Dark Horse Records Releases Ravi Shankar / George Harrison Box Set

Press Release:

Los Angeles, CA – On October 19th, Dark Horse Records / Rhino Entertainment will release a limited edition deluxe box set entitled RAVI SHANKAR GEORGE HARRISON COLLABORATIONS which honors the sitar master’s 90th birthday.

Collaborations is a 3 CD and 1 DVD uniquely numbered limited edition box set (the CDs come in replica vinyl jackets). All compositions were composed by Ravi Shankar and produced by George Harrison over a period of 20 years. The DVD is a rare concert performance of the Ravi Shankar’s Music Festival From India recorded at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 1974. The albums include the acclaimed Chants Of India (1997), The Ravi Shankar Music Festival From India (studio version 1976) and Shankar Family & Friends (1974). The 56-page book includes a foreword by Philip Glass, a history of George and Ravi “in their own words” and rare photographs from both family archives.

The personal and musical friendship between Ravi Shankar and George Harrison has been known and well documented for decades now. It was a friendship that was powerful enough to make an impact on the large, musical life of the late nineteen sixties and it reverberates, as clearly, even today. – from the Foreword by Philip Glass

In 1973 George Harrison signed Ravi Shankar to his Dark Horse Records label. The first joint recording project between George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, Shankar Family & Friends brought together renown Indian classical musicians such as Ustad Alla Rakha, Lakshmi Shankar, and Shivkumar Sharma alongside Western jazz and rock musicians including George, Ringo Starr, Tom Scott, Klaus Voormann, Jim Keltner and Billy Preston. One half of the album comprises instrumentals and songs, while the second half is a thematic ballet to a yet un-staged performance.

Ravi Shankar’s Music Festival From India (live from the Royal Albert Hall) was the first artistic event organized and sponsored by George Harrison’s Material World Charitable Foundation; bringing together a 17-piece Indian classical ensemble as well as a solo sitar performance by Ravi Shankar accompanied on tabla by Alla Rakha.

In 1997 George Harrison and Ravi Shankar again collaborated on an album. This time Ravi created music for ancient Sanskrit chants with the challenge of maintaining the authenticity of the ancient verses, along with four original compositions. Released in 1997, Chants Of India are timeless, Vedic verses chanted for the well being of man and mankind.

“The friendship with George started in 1966 and that's when I met him along with the other three, but George was something very special from the very beginning. Something clicked between us and he was so interested in wanting to know about Indian music.” - Ravi Shankar

“In 1966 through the grace of God my life was blessed and enhanced from the sudden desire to investigate the classical music of India. Although intellectually, I could not comprehend it the music, (which happened to be Ravi Shankar and the sitar) made more sense to me than anything I had heard in my life. When I read Ravi saying he felt he had only started, I was overwhelmed, humbled and encouraged to try and understand the music and the man much more.” - George Harrison

This is how the interesting, unique and lifelong friendship began between Ravi Shankar and George Harrison. “Collaborations,” available on Dark Horse Records and distributed worldwide by Rhino Entertainment, is a celebration of these two musical geniuses and how their friendship and deep mutual respect for each other created opportunities to push musical boundaries.

RAVI SHANKAR GEORGE HARRISON
COLLABORATIONS
TRACK LISTING:
Disc: 1
1. Vandanaa Trayee
2. Omkaaraaya Namaha
3. Vedic Chanting One
4. Asato Maa
5. Sahanaa Vavatu
6. Poornamadah
7. Gaayatri
8. Mahaa Mrityunjaya (Om Triambakam)
9. Veenaa-Murali
10. Geetaa (Karmanye Vadhikaraste)
11. Mangalam (Tala Mantra)
12. Hari Om
13. Swara Mantra
14. Vedic Chanting Two
15. Prabhujee
16. Sarve Shaam

Disc: 2
1. Vandana
2. Dhamar
3. a) Tarana b) Chaturang
4. Raga Jait
5. Kajri
6. Bhajan
7. Naderdani
8. Dehati

