Ananda Shankar And His Music

Groove Funk, Soul, Disco

21,67 €

In stock

Label

Mr Bongo

Release date

November 29, 2024

Mr Bongo proudly presents an official reissue of an iconic, exploratory album by Indian
maestro of the sitar, Ananda Shankar, aptly titled 'Ananda Shankar And His Music'.
Released on His Master's Voice in 1976, the album is a sublime collage of sitar-funk, traditional
Indian classical music and psychedelic grooves, from the Indian sitarist, composer and
musician. Nephew to India’s legendary sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar, Ananda’s musical family
and upbringing led to a deep respect and love of the wealth of music that emanated from 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 these two 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 unearthed by
adventurous DJs and crate diggers, the sensational Indian-funk tracks 'Streets Of Calcutta' and
'Dancing Drums' became firm dancefloor favourites. The mixture of drum-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 vibrant and alluring as they have
ever been.