How Ravi Shankar's Sitar Became America's Obsession

[@watchmework7672]

What a tragedy. Poor Ravi just wanted to share his music and culture but the western audiences only wanted to tokenize him.

[@utsavkrsaha]

He is not just "a" sitar player.. he is THE LEGENDARY Sitar Player. Pride of us Indians.

[@kurikokaleidoscope]

Ravi is to Sitar as Lata is to Vocal..

[@shaktiprasadmishra1720]

Had he let Annapurna Devi play and had he not killed his own son out of jealousy, you would not have been telling this😂😂😂😂

[@tintunbirha]

He was one of the many. It's just he travelled outside.

[@RatherPratty]

It hurts when Indian classical music is called ‘psychedelic music’. That’s not how it was ever intended to be.

[@cos_mos_island]

Maybe because we experience ecstasy and spiritual experience with our classical music and they experience it with psychedelics so they find similar experience..

[@obdeisibcirrus993]

@@cos_mos_island for sure. I am very interested in psychedelic experiences, and I also love playing Hindustani classical on sitar. The feelings do have some difference but deep immersion in the raga makes one feel definitely altered consciousness

[@haripurwantoui]

Is psychedelic meaning bad? I don't think so

[@mtk3755]

​​@@haripurwantouispiritual music is not meant to be treated like psychedelics. It's the West that doesn't understand that there is a certain sanctity and tradition with art of other places.

[@mtk3755]

​@@haripurwantouipsychedelics are for escaping reality, spiritual music is to feel the soul, Different ideologies

[@marciamatteini7604]

I saw Ravi in concert in the late 70’s. My reason for going was to see George Harrison, but hearing Ravi was incredible. I noticed that people were not being respectful, walking around and talking. I felt badly for Ravi Shankar. Regardless, I loved the whole experience. Listening and seeing George Harrison a dream come true for me. May they both Rest In Peace ☮️✝️

[@mandolinjournal]

Here is a tribute to the Beatles…. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGHOp2ioa7ehbKcsi=vYDJ9HnveZ89RI19

[@AhadHossain-l3c]

Concert for Bangladesh

[@sudipbhaumik7905]

Where did you see Ravi?

[@abantikagoswami4424]

Please add 'Pandit' before you address Pandit Ravi Shankar ji. Just a matter of adding respect.

[@arch391]

​@@abantikagoswami4424why are you forcing other culture to act acvording to you...especially here on docial media where people make fun and write bad things without any regret...

[@ryanlevin1912]

This felt like a proper documentary, really well done video man

[@ooohlalaandrea]

Yes I agree and in such a short time too! It definitely felt longer with the amount of information relayed, thoroughly enjoyed!

[@Goatchild90]

Rest in Peace Ravi Shankar, a music legend

[@ganazby]

I think John McLaughlin deserves an honourable mention, as he, more than any other western musician, successfully fused Indian Classical Music with rock, jazz, and blues, particularly in the Shakti group, which included some of the greatest Indian musicians of the time. I recommend listening to both ‘Handful of Beauty’ and ‘Natural Elements’.

[@voidmain9519]

Thank you

[@RabbiSteve]

Agreed. Saw that Shakti back in 1976. Just saw a show on their 50th anniversary tour, with John, Zakir (on tablas), and three new musicians. One of the greatest concerts I ever heard and saw. I used to play Indian Santoor, but never mastered it (though I enjoyed playing it and there’s a couple of videos on my channel where I am doing a jam on it$, and tuning a hundred strings is too much for me.

[@kurikokaleidoscope]

Yes that's precisely true. Did far much more than others..

[@TheLYagAmi]

They just did a tiny desk show and it was awesome

[@stillme9171]

Yehudi Menuhin was playing with Ravi in the early 60's.

[@p2pnest]

To learn sitar or any indian music style it's a long process it requires many years of training ... determination, decipline it's all part of process ....that's what make it pleasant and peaceful ....it's the process ....

[@eponymouseyre]

No one cares 😂

[@suryakiran3085]

​@@eponymouseyreyou might not care . Who are you to make word for everyone ?

[@tenemus9624]

@@eponymouseyre just like you and your life. Go bark somewhere else.

