Bigger than Gandhi

Ravi Shankar's life has been as well-traveled as his music. Since taking up the sitar in the late 1930s, the Indian musician has released more than 40 albums, composed for film director Satyajit Ray, collaborated with Ali Akbar Khan and Philip Glass, and taught George Harrison everything he knew about the complicated instrument. Shankar visited the White House during the Ford administration, toured the U.S. when no one had heard of Indian music, and nearly won an Oscar for his score for Gandhi (which lost out to E.T., another short, bald lead). His private life has been no less adventurous, as he fathered children by several wives and mistresses, giving the world the soft-pop singer-songwriter Norah Jones and sitar player Anoushka Shankar. The latter has brought Indian music to a new audience by collaborating with electronica producers Thievery Corporation and Karsh Kale, as well as performing with her father on numerous occasions, including the 2002 memorial for Harrison, The Concert for George. Tonight's show features performances by Ravi and Anoushka, separately and together. Fans should snap up tickets, as this may be one of the last chances to see the 89-year-old master perform his transcendental music in a local setting.
Thu., Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m., 2009