Editing L. Shankar

{{short description|Indian violinist, singer and composer (born 1950)}}
{{for-multi|the Hindustani classical vocalist|Lakshmi Shankar|other uses|Shankar (disambiguation){{!}}Shankar}}
{{BLP sources|date=November 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name              = L. Shankar (Shenkar)
| image             = LShankar photographed by Ashraf Malayali.jpg
| image_upright     = 1.35
| caption           = L Shankar (Shenkar)
| background        = solo_singer
| birth_name        = Shankar Lakshminarayana
| alias             = L. Shankar, Shankar, Shenkar
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1950|04|26|df=yes}}
| origin            = [[India]]
| birth_place       = [[Madras]], India
| genre             = {{hlist|[[World music]]|[[Carnatic music|Carnatic]]|[[Indian classical music|Indian classical]]|[[Progressive rock]]|[[Pop rock]]|[[Jazz fusion|Fusion]]|[[New-age music|New-age]]|[[Rock music|Rock]]|[[Electronic dance music|EDM]]}}<!-- All genres verified in https://lshankar.com/music -->
| occupation        = {{hlist|Vocalist|electric violinist|lyricist|arranger|producer}}
| instrument        = {{hlist|[[Double Violin]]|vocals|keyboards}}
| years_active      = 1960s–present
| label             = {{hlist|[[The Orchard (company)|X DOT 25/Orchard/Sony Music Group]]|[[Cleopatra Records|Cleopatra]]|[[ECM Records]]|[[Zappa Records]]|[[EMI]]}}
| past_member_of    = {{hlist|[[Jonathan Davis and the SFA]]|[[Peter Gabriel]]|[[Frank Zappa]]|[[Shakti (band)|Shakti]]}}
| associated_acts   = {{hlist|[[Shakti (band)|Shakti]]|[[Frank Zappa]]|[[Peter Gabriel]]|[[Phil Collins]]}}
| website           = {{URL|lshankar.com}}
}}

'''Shankar Lakshminarayana''' (born 26 April 1950),<ref name="LarkinJazz">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-580-8|page=356}}</ref> better known as '''''L. Shankar''''', is an Indian [[violin]]ist, singer and composer who also goes by the [[stage name]] '''''Shenkar'''''. Known for his innovative contributions to world music,<ref name=":12" /> he is often regarded as one of the pioneers of East-West fusion, blending the rich traditions of Indian classical with Western genres<ref name=":11" /> such as rock, pop, jazz, and electronic music. Music critic Jerry Ozipko described L. Shankar as "having improvised some of the most daring, exuberant, and technically proficient music imaginable" on the violin<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ozipko |first=Jerry |date=April 6, 2000 |title=Shankar Key to Indian Violin Tradition |work=SEE Magazine |pages=13}}</ref> while Simon Dove, from ''Bazaar Magazine'' said Shankar's "phenomenal capacity for improvisation remains unsurpassed."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dove |first=Simon |date=1987 |title=Peshkar |work=Bazaar Magazine}}</ref> His extensive body of work spans a wide spectrum of genres, encompassing vocal and instrumental compositions. He has released 28 solo albums, the two latest being ''Full Moon'' and ''Over the Stars'', which were released in September and August 2024, respectively. Shankar is credited with inventing the stereophonic '''[[Double violin]] '''(known as the LSD - L.Shankar Double Violin), which covers the orchestral string family's range.