[@manashprotimgogoi9220]

​@@eponymouseyreThis documentary itself proved who cares! It's not for lunatics

[@hitesh_blues2353]

One beautiful thing did happen out of all this, Norah Jones 🥰If it wasn't for Pandit Ravi Shankar's stay in the USA, he would have never met Sue Jones.

[@MsDboyy]

His performance at the pop in the 1960s is one of the best musical performances in history 💯 even if you don’t like that kind of music it’s still just so impressive the skill and the talent and the speed he puts into playing ☯️

[@dannydine5263]

Good little article that wasn't clickbait but was a genuine mini-documentary.

[@ColtraneTaylor]

The Byrds, Beach Boys, The Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin (the No Quarter solo), Psychedelic Rock, 90s indie rock, John Coltrane, trance ... the influence of Indian music through Ravi Shankar and others as well on American and British music is immense. It is often not recognized in rock and pop music.

[@vipulgupta]

Pandit Ravi Shankar was born in the holiest city of India, Banaras (Varanasi), Uttar Pradesh to be precise. This city because of its musical roots and history is the reason why it became the center of some precious musical gems of India. It is the city of famous Banaras Gharana and Kathak dance. It is the city of birth of some of the greatest musicians of India like Ravidas, Tansen, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Vikash Maharaj, Girija Devi and others. And this is reason why Varanasi has joined the global bandwagon of UNESCO "Cities of Music" under the Creative Cities Network. I wonder why this important information was omitted from the video and instead mentioned that he moved to Mumbai later!

[@PAULLONDEN]

Somewhat understandable Shankar tried to distance himself from the psychedelic drug culture , but every new musical genre initially gets somewhat diluted from its original intentions. When Ravi finally got over his reservations he obviously appreciated to have been such a major influence. All musical styles are open to one's own personal interpretations .

[@cienfu_egos]

The thing is, the West eventually interprets everything as fashion and hedonism. That's what capitalism does to mass culture. It strips it away from any soul or meaning and it turns into McMusic🍟.

[@sanderrustenburg]

Wonderful video! I'm really interested in the late 60s, early 70s psychedelic music scene lately and this was incredibly informative.

[@marciamatteini7604]

Sander I have great memories of 60’s and the 70’s. I was in my late teens and my 20’. The best music was made at that time☮️✝️

[@MichaelSouhoka]

Kula Shaker band should be mentioned too in the other modern bands mentioned at the conclusion. But anyway, this is a really great documentary. We love you Pandit Ravi Shankar. Always. Om Santi Santi... 🙏🙏

[@TheBlindReaper]

This was a truly unique experience! Thank you for this. Well done 😊👏🏻

[@David-yx5vx]

And again i did not get disappointed by your video. Amazing work, keep it up, it will pay off!

[@QisForCubes]

Fantastic video, thanks for making this, I'll absolutely be checking out the rest of your work

[@Psztyk236]

Great video! You're right that 60s are an endlessly fascinating time for music

[@monkmchorning]

Contrast the approaches of George Harrison and Brian Jones to the sitar. George's first take, "Norwegian Wood," was tentative and conventional in the western sense, but he challenged himself to study further. Brian picked one up and launched into "Paint It Black," showing an intuitive understanding of the what the instrument could be used for. And he never studied or recorded with it again.

[@Joeonline26]

Unsure what point you're trying to make here...

[@monkmchorning]

@@Joeonline26 Brian's talent was instinctive but undisciplined. When he got bored he put it down. At first George didn't seem to know what to do with it; but he studied, practiced, persisted, and became quite inventive on it, for a western dilettante. You could probably make an argument that Brian's use for the sitar was more utilitarian. After "Paint It Black," the Stones had no further use for it. But at the same time, Brian's guitar playing was hitting a wall, too.

[@vugbeshbara1103]

That's why jesus says the meek and the humble inherit the kingdom of God. Not exactly in the same vein as here but similar case story. I am like a Brian Jones so i understand the things I too missed out in vanity and indiscipline

[@ravimarr]

Well done, you hit on a number of points that often get lost in nostalgia

[@blancolirio]

Excellent breakdown! Thanks for posting.

