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From: hall@beta.DEC (Dan Hall)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re:  The best violinist
Message-ID: <1301@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 6-Nov-85 16:16:56 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.1301
Posted: Wed Nov  6 16:16:56 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 9-Nov-85 05:11:40 EST
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>  The best living violinist 
>     plays a custom-built double-necked violin,
>     has played with Mahavishnu's "Shakti"
>     and recorded with Peter Gabriel and David Byrne.
 

>  THE ALBUM:
> 
>           **************************************
>            L. Shankar     Who's to Know (on ECM)
>           **************************************
> 
>     His music burns with passion and intelligence: 
> 
>           god, I love it...
> 
>               Michael Girard
 
I agree wholeheartedly!  When I close my eyes and listen, that album takes
me far, far away.  Unfortunately, when it ends I am snapped back to reality
instantly.

More info on L. Shankar (no relation to Ravi):

L. Shankar's newest release, also on ECM, is called _Song For Everyone_, and
was reviewed recently on this net.  It's jazz, not classical Indian, but it 
still features Zakir Hussain on tabla, and Jan Garbarek on horns.  Fortunately, 
(and unfortunately) my car deck ate my taped copy of it before I had a chance 
to burn out on it completely. 8^)

Shankar's first album, _Touch Me There_ was released on Zappa records, and
features FZ himself (credited as "Stucco Homes") doing vocals and guitar on
a little ditty entitled "Dead Girls of London".  The whole album is more
pop/rock than jazz, but I likes it lots!  Shankar even sings on it.  I don't
think it can be found anymore, since Zappa Records is long gone, but I'll tape
it for interested parties.

As mentioned by Michael, Shankar was a member of Shakti.  He also played on 
John McLaughlin's _Electric Dreams_ album, the tune "Making Flippy Floppy" 
on the Talking Heads _Speaking in Tongues_ album, and on the title cut from  
Echo and the Bunnymen's _Porcupine_.  I can't for the life of me think of 
where he shows up with Peter Gabriel.
 
Also of related interest (no pun intended) is L. Shankar's brother, 
Dr. L. Subramanian.  He is a master violinist in India, and also teaches 
at a Californian university.  His style is more typically classical Indian, 
very much like _Who's to Know_.

Yours for enjoyable listening,
Dan Hall