His world music albums with the band [[Shakti (band)|Shakti]] during the mid-70s became the ‘''standard to gauge the playing and composing abilities of any world musician following in Shakti's expansive wake''”.<ref name=":0" /> According to Downbeat’s Critics Poll, he was listed fourth among Established Violinists, and came in second in the “Talent Deserving Wider Recognition” division in 1978.<ref name=":11" /> In 1990, Shankar's talam-bending (time cycles of 9 3/4 & 6 3/4 beats) Pancha Nadai Pallavi''<nowiki/>' ''album was on the [[Billboard charts|Billboard]] top ten world music chart for three months becoming the first traditional Indian record to reach those heights.<ref name=":0" /> His 1995 [[Raga Aberi]] album was nominated for a [[Grammy Award]], in the Best World Music Album category.<ref>{{Cite web |title=38th Annual GRAMMY Awards |url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/38th-annual-grammy-awards |access-date=15 September 2024|website=grammy.com}}</ref> Music critic, Kevin O' Hare from The Republican wrote that "Shankar not only plays with breathtaking speed, he's also mastered the art of dynamics, letting the instrument breathe and taking advantage of the violin's full tonal qualities."<ref>{{Cite news |last=O' Hare |first=Kevin |date=May 14, 1995 |title=Shankar, 'Raga Aberi' |work=The Republican |pages=5}}</ref>

With [[Peter Gabriel]], he worked on the Grammy winning album [[Passion (Peter Gabriel album)|Passion]] (1989), the soundtrack album for [[Martin Scorsese]]'s ''[[The Last Temptation of Christ (film)|The Last Temptation of Christ]]'' (1988),<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |date=March 7, 2022 |title=How Jonathan Davis became "a 400-year-old vampire" to write songs for Queen Of The Damned |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/jonathan-davis-queen-of-the-damned-unreleased-songs |access-date=3 March 2023 |website=Metal Hammer}}</ref> and wrote and performed vocals on [[Mel Gibson]]'s [[The Passion of the Christ (soundtrack)|'The Passion of the Christ']] (2004) which won a [[Dove Award]] for Instrumental Album of the Year at the [[36th GMA Dove Awards]]. He also worked on the soundtrack for the 2002 film [[Queen of the Damned]] with [[Jonathan Davis]] and [[Richard Gibbs]] and recorded eight songs of which five were picked for the movie.<ref name=":15" /> Additionally, he collaborated on the original score for NBC's hit TV series [[Music of Heroes|Heroes]] with [[Wendy & Lisa]].  Shankar is ranked amongst the greatest violinists of popular music by Digital Dream Door.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Greatest Violinists of Popular Music |url=https://digitaldreamdoor.com/mobile/pop/violinists-popular-music.html |access-date=15 September 2024|website=digitaldreamdoor.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Early life, family and education==
Shankar was born in Madras, India, on 26 April 1950 as the sixth child into a family of musicians. His three sisters studied vocal music whereas Shankar and his two brothers - [[L. Vaidyanathan|Vaidyanathan]] and [[L. Subramaniam|Subramaniam]] were trained in both vocal music as well as violin playing.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sankaranarayanan |first=S |date=November 6, 2014 |title=A Birth Centenary Tribute |url=https://www.sruti.com/articles/stamps/a-birth-centenary-tribute |access-date=15 December 2023 |website=Sruti}}</ref>  His father [[V. Lakshminarayana]] was a renowned Carnatic vocalist and violinist and his mother L. Seetalakshmi was a trained singer and played the veena.<ref name=":0" /> Considered as a child prodigy,<ref name=":8" /> Shankar began vocal training with his father at the age of two. Within a year, he was able to hum complex lines of traditional Indian compositions.<ref name=":11" /> Having a vocal range of 5 1/2 octaves<ref name=":12" />  Shankar often emphasizes the importance of vocal training in addition to learning an instrument to better grasp the ornamentation in Indian music. He said, "If you learn vocals and instruments and get an all-round education in music, it makes you a better performer".<ref name="Talks">{{Cite web |title=WBTG - Reviews: Dr. L. Shankar Talks |url=https://www.italway.it/morrone/DrLShankarTalks.htm |access-date=15 September 2024 |website=www.italway.it}}</ref> 

