Ananda Shankar was a pioneering Indian musician best known for his ingenious fusion of Western and Eastern musical styles. Born on December 11, 1942, in Almora, in the northern Indian state of Uttaranchal (then in Uttar Pradesh), he was the scion of an esteemed musical family, as the nephew of the world-renowned sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar. Ananda Shankar's artistic voyage began with learning the sitar under the tutelage of Dr. Lalmani Misra at Benares Hindu University. In the late 1960s, he traveled to Los Angeles, where his exposition to psychedelic rock and his friendships with musicians like Jimi Hendrix had a profound influence on his musical direction.

Shankar's self-titled debut album, released in 1970, was a groundbreaking work that captured his ability to blend the sitar with rock instrumentation, garnering acclaim for tracks such as his covers of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Light My Fire". His subsequent projects continued this trend of cross-cultural exploration, often incorporating elements of funk, electronica, and jazz. Albums such as "Ananda Shankar And His Music" showcased his talent for creating world music ahead of its time. Despite his passing in 1999, Shankar's work remains influential, with later releases of his archival works, such as "Shubh - The Auspicious" and various soundtrack contributions as seen in "Dui Prithivi (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)", that continue to introduce new audiences to his groundbreaking musical blend. His legacy lives on as a bridge between Indian classical music and Western popular sounds, inspiring future generations of musicians to embrace the beauty of global musical synthesis.

Genres

Raga Rock

Sitar

World Fusion

Latest Release

Shubh - The Auspicious

Ananda Shankar

Album - 8 Tracks - Released January 5, 1995