Shredding the Sitar: Ashwin Batish and "Sitharmony"

Today's random global tune is by Ashwin Batish, an accomplished sitar and tabla player. Originally from Mumbai, India Batish is the son of composer and Bollywood playback singer Pandit Shiv Dayal Batish. Ashwin Batish was a child prodigy who started playing music on the dholak drum, then the tabla at age 10, but he fell in love with the sitar at age 12. He began to learn sitar through lessons taught by his mother and by listening to Ravi Shankar albums. He also learned some guitar and enjoyed playing Western music by The Beatles, Pat Boone, Cliff Richard and others of the 60s era. After joining his father in England, he began to learn North Indian classical music and composition. His training was rigorous, but Ashwin realized he had to study diligently because he found himself uncomfortable playing in front of audiences. Batish moved to the US in 1973 with his father, and played music with him at their family restaurant. In 1986, he released his debut album called Sitar Power #1. A sitar fueled fusion of Indian and Western rock music, it brought him much attention and a recording contract. He currently runs his own record label that focuses on publishing all of his family's music, and he teaches music in Santa Cruz, California at his Batish Institute of Music and Fine Arts. This song, Sitharmony, can be found on his 1986 release Sitar Power #1.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashwin_Batish

Sleepy Time: Anoushka Shankar and "Lola's Lullaby"

Anoushka Shankar, the daughter of Ravi Shankar, and the half sister of performer Norah Jones, brings us today's random tune. Anoushka Shankar is a famed sitar player in her own right. She began training to play sitar under her father at age seven, and by age ten she was accompanying him on tanpura in his performances. She gave her first public performance on sitar at 13, accompanied by tabla player Zakir Hussain. At fifteen, she assisted in the production of Ravi Shankar's landmark Chants of India, and producer George Harrison put her in charge of notation and conducting the accompanying musicians. She signed her first record deal at 16, and released her first album, Anoushka, in 1998. After her second album, she took time off from recording to concentrate on building a career outside of her father's ensemble. In 2007, she collaborated with Karsh Kale on an album mixing classical Indian sitar with electronica. Since then, she has had a prolific and very creative period as an artist and performer. This song, Lola's Lullaby, can be found on her 2012 album Traveller.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anoushka_Shankar, http://www.anoushkashankar.com/

Not To Put a Pall on Things: Ravi Shankar and "Death"

Today's random tune is a macabre one. By Indian sitar master Ravi Shankar, the song Death is part of a suite of songs called Transmigration Macabre which is a soundtrack that he composed for a British art film called Viola, in which a man is convinced that his dead wife has come back as a cat that pursues him. A Bengali Indian musician and composer, Shankar is best known for his influences on American and British rock music, particularly that of George Harrison. However, his compositions were in Hindustani classical forms, and his sitar playing style was unique from that of his contemporaries, giving him a distinct sound. You can find Death on the 1967 album Transmigration Macabre (Original Soundtrack from the Film Viola), which was re-released in 2013.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravi_Shankar; https://www.youtube.com/embed/uhooJxw7PYM

Swing Out Sitar Sister: Anoushka Shankar and "Traveller"

The daughter of a legend, who is becoming legendary in her own right, provides the random tune for today. Anoushka Shankar is the daughter of Ravi Shankar, who was an Indian sitar player and companion to The Beatles. She is also the half sister of performer Norah Jones. Anoushka Shankar is a famed sitar player in her own right. She began training to play sitar under her father at age seven, and by age ten she was accompanying him on tanpura in his performances. She gave her first public performance on sitar at 13, accompanied by tabla player Zakir Hussain. At fifteen, she assisted in the production of Ravi Shankar's landmark Chants of India, and producer George Harrison put her in charge of notation and conducting the accompanying musicians. She signed her first record deal at 16, and released her first album, Anoushka, in 1998. After her second album, she took time off from recording to concentrate on building a career outside of her father's ensemble. In 2007, she collaborated with Karsh Kale on an album mixing classical Indian sitar with electronica. Since then, she has had a prolific and very creative period as an artist and performer. This song, Traveller, can be found on her 2012 album Traveller.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anoushka_Shankar, http://www.anoushkashankar.com/