[@ZenFox0]

Beautiful use of visuals and archival shots to tell the story of Ravi Shankar, raga music, and raga rock and psychedelic rock.

[@AlexanderTheGreat871]

Proud to be a bengalee! He wasn't rvi shankar He was pundit ravi shankar

[@samp.8099]

Man, these videos get too few views for such high production values

[@adambadruddinsyah3178]

I know right. They're as good as Vox's vids.

[@Proud_Pagan]

This is a great video , even we Indians didn't know that much about the legend Ravishankar .

[@nikkothegoblin]

Excellent video, a real gem of editing that I hope gets more love from the algorithm!

[@pinakadhara7650]

Great content! Professionally done.

[@g-man4744]

Ravi Shankar and Pandit Pran Nath helped redefine popular and experimental music of the 60s kind of by mistake. Some of the best mistakes in the history of music, so many great works of art came out during this period, it sparked staggering creativity!

[@AlexGus]

Incredible video.

[@sonofzues8414]

what a nice and well-done documentary, Here in Pakistan and India Classical music is very heavy like in terms of respect and impact. This culture is so heavy and difficult to master that it's fading away really fast.

[@dogmatic6883]

Fun fact - 9 times Grammy winner Norah jones is the biological daughter of Ravi Shankar !!

[@theonlycanadiangoose2]

Amazing video! I love Ravi, his music his music will live on as one of the greatest sitar player. I try to learn the sitar and I couldn't so I stop

[@beezlus_]

Hey man, know I’m late but what’s that first Sitar song you play, the faster one… Loved the video, great editing 🫡

[@armanchauhan9443]

You are so underrated man. Great work! Just wanted to know the track you've used in background while talking about the LSD .

[@TingoMedia]

Thanks! That is a royalty free song is called Wall Sitar by Chad Doreck

[@Shibasu_]

This Video is super well made!! Great work

[@musicwallah69]

Great work buddy! Love all the way from India.

[@karmeishghosh2703]

This is do detailed and fun to learn about this legend.

[@mtk3755]

His music is spiritual not psychedelic music. West needs to understand difference between psychedelics and spiritual.

[@histarchus]

No Sir, please read up on the spiritual value of psychedelics. Read John Hopkins University research and many other recent ones on the spiritual potential of psychedelics.

[@miste.remusic]

appreciate the perspective

[@guitarguy07]

A great video overall but Venus in furs and black mountain side did not use sitar. Venus in furs was John Cale using his violin and open tunes guitars creating the drone. And while black mountain side did use tablas (I think) it is a cover of an English folk song. I also want to say that while ravis influence was huge the use of drones in western music was a thing long before Indian influence. Just listen to Scottish bagpipes, Gregorian chants, or even English folk and American blues with open guitar tunings! From my perspective the 60’s raga rock thing was always about the timbre of the sitar and modal improvisation (also pioneered by Miles Davis).

[@dannydine5263]

Black Mountain Side is a cover of an English folk song. Even if the song credit says Jimmy Page. I love Jimmy but he wasn't above doing that sort of thing back then. White Summer is a re-write of She Walked Through the Fair.

[@HEATSEEKER00]

Like most liberals the video tries to credit an Indian non white with creating psychedelic rock … so they can say “wElL acKtually wHiTe PEople dID’nt inVeNt pSYCh rOck” it’s fine because Indian music comes from the white Aryan people who settled northern India

[@CESARvsTHEWORLD]

I was lucky enough to see him live in a concert

[@Potatomatoo]

Really nice video very well put thanks 🙂

[@FullHouseFanatic]

This was great!

[@avitee5308]

I went to his house to meet him a decade or less before he passed, because my father brought me along, and I had no idea who he was. I just remember him being pretty chill, as were the people around him. We joked about basic things in life.