Disc: 3
1. I Am Missing You
2. Kahan gayelava shyam saloné
3. Supané mé ayé preetam sainya
4. I Am Missing You (reprise)
5. Jaya Jagadish Haré (Dream, Nightmare & Dawn)
6. Overture - Part One: Dream
7. Festivity & Joy
8. Love Dance Ecstasy - Part Two: Nightmare
9. Lust (Raga Chandrakauns)
10. Dispute & Violence
11. Disillusionment & Frustration
12. Despair & Sorrow (Raga Marwa) - Part Three: Dawn
13. Awakening
14. Peace & Hope (Raga Bhatiyar)

Disc: 4 (DVD)
1. Introduction by George Harrison
2. Hymns from the Vedas
3. Tappa-Raga Khamaj: Tala Chanchar
4. Tarana-Raga Kirwani: Tala Ektal
5. Raga Jait: Tala Rupak
6. Vilambit Gat, Drut Gat and Jhala Raga Yaman Kalyan: Tala Teental
7. Naderdani
8. Krishna Krishna: Bhajan (Based on Raga Pancham-se-gara: Tala Dadra)
9. Dehati
10. Musicians Introduction
11. Vandana
12. a) Alap b) Noom Toom c) Jor: Raga Abhogi
13. Dhamar; Raga Vasanta: Tala Dhamar
14. Khyal; Raga Kedara: Tala Teental
15. Tarana; Raga Kirwani: Tala Ektal; Chaturanga: Raga Yaman Kalyan: Tala Teental
16. Kajri
17. a) Pallavi b) Thani Avarthanam; Raga Bilahari: Tala Aditala
18. Thumri; Mishra Piloo: Tala Jat
19. Raga Mala (Based on Raga Khamaj): Tala Teental
20. Ravi and Anoushka Mixing in 5.1

COLLABORATIONS (Product Description)
Limited Edition 3CD/1DVD Box Set with magnetic clasp includes:
-56 Page hardbound Book (9” x 9”)
-3 CDs in Replica Vinyl Sleeves
-1 DVD in Sleeve
-Uniquely Numbered Certificate Of Authenticity

-Chants Of India CD (1997)
Creating music for ancient Sanskrit chants, while still maintaining the tremendous integrity and purity of them was a welcome challenge that George Harrison and Ravi Shankar undertook with great care and deliberation. Recorded over three sessions, two in Madras India and one in London, the music was composed by Ravi Shankar and produced by George Harrison. This album sold over 100,000 units in the US alone, and has been out of license for over five years.

-Music Festival From India CD (1976)
Under the auspices of the Material World Charitable Foundation, George Harrison invited Ravi Shankar and 17 Indian classical musicians including Shivkumar Sharma, Alla Rakha, Sultan Khan and others, to London to record an album. This troupe then toured Europe, culminating in a show at London's Royal Albert Hall. Composed by Ravi Shankar and recorded during five weeks in 1974, this album was produced by George Harrison. This album was only released on vinyl, and has not been available for over 30 years.

-Shankar Family & Friends CD (1974)
The first joint recording project between George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, 'Shankar Family & Friends' brought together Indian classical musicians and Western rock and jazz musicians, including Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Jim Keltner, Tom Scott, Klaus Voormann and Hari Georgeson (George Harrison). Composed by Ravi Shankar and produced by George Harrison, one half of the album comprises instrumentals and songs, while the second half is a thematic ballet to a yet un-staged performance. This album was only released on vinyl, and has not been available for over 30 years.

-Music Festival From India DVD (1974)
The DVD is a rare, previously unreleased concert performance of Ravi Shankar's 'Music Festival From India' recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1974. DVD includes the concert film, separate concert audio and bonus feature (Ravi and Anoushka Mixing in 5.1).

George Harrison opened the Royal Albert Hall show with a warm introduction for his friend Ravi Shankar. This entire concert was originally filmed and recorded for the Material World Charitable Foundation. Over the years, many of these master films have been lost, destroyed or misplaced. This bonus DVD compiles all the complete filmed performances discovered from this historic concert, and the entire concert in stereo and 5.1 audio.