The Sound of East Meets West
Ananda Shankar was a true musical trailblazer — a sitarist, composer, and genre-defying visionary who created sounds that had never been heard before. The son of renowned dancers Uday and Amala Shankar, and the nephew of sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, Ananda was born into creativity. But he didn’t follow the traditional path — he carved his own.
In the late 1960s and '70s, while Indian classical music was gaining popularity in the West, Ananda flipped the script. He blended Indian instruments like the sitar and tabla with Western rock, funk, and electronica. The result? A vibrant, psychedelic fusion that was decades ahead of its time.
🎶 Why Ananda Still Sounds Fresh
Ananda Shankar’s music was fearless. Albums like Ananda Shankar (1970) featured sitar-led reinterpretations of Western hits like Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Light My Fire, layered over groovy basslines and Moog synthesizers. Yet he was never gimmicky — his work had soul, curiosity, and deep respect for both cultures.
Later, he focused on original compositions like Dancing Drums and Streets of Calcutta, which became cult classics in the world of fusion and electronic music. DJs and producers still sample his work — his influence runs deep in ambient, lounge, and world music scenes today.