[@Davett53]

3/2023........Like it or not, I became interested in sitar music specifically because of its integration into western music, and the Beatles,...and many other bands at the time who would sprinkle it in their music. Sometime in the mid 1970s when I was in college, I bought a cassette which was of Ravi playing his sitar and explaining how to listen to it. He explained each kind of note and each rhythm instrument. Just listening to his voice was hypnotic, relaxing and I felt it was perfect for accompanying meditation. I still have the cassette in 2023, and I cherish it. It's titled: Ravi Shankar, The Sounds of India. Its on You Tube and I keep the link close at hand. I experimented with mind altering drugs, with absolutely no regrets. And I did in fact listen to his music when I was tripping on acid, or stoned on hashish, & weed. Not exclusively, as there are plenty of Jazz musicians to listen to when you are in that state of mind. Great video!

[@TingoMedia]

My experience surrounding Ravi's music is similar honestly. I was obsessed with 60s music and first heard Ravi through the OG raga rock tracks. Upon conducting research for the video, I was surprised about Ravi's hesitance about the psychedelic adoption. Now, I can't say I've dropped to Ravi, but definitely to artists heavily inspired by him and the raga rock wave. That cassette sounds awesome man, and quite the treasure you kept it around so long. Cheers!

[@Davett53]

@@TingoMedia A blessing of our modern times: "KZbin". Through KZbin I am able to find so many sitar performances and other Indian musicians to listen to and enjoy. Saw a great one last week ( about demystifying the sitar), a full description of the sitar, and how is works, and what the musicians are doing when they play it.

[@user-hq8wm8giyujcg]

And west still portrays our classical music with their pesudo indian music, and many times they miss it with middle east culture

[@WilliaminOz]

What is the name of the tune at 5:14. I remember it from my youth but can't name it. Many thanks.

[@Marginal391]

Comme on man, I 😊have you a 👍, but how could you ever miss to mention the "concert for Bangladesh" where Ravi Shankar performed one of his greatest gigs? Thank you 😊 ✔️

[@RBPaul]

What is the outro music at the very end called?

[@Goatchild90]

Imagine a John Coltrane/Ravi Shankar album O_o

[@adrianomichalovicz]

Thanks!

[@saranbhatia8809]

Great content great compilation great presentation!!!

[@lospinkrosas3191]

Great video!

[@rahulujjal8245]

Insightful video, just want to praise the editor more they poured their soul in the video

[@TingoMedia]

Appreciate it brother! I actually make all my videos by myself 🙌

[@Azlaak]

This video is fair and informative !! Good job!

[@lust4musicx118]

A great video. Highly educational

[@YPO6]

1:58 Wasn't Ravi already very famous in India (population over 350 million in 1950) during 1950s?

[@histarchus]

No. Ravi Shankar became famous in India only after his Western tours -- especially after 1968.

[@nishanthboppanda4722]

Can someone please tell me what's the song that starts at 06:29

[@jabohonu]

3:28 it was actually John Lennon's melody made on guitar

[@lydiamacintyre3729]

"his world was not one of sex drugs or rock n roll" I agree with the the drugs or rock n roll part, but Ravi had a lot of lovers in his lifetime, he was not monogamous and he was open about it with all his partners

[@varun794]

Psychedelics and spiritual enlightenment essentially aim for the same objective, experiencing something fundamental within oneself. I understand the reservations some people have, but it is what it is. India will always be the land of wild experimentations when it comes to spirituality.

[@Ss0oUuLl]

While I totally understand his disgust with the hedonistic audience not respecting his art, I'm kinda surprised he expected rock musicians to play his instrument "properly", the traditional way. At the time the whole concept of a distorted and further processed guitar sound was still kinda fresh. So contemporary classical guitar musicians could have the same attitude towards the rock music. Yet here we are.

[@prajnachan333]

Personally, I love the melody in Norwegian Wood on the sitar- it sounds beautiful to me, simple yes, so what!? I have listened to the music of India all of my life and feel blessed for that. Progress in music or anything, doesn't happen over night. It is always a gradual process. It is inclusive not exclusive. That is open mindedness, and an open heart. I find much criticism of music to be a cheap imitation of intelligence. Just using the intellect for its own self satisfaction. Music heals humanity, so does silence. 🕉 Ragarock lives! 🎉

[@deknas07]

and sometimes things come back around. Here, a professional sitar player's take on Norwegian Wood kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmiWloWdqLOrotU

[@TheNitesh101]

Legend ❤

[@kongogou1537]

Thanks for this bro....

