Shankar.

Normally when people in the west speak of the sitar Ravi Shankar is the first name that comes to everyone’s minds and lips (maybe nowadays his daughter Anoushka). Ravi Shankar had played Woodstock and any one associated with the original Woodstock has already become a part of rock n roll history. Ananda Shankar, Ravi Shankar’s nephew did not play Woodstock but in my opinion besides Mahesh Yogi’s Transcendental Meditation, Hare Rama Hare Krishna (cult and mantra) and the Sitar this album from Ananda Shankar is in many ways, India’s best contribution to exploding rock n roll scene.

Released in 1970 this is no elevator music. Normally even what is played as elevator music from Ananda Shankar is not from this album anyway. Because if it were, the first things that would come to a listener’s mind are the questions Who is this? What music is this? and such. Even the many Indians who speak of Ananda Shankar’s music will only recall his contributions for the Asiad Games in the 80′s, or later the music for the exercise motivation show Bharathiyam. This album certainly features no such stuff.

This album is probably the earlierst experiment in fusion using rock and the sitar. It is fusion at its very best. A lovely melting pot of cover versions of popular rock songs, melody, harmony and music for the “meditation” inclined. The Moog synthesizer, a great innovation in rock music and a novelty at that time is used on the album too. Ananda then smitten by the music of the The Rolling Stones and The Doors does cover versions of two big hits, one each of the two bands.

The album begins with “Jumping Jackflash”, the only other song where you hear vocals, this time a chorus screaming “Jumping Jackflash”.  When the sitar sets in you’ll be blown away. From then onwards the entire album is a beautiful fusion of the sitar with drums and percussion, bass, guitars and the moog.

“Jumping Jackflash” is followed by “Snow Flower”, obviously the sweetest song on the album where Ananda plays some very melodious sitar.

Time for another rock classic. This time, “Light my fire” from The Doors. This is followed by “Mamata (Affection)”, another soft beautiful number setting the prelude for the heavy and lovely fusion number “Metamorphosis” featuring a long and fiery solo by Ananda.

“Sagar” or the ocean provides the meditative rest after “Metamorphosis”. It is the longest song on the album, a 13 min treat to the sound of ocean waves in the background, perfect for your Yoga or meditation. Now here’s some Trivia. Just as the song ends, increase the volume on your amplifier and you’ll hear Ananda Shankar’s voice saying ‘Very Long Song’.

“Dance Indra” is another mellow filler and awakener.

Finally you get to hear the man himself on “Raghupathi Raghava”. Reminiscent of the way “Hey Jude” ends but Ananda’s song is beautiful in its own inimitable way. When the Nigerian based “Osibisa” toured India in the late 70′s they took inspiration from this Ananda Shankar song to make their own cover version which they used as their opening number when they performed here in Chennai.

The Personnel on the album: Ananda Shankar (sitar); Dick Rosmini, Drake Levin (guitars); Paul Lewinson (keyboards, Moog synthesizer); Jerry Scheff, Mark Tulin (bass guitar); Michael Botts, Joe Pollard (drums); Pranish Khan (tabla).

Final words -

Ananda did not learn to play the Sitar from his world reknown uncle but becoming a sitarist like his uncle was not his only objective in life. Being the son of the famous dance couple of Uday Shankar and Amala it came as no surprise when Ananda and his wife Tanushree, an accomplished dancer herself, formed the famous Ananda Shankar Institute of Fine Arts. Ananda also wrote scripts, directed and handled lighting for his troupe’s shows.

Building heavily on the legacy left behind by his parents Uday and Amala, Tanushree choreographed some of the most beautiful dances to Ananda’s music that I have ever seen. These dances are an amalgamation of all classical dances and folk dances from India. Like me if you are bored sick of the classical dance forms from India (Bharathanatiyam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi (I seem to like Kathak somehow)) etc., then dances by Tanushree and her dancers are the ones you must watch.

Ananda Shanker passed away in 1999.

Listen to MP3 clips of the songs here.

Click here to buy the Ananda Shankar CD from Amazon.

Better still you could download the album for free at UnlimitedDownloadCenter.com.