George Harrison's Love of Indian Music
No other Western musician has done more towards the promotion and veneration of Indian music than shy George from the Fab Four. Through the musical and spiritual guidance of his good friend Ravi Shankar, Harrison turned his simple sitar figure from “Norwegian Wood” into a lifetime of practice, listening, and promotion.
“Ravi was my link into the Vedic world,” recalled George in the pages of Shankar’s autobiography Raga Mala. “Ravi plugged me into the whole of reality. I mean, I met Elvis—Elvis impressed me when I was a kid, and impressed me when I met him because of the buzz of meeting Elvis—but you couldn’t later on go round to him and say, ‘Elvis, what’s happening in the universe?’”
Aside from issuing several Indian-related records on his Black Horse label, Harrison helped organize the 1974 Ravi Shankar’s Family and Friends Tour which featured many of the top Indian musicians of the time. And of course there was the Concert for Bangladesh, recently reissued on a handsomely packaged DVD.
Remembering George Harrison will feature performances by two of India’s leading musicians. First off, we’ll be privy to the Indian slide guitar (or rather “Mohan Veena,” a 38-string instrument of his own making) of Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Bhatt has recorded with Bela Fleck and incidentally was presented a Grammy for his work with Ry Cooder by Sir George himself back in ’94. He’ll be accompanied by Subhankar Banerjee on the tabla.
Most of you will recognize the name Lakshmi Shankar from her many recordings, including a spot on the Family and Friends Tour. Besides being Ravi’s sister-in-law, Lakshmi has spent the last forty years or so touring the world as India’s foremost classical singer. For this occasion she is joined by the forementioned Banerjee, as well as Gopal Marathe on harmonium and Jagan Ramamurthy on violin.
This evening’s concert is presented by The Music Circle. Established in 1973 by Shankar and his student/assistant Harihar Rao (pictured above with Shankar and Harrison), The Music Circle has consistently produced 8 to 10 classical concerts a year, making it the foremost advocate of Indian music in Southern California. This special event sees the Circle moving from its usual digs in the chapel of Occidental College to the wonderful Japan America Theater in Little Tokyo. Truly an occasion not to be missed for anyone interested in the classical arts of India.
The Music Circle with the support of the Material World Charitable Foundation presents a celebration remembering George Harrison and his love of Indian Music.
Saturday, November 11 7PM
The George and Sakaye Aratani Japan America Theater
244 S. San Pedro St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tickets on sale now
Reserved seating $25, $35, $50, $100 VIP, $250 Donors Circle
Ticket information and reservations
(213) 680-3700
Aratani/Japan Theater Box Office
Concert information
The Music Circle at (626) 449-6987
www.MusicCircle.org
Parking directly across from the theater
Comments
Namaste ! I was 10 yrs old when I first heard George's sitar playing on Norwegian Wood, and it opended a door for me, to Vaikuntha, the Spiritual Sky.One morning as I was returning from playing guitar wih my band in a club in Winipeg. I met a Hare Krishna devotee meditating in front of his temple who was also a George fan. Ten years later I shaved my head, put on a dhoti and moved into the Chicago Hare Krishna temple to devote my life to "Our Sweet Lord", and His dearmost servant, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuada.George said that probably more than half the devotees joined the Krishna movement because of his music & lyrics. Thank you George, for all your love and matchless gifts. I hope to meet you again, with Krishna, and we can play in His band, together ! Thank you also frinds for creatign this site !
Posted by: Gaura Dasa | April 9, 2007 07:32 PM