[@TingoMedia]

Pleasures all mine! Glad people are enjoying the content 🤘

[@Eren______]

As a jazz listener, hearing John Coltrane's name here felt like a MCU cameo :D

[@jasmineleopard7593]

He is also father of Norah Jones :)

[@Xogroroth666]

"I couldn't believe it, it sounded so strange. Just imagine some Indian Villager trying to play the violin." I for one would LOVE to hear that!!! Must be AMAZING to hear what they'd do with it. Musical instruments are not per se "culturally bound": Think of Synths in Black/Death Metal, or a church organ, or bagpipes. This is the issue in general in music (and everything, really, like Indian people being angry when a non-Indian woman wears a Sari: Ridiculous, since that is a token of respect, even though it is not meant as such!) It's about damn time folks open up their minds, and share their cultural history with others. It will lead to new, nice things. Just like Sitar in Western Music (check Rob Scallon's Sitar Death Metal!!! It is AWESOME!!!!) If all shared, the people of the world would be FAR more united, becoming one. A goal to pursuit, since, only that would lead to more chance for life on Earth to survive ... . But one can only dream, I guess.

[@caniorderapizza]

I 100% agree. Music is about freedom of expression. Musical instruments should be experimented with, trying out different combinations and styles.

[@Xogroroth666]

@@caniorderapizza This. Simple. Fact!

[@rkh7360]

I doubt any Indian gets angry when a foreigner wears saree. We all get excited n take it as an honour. It's the west who scream at each other about appropriating Indian culture while us Indians are left wondering what the big deal is

[@Xogroroth666]

@@rkh7360 I know of 3 situations where a woman got engaged in an angry cannonade of words due to not "not wearing the Sari correct". I think, you can google for similar situations. Mind, I spoke of "Indian" people and "wrongfully worn sari", this was nothing else than an example, and in any way meant as such. had to give an example, and took a random one. Could just as well been over smurfs and their crooked space helmets. But, that then, was not quite too realistic, of course, these crooked space helms.

[@iliveinsecrecy]

Read up about Carnatic & Hindustani music and how complex and nuanced it is. Of course its culturally bound, as all traditional music genres around the world are. The audience who listen to such a kind of music are not expecting to let their hair down like wild animals for "freedom". That definition of freedom may apply in the West, but not in the East. There are vast cultural differences between both. For once let the non-western world BE, without trying to force down on your western ideals about what "freedom" and "progression" are.

[@rajeshkumarchand1983]

Everything in internal, internationally psychedelic, it always hurts.......

[@krushna4181]

The same thing is happening with yoga nowadays in the West. It's disheartening to see yoga being reduced to "form of an exercise" and the West even sexualized it.

[@AnkitSinghTomar-j1p]

In late 1970,80 and 90 people were so engaged drugs and many wrong activities which made them human with empty brain so how they can understand the concept of Bhartiya Music which is so deep🙏🍀🌹🙂

[@histarchus]

Actually, it was the opposite --- those LSD junkies and hippies who created the information revolution which began in the late 1960s. These junkies included Steve Jobs of Apple, Bill Gates, Warnock of Adobe and many others. Read the book "How Hippies Saved Physics." It is a scholarly book. Please also read up on the current findings on psychedelics such as LSD, magic mushroom, etc. Learn and grow.

[@penta15786]

When Ustad Vilayat Khan did not use his sitar prowess to do a lot of recordings with the artists in the West particularly USA he was considered as not so great as Ravi Shankar. All through his life Ravi Shankar got more fame and wealth compared to those like Ustad Vilayat Khan. Now he says that he made a mistake. Who is the real Ravi Shankar I ask?

[@debjyotimandal4927]

He did not regret his collaboration with Yehudi Menuhin or Satyajit Ray!

[@penta15786]

@@debjyotimandal4927 - And you were with him when he said that. Grow up. Stopping putting your twist to what we all know.

