l. shankar  /  shenkar

 

 

http://www.myspace.com/shenkarworld

http://heroeswiki.com/Shenkar

 

 

 

random notes

Born: Apr 26, 1950 in Madras, India

This violinist has found a comfortable style that melds and combines classical Indian influences and jazz devices. He moved to America in 1969, eventually earned a doctorate in ethnomusicology at Wesleyan, where he began meeting jazz musicians like Ornette Coleman, Jimmy Garrison, and John McLaughlin while working as a teaching assistant and concert master of the university chamber orchestra. He studied with McLaughlin in 1973, and two years later, they cofounded the group Shakti, which was active until 1978.  During the '80s and beyond, Shankar has recorded periodically as a leader, doing both jazz-based material and Indian classical music.
He's also worked with rockers Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, and Frank Zappa.

-- Ron Wynn

* * *

Has been playing with Peter Gabriel since the mid 80's, and appeared on the Tonight Show several months ago with PG's band.  He and bass player Tony Levin performed a silly dance during one of the songs. 
Shankar is featured prominently on Material's new album "Hallucination Engine". This album also features the ever-scintillating vocals of writer & Zappa-fave William S. Burroughs. (source: my record collection)

Shankar has a band called "Shankar & Caroline". I saw them play at the Realworld festival last year at St. Austell. They have released at least one album, but I'm not overwhelmed.

He was present for at least one of the "soirees" at Zappa's house in '93, and got to rock out with The Chieftans, Johnny Guitar Watson, and the Tuvan Throat Singers.  This is evidenced in the A&E biography on Zappa.

     From: Alastair Mabbott (a.mabbottNOSPAM@edinburgh.almac.co.uk)
He played on Echo & The Bunnymen's "Porcupine" LP as well. I've got a tape of a gig they did at Sefton Park in Liverpool with Shankar contributing quite heavily and, I must say, to great effect.

There's an excellent Shankar page at:
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/6789/shankar.html

     From: Jon Naurin (naurin@mbox300.swopnet.se)
The great Berlin show (9/7/78), where the bill was shared with Peter Gabriel, Brand X and Mahavishnu Orchestra led to Frank's first contact with Shankar.

     From: Robert Garvey (robertgSOMANYDYNAMOS@dnai.com)
His brother, violinist L. Subramanian, also lives in the Los Angeles area.  He's also done a broad range of work.  There's an FZ connection there, too.  His Blossom album, a jazz release from 1981, features Dave Parlato on bass. 

2007 08 05

Shankar is Shenkar

http://www.myspace.com/shenkarworld

And

http://heroeswiki.com/Shenkar

-- Bill Flynn (AKA Bill Not Lantz from affz)

 

 

 

Discography:  

(all credits for violin unless otherwise noted)

Additional informants:
- Ryan Davenport (sleds@home.com)
- alon harris (alonh@bezeqint.net)
- Robert Garvey (robertg@dnai.com)

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soundtracks various artists