Two masters from different musical spheres--Ravi Shankar and George Harrison--are being honored this week via a special deluxe box set collecting some of their most distinguished work together.
Titled Collaborations, the package is a limited edition, numbered box set containing 3CDs and 1 DVD, all containing music composed by master musician Shankar and produced by Harrison.
The pair, who met in London 1966, shared a long and colorful history together, culminating in the sitarist's signing to Harrison's Dark Horse Records label in 1973. With Harrison at the production helm, the highly regarded Shankar Family & Friends (1974), The Ravi Shankar Music Festival From India (1976), and Chants Of India (1997) resulted.
All three CDs are included in the box set; the DVD is a rare concert performance of The Ravi Shankar Music Festival From India recorded live at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1974. Also included in the box is a 56-page book featuring a forward by composer Philip Glass, a history of the pair's relationship over the years, and photographs from each artist's personal archive.
A classy package feature two musicians clearly at the top of their class, Collaborations is out tomorrow (19) and available at Amazon, iTunes and elsewhere.
Check out the video below to see a warmhearted discussion between Shankar and Harrison--it'll give you just a hint of the magic they produced together.