Changes: Anoushka Shankar and "Metamorphosis"

Our random song for today is called Metamorphosis and is by the daughter of a legend. Anoushka Shankar is the daughter of Ravi Shankar, who was an Indian sitar player and companion to The Beatles. She is also the half sister of performer Norah Jones. Anoushka Shankar is a famed sitar player in her own right. She began training to play sitar under her father at age seven, and by age ten she was accompanying him on tanpura in his performances. She gave her first public performance on sitar at 13, accompanied by tabla player Zakir Hussain. At fifteen, she assisted in the production of Ravi Shankar's landmark Chants of India, and producer George Harrison put her in charge of notation and conducting the accompanying musicians. She signed her first record deal at 16, and released her first album, Anoushka, in 1998. After her second album, she took time off from recording to concentrate on building a career outside of her father's ensemble. In 2007, she collaborated with Karsh Kale on an album mixing classical Indian sitar with electronica. Since then, she has had a prolific and very creative period as an artist and performer. Metamorphosis can be found on her 2013 album Traces of You, which was nominated for a Grammy award in 2014 for Best World Music Album.

Beginning, Middle and End: Anoushka Shankar with Shubha Mudgal and "Krishna"

Today's random song is by the daughter of a legend who is almost a legend herself. Krishna is by Anoushka Shankar, the daughter of Ravi Shankar, famed Indian sitar player and companion to The Beatles. She is also the half sister of performer Norah Jones. Anoushka Shankar is a famed sitar player in her own right. She began training to play sitar under her father at age seven, and by age ten she was accompanying him on tanpura in his performances. She gave her first public performance on sitar at 13, accompanied by tabla player Zakir Hussain. At fifteen, she assisted in the production of Ravi Shankar's landmark Chants of India, and producer George Harrison put her in charge of notation and conducting the accompanying musicians. She signed her first record deal at 16, and released her first album, Anoushka, in 1998. After her second album, she took time off from recording to concentrate on building a career outside of her father's ensemble. In 2007, she collaborated with Karsh Kale on an album mixing classical Indian sitar with electronica. Since then, she has had a prolific and very creative period as an artist and performer. Krishna can be found on her 2011 album Traveller. The song features the vocals of Shubha Mudgal, an award winning singer of Hindustani classical music, Khayal, Thumri, Dadra, and Indian pop music. The album as a whole is an exploration of the shared history of flamenco and Indian classical music.

He's Got the Power: Ashwin Batish and "Raga Rock"

How about something different and fun? Today's random global tune should fit the bill. Raga Rock is by Ashwin Batish. Batish is an accomplished sitar and tabla player. Originally from Mumbai, India Batish is the son of composer and Bollywood playback singer Pandit Shiv Dayal Batish. Ashwin Batish was a child prodigy who started playing music on the dholak drum, then the tabla at age 10, but he fell in love with the sitar at age 12. He began to learn sitar through lessons taught by his mother and by listening to Ravi Shankar albums. He also learned some guitar and enjoyed playing Western music by The Beatles, Pat Boone, Cliff Richard and others of the 60s era. After joining his father in England, he began to learn North Indian classical music and composition. His training was rigorous, but Ashwin realized he had to study diligently because he found himself uncomfortable playing in front of audiences. Batish moved to the US in 1973 with his father, and played music with him at their family restaurant. In 1986, he released his debut album called Sitar Power #1. A sitar fueled fusion of Indian and Western rock music, it brought him much attention and a recording contract. He currently runs his own record label that focuses on publishing all of his family's music, and he teaches music in Santa Cruz, California at his Batish Institute of Music and Fine Arts. Raga Rock can be found on his 1986 release Sitar Power #1.