By the age of three, Shankar was deeply immersed in music, regularly listening to the lessons his father gave to his older siblings and other disciples. Though considered too young to play an instrument and unable to participate, he memorized many of the songs they practiced through constant listening and was able to sing along.<ref name=":20">{{cite thesis |last=Lakshminarayana |first=Shankar |title=The Art of Violin Accompaniment in South Indian Classical Music |type=PhD thesis |publisher=Wesleyan University |year=1974}}</ref> He recalled, 'When my brothers practiced violin, I would imitate with an imaginary violin made of two sticks.'<ref name=":20" /> On his fifth birthday, when offered a tricycle, Shankar instead asked for a violin. He received his first violin (quarter size violin from Germany)<ref name=":20" /> at the age of 5 and when he began playing the violin, the lines he practiced were vocal melodies he had learned.<ref name=":0" /> At the age of 7, he gave his first public concert during a festival at the Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna.<ref name="Talks" />
[[File:Young L.Shankar on mridangam.jpg|alt=Young L. Shankar on mridangam|thumb|Young L. Shankar on mridangam]]
Apart from singing and playing the violin, he pursued professional [[mridangam]] playing until the age of 12. He said "my father really insisted that besides learning your melodic instrument, you also learn percussion".<ref name=":0" /> However, he had to discontinue at his father's suggestion when he began to develop calluses on his hands.<ref name="Talks"/>

During the [[1958 anti-Tamil pogrom|ethnic riots]] in 1958, their house was raided and set ablaze. The family fled Sri Lanka, leaving everything behind<ref name=":1" /> and returned to Madras, India. In that year, Shankar and his two older brothers formed the Violin Trio which "made history in 20th century Carnatic music" scene.<ref name=":1" /> 
[[File:L. Shankar recorded c.1963 by Films Division.jpg|left|thumb|L. Shankar (aged 13) recorded in 1963 by Films Division for a documentary.]]
Shankar gained considerable reputation across India in his early youth as an accompanist and filled in for some of the most eminent names in Carnatic music<ref name=":13">{{Cite news |last=Dongre |first=Archana |date=March 1, 2001 |title=Visionary Violinist |url=https://www.hinduismtoday.com/magazine/march-april-2001/2001-03-visonary-violinist/ |access-date=23 August 2023 |work=HinduismToday}}</ref> often performing solo concerts that lasted between two and three hours. By the age of 17, Shankar had become a highly sought-after violinist, performing regularly on national television and recorded several albums.<ref name=":11" /> His early success and his improvisational ingenuity is often credited to his consistent discipline and demanding practice routine for hours.<ref name=":0" /> He said "father used to get up around 4:00 AM and wake us up. He'd practiced with us for an hour or more. We went to school at 7:30 but when we returned at 1:30 father was waiting for us with another lesson. After dinner we'd all get together and have a kind of jam session.”<ref name=":0" />  

In spite of his early success as a musician, Shankar faced pressure from his family to have a fall back career as an engineer.<ref name=":6" /> He obtained a B.S. in physics from India<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shankar - Ultimate Eurythmics: |url=https://eurythmics-ultimate.com/people/shankar/ |access-date=15 September 2024 |website=Ultimate Eurythmics Archives |language=en-GB}}</ref> and his father tried to acquire an engineering seat for him. Shankar, however, believed that music was his true calling.<ref name=":5" /> He even vowed to break 108 coconuts at the [[Luz Anjaneya Temple|Luz Pillayar Temple]] in order not to secure admission and was delighted when the results favored him.<ref name=":5" />

In 1969, he was offered a teaching position at [[Wesleyan University]] and moved to the US.<ref name=":6" /> He performed regularly on campus while pursuing a PhD in [[ethnomusicology]], which he completed in 1974.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ph.D. Dissertations in Ethnomusicology, Music - Wesleyan University |url=https://www.wesleyan.edu/music/graduate/dissertations.html |access-date=15 September 2024 |website=www.wesleyan.edu}}</ref>

