Ravi Shankar: The Concert for World Peace

Those who only know Ravi Shankar as the father of Norah Jones, or perhaps as the musician responsible for introducing George Harrison (and, by extension, the Beatles) to Indian classical music, may find this 1993 concert recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall to be a revelation. Forty years ago, the sitar master's appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival was right up there with the performances by Jimi Hendrix, the Who, and Otis Redding. This is a calmer affair, but if it lacks some of the high energy virtuosity of the Monterey gig (especially during the first half-hour), Ravi Shankar: The Concert for World Peace is still mighty impressive. Shankar's music doesn't use the 12-tone scale common in Western music, but depends instead on the use of modes and tonal drones (indeed, there are two players onstage whose only function is to provide accompanying drones), over which the frontline musicians play, often improvising freely, like jazz players. This gives the pieces—two long ones presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound—a hypnotic (and occasionally somewhat monotonous) sound, but the interplay between Shankar, the remarkable tabla player Zakir Hussain, and Partho Sarathy on sarod (smaller than the sitar, this string instrument also has a softer, less metallic sound, somewhat like a banjo) is remarkable. DVD extras include a mini-documentary with photos, interviews, and more. A reminder that music can serve not only as entertainment but also as a form of meditation and even worship, this is recommended. Aud: P. (S. Graham)