Ravi Shankar

Yes, it's true that I first listened to him because of the Beatles, but once I did, I really loved it. I found an old box set of his recordings at the record store, and would listen to the whole thing, laying on the floor of my dorm room. 

It doesn't say a lot about the music of Ravi Shankar that in my room his music was in regular rotation with Gregorian chant and Sparks and Donovan and Al Stewart (yup) and Ahmad Jamal. Ravi Shankar was definitely doors-closed music, because outside my door was the land of my sweet roommate's Michael Jackson's Off The Wall and Christian comedy albums.

Ravi Shankar primed me to love other Indian music and culture that came my way later -- whether it was the Indian video program that I'd actually wake up early for on Sunday mornings, or the priceless "Indian 78s" tape that mrguy and I bought at the Indian grocery and nearly wore out, or Ravi Shankar's gorgeous soundtrack to Pather Pachali.

We finally saw him a few years ago with tiny but mighty and her tall man. I was going through stuff at work and was in the depths. That concert had healing properties.

He had a good run, that man. 

I look forward to enjoying his music for as long as I have ears.

Not Ravi related, but a little tidbit from the Indian 78s tape: