The Maestro

May 25, 2007 1:57 AM

Being a huge fan of the late, great Mr Harrison, I was hunting around youtube and found this video of a sitar lesson... which led me to this stunning performance by Ravi Shankar on Dick Cavett's show. [Previously]
posted by chuckdarwin (20 comments total)

Cool quote: "The magic in music happens only when the artist serves it with love and joy - and the listeners receive it with the same spirit."

Cool relatives: His daughter Anoushka is also an amazing musician.

Then, there's his other daughter.

Cool Harrison trivia: when George's wife Olivia managed to fend off the knife-weilding intruder in 1999, close friend Tom Petty sent George a fax that read "Aren't you glad you married a Mexican girl?"

Your favourite sitarist sucks.
posted by chuckdarwin at 1:59 AM on May 25, 2007

Harrison calling Ferdinand Marcos a twat on the Today Show.
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:01 AM on May 25, 2007

"In the better late than never department, just now, the Russians have put on sale A Hard Days Night and A Taste of Honey, and three hundred thousand copies were sold immediately."
"Just like that. Well who knows, maybe in another twenty years they'll get out of Afghanistan."

I forget where I first saw it, but have a look/listen at Jake Shimabukuro blissing out playing "While my guitar gently weeps" on ukulele.
posted by roboto at 4:56 AM on May 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

Oh, yeah; I've seen that clip before...
posted by chuckdarwin at 5:51 AM on May 25, 2007

Oh man, what a nice post. I'm running out right out of the house now, but I'll check it later and comment, just wanted to leave a message saying how cool it is.

P.S. I had no clue Norah Jones was Shankar's daughter.
P.S.2. Anoushka Shankar is god. I inevitably fell in love with her the first time I watched that Tribute For Harrison concert.
posted by micayetoca at 6:38 AM on May 25, 2007

The Concert for Bangladesh featuring Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Ravi Shankar, and Leon Russell.
posted by acro at 7:26 AM on May 25, 2007

I can't view the video (at work here); however, I know there is a video of Mr. H. practicing the Sitar in the great 1977 BBC documentary "All You Need Is Love". Could be the same one. If you can find copies of AYNIL, it is a treasure trove of similar stuff.
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 7:34 AM on May 25, 2007

Lovely, thanks for the link.

I can't help but think someone's going to accuse him of sitar wankery though.
posted by anthill at 7:56 AM on May 25, 2007

Thanks for the introduction to Anoushka's music. Very impressive, very beautiful.
posted by fake at 8:17 AM on May 25, 2007

I often wonder if the sitar is like the banjo; it's hard to tell when someone is good, or just a hack...

Don't get me wrong... I enjoyed it, but don't really know what's good or bad.
posted by jpburns at 9:12 AM on May 25, 2007

Actually... I seldom wonder that, but it just seemed the right phrase to use...
posted by jpburns at 9:13 AM on May 25, 2007 [2 favorites]

No sitar wankery involved, but this is one of my favorite George clips.
posted by Oriole Adams at 9:50 AM on May 25, 2007

cool post, and nice additional links in-thread - thanks, all.

Call me sentimental, but I still miss George something fierce. He was me fave! *sighs*
posted by scody at 10:00 AM on May 25, 2007

spitbull, I was hoping that people who don't know much about Indian music would be able to get into a shorter clip.

I'm a big fan of Ravi's composition for George, Arpan. Have you seen it?

http://www.concertforgeorge.com/

See also:

www.myspace.com/anoushkashankar

jpburns, Ravi is considered to be one of the best sitarists of all time.
posted by chuckdarwin at 11:33 AM on May 25, 2007

I know his rep, I just meant.... what should we be listening for?
How can we tell what a crap sitarist (or banjo player) sounds like?

I'm just askin'...
posted by jpburns at 1:17 PM on May 25, 2007

I think the thing to remember is that it's all improvised based on the tala, or rhythmic patterns of the tabla. Here, watch this:
posted by chuckdarwin at 2:30 PM on May 25, 2007

That Rutland clip is HILARIOUS.
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:45 PM on May 25, 2007

can't view the video (at work here); however, I know there is a video of Mr. H. practicing the Sitar in the great 1977 BBC documentary "All You Need Is Love".

Upon further review, the clip can be found in "All You Need Is Love"
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 11:36 PM on May 25, 2007

Upon even further review, AYNIL is just now available on DVD, see here
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 11:43 PM on May 25, 2007

Olivia Harrison and Barbara Orbison were on Later... this evening, talking about a new Wilburys documentary that George shot. It looked great!
posted by chuckdarwin at 2:23 AM on May 26, 2007