[@abelcoss]

There’s no sitar in Venus in Fur , but there s an inspiration

[@omrajeshtamboli3611]

May he was the first Indian World Famous Musician

[@manwithoutgoal1863]

4:02 songs influenced by ravi

[@onshrooms6850]

tabla is a percussion by the way

[@bb-mu2vv]

Obsession nehi bolunga but popular

[@stillme9171]

Ravi was chastised by his peers for Westernizing Indian music.

[@nikolc1270]

Only Foreigners can ruin The universality of Music by attaching it to drugs, sex , psychedelic tag and negativity. For Bharatiyas Music is always uplifting ,pure and Divine. No wonder that Pandit Ravi Shankar ji was stunned and shocked at the violent behaviour / violent action of guitarist who broke the instrument , he was playing. How cud one claim to love music, when one does not respects his own instrument? That's unacceptable and crude. Harrison finally Got the divine intervention and transformed himself to Vaishnavism. It was the Harikirtan that transformed the life of so many druggies in U. S. It's a mercy of swami bhativedant Srila A.C. Praphupada.

[@shivabreathes]

The irony of all this is that Ravi Shankar was not anywhere near the best sitar player India has produced. There are at least two sitar players I rate much higher than him: 1) Nikhil Banerjee and 2) Vilayat Khan. Ravi-ji was actually playing a slightly watered down and sped up version of Indian classical music to suit western tastes. This is why he was so popular in the west. Whereas the other above mentioned sitar players stuck to the traditional style of playing and refused to change for anyone. Listening to Nikhil Banerjee’s sitar is a sublime experience, but you need to have a real appreciation for Indian raga music (and the patience to sit through his slow, meditative recitals). It’s not the type of music that would have suited Woodstock or Monterey Pop Festival. Vilayat Khan’s sitar is arguably even more difficult to appreciate. You need to have a firm grounding in Indian vocal music to appreciate what he was trying to do on sitar. All of this would have been completely lost on western audiences. So, please let’s not confuse “popularity” with “greatness”. Ustad Vilayat Khan: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWi3dKhpgq5jfrM

[@producedbyYeti]

Pandit Shree Ravishankar ji*

[@afridifacebook]

wow!!!!!!! :O

[@user-hq8wm8giyujcg]

6:54 And west still portrays our music by their pesudo indian music, and many times they miss it with middle east culture

[@shushunk00]

6:20 classic Orientalism

[@celestialbody7358]

It is so embarrassing for an artist to see people doing drugs and making out in live concert between thousands of others.

[@abhijithkpofficial8211]

❤️

[@happymontanamusic]

Ravi was SHOCKED to hear the sitar in popular music, which made the sitar and Ravi, extremely popular! lol

[@rkh7360]

Wow! Talk about selective listening. He was upset about the association with drugs. He was upset his audience didn't seem to be listening in. In india, artists who train in classical music or dance are extremely respectful of their art. A religious devotion almost. Imagine a piano concert audience making out in the crowd, I'm sure the piano artist will also feel upset.

[@SagarRawat-vy9ir]

West is all about sex and drugs celebacy is part of enlightenment.

[@njoy51]

Poor Legend should've studied more about the kind of audience he'd be performing with 🎭

[@meawwow]

It was cultural appropriation at it's height

[@mourissaj]

Pandit Ravi Shankar ji is the father of Gheethali Norah Jones Shankar and Anoushka Shankar. and they are just as talented as their father.

[@karamikemel9033]

Jimi hendrix was the hight talent in guitarre he played it by its tooth ;how so extra artists rised early and died early ;elvis so!ravi shankar also with lovely song (I am missing you );graham nash -neil young-bad company-rolling stones-beatles-jackson brown-etc...;eternel paradis with everlasting lovers

[@ajinkyajadhav1325]

proud to be an INDIAN ❤

[@irishshamrock3025]

So bizarre to name your kid after a musician, especially one you arent close with.

[@pedraportuguesa7373]

He was Slash of Sitar!!!!

[@sumanthbhat1041]

Ravishankar worst artist ever who didn't allow his wife annapoorna devi great sitar artist to perform he is not a good human being 😡😡😡😡

[@bhushan0311kurade]

Well educate yourself with Word Pandit Ravi Shankar 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@rajeshkumarchand1983]

Everything in internal, internationally psychedelic, it always hurts.......