Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site decwrl.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!ucdavis!ucbvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-beta!hall 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 Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Lines: 51 > 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