== Influences ==
Shankar was encouraged by his father to absorb influences from the Northern Indian music traditions as well as Southern Indian traditions. According to Shankar "there is not one music that is superior to another – just different ways of expressing the beauty of our culture.”<ref name=":0" /> He was also advised to become familiar with Western classical music<ref name=":7" /> and had been exposed to various Western genres such as rock and pop music since his early teens.<ref name=":14">{{Cite news |last=WebIndia |date=6 March 2015 |title=L. Shanker - World renowned violinist & vocalist |url=https://video.webindia123.com/p_interviews/musicians/carnatic_instrumentalist/violinist/l_shenkar/index.htm |access-date=7 May 2022 |work=WebIndia 123}}</ref> At Wesleyan University, he studied [[world music]] and learnt the music systems of different cultures.<ref name=":7" /> According to Shankar, “Music is universal, it connects all races, religions and ages. It's the only language everyone can understand and feel”.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Limnios |first=Michael |date=October 14, 2021 |title=Q&A with legendary electric violinist & vocalist L. Shankar |url=https://blues.gr/profiles/blogs/q-a-with-legendary-electric-violinist-vocalist-l-shankar-an-ether?overrideMobileRedirect=1 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Blues GR}}</ref> Shankar had always been open to experimentation in music.<ref name=":13" /> He said that from a young age, he perceived music visually<ref name=":14" /> and often compared it to the colors in an artwork. He said “I’ve tried to combine different traditions…musical styles are like colors in painting: there are so many things you can do with them”.<ref name=":6" />

== Cross-cultural Collaborations ==
[[File:L.Shankar & Ramnad V. Raghavan performed South Indian Classical music in Summergarden, NY 1975.png|thumb|L.Shankar & Ramnad V. Raghavan performed South Indian Classical music in Summergarden, NY 1975]]
[[File:L Shankar & McLaughlin's One Truth Band in 1978.jpg|thumb|L Shankar with McLaughlin's One Truth Band in 1978]]
Shankar was among the early pioneers in the 70s who introduced South Indian music to a Western audience that was more accustomed to North Indian music at that time.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Palmer |first=Robert |date=April 11, 1979 |title=Violinist: L. Shankar |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/04/11/archives/violinist-l-shankar.html |access-date=23 August 2023 |work=The New York Times |pages=21}}</ref> He often merged [[Carnatic music|Carnatic]] & [[Hindustani classical music|Hindustani]] styles in his performances<ref name=":3" /> and collaborated with jazz musicians to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western music traditions.<ref name=":11" /> His early American recording sessions were on [[Archie Shepp]]'s ''[[Attica Blues (album)|Attica Blues]]'' and [[Clifford Thornton]]’s ''[[Communications Network (album)|Communication Network]]'' in 1972. His understanding of the Western music system and having the “sensitivity, the control, the feeling, and the knowledge”<ref name=":11" /> of classical Indian enabled the representation of the East/West blend in music<ref name=":11" /> that led to the founding of the group [[Shakti (band)|Shakti]] with guitarist [[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]]. He taught McLaughlin ragas, rhythms and ornamentation and in turn learnt about harmony and jazz<ref name=":11" /> Shakti received overwhelming critical acclaim.<ref name=":8" /> According to Naresh of Man's World magazine, Shankar's compositions in Shakti, were praised for their innovativeness and “for how effortlessly they projected his very own voice.”<ref name=":8" />

== Double Violin (LSD) ==
{{main|Double Violin}}
Since 1980, Shankar has been using the double violin - a 10-string, stereophonic double-necked electric violin - for all his performances and recordings<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Schaefar |first=John |date=August 1985 |title=New Sounds: L. Shankar |url=https://www.spin.com/2019/10/new-sounds-l-shankar/ |access-date=16 March 2021 |work=SPIN}}</ref> which he designed and had it made by [[Ken Parker (guitar maker)|Ken Parker]] of Stuyvesant Sound in New York. The instrument made its debut in 1981 on [[Phil Collins]]' solo album, ''[[Face Value (album)|Face Value]]'', as well as on Shankar's own album, ''[[Who's to Know]].''<ref name=":5" /> The concept for the double violin originated in 1978, after producing his album by Zappa Records where Shankar had to overdub a wide range of string instruments as he was unable to find session musicians who could render the Indian ornaments and styles he wanted.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=Fernandes |first=Naresh |date=March 20, 2018 |title=Shankar's New Avatar |url=https://www.mansworldindia.com/currentedition/from-the-magazine/shankars-new-avatar |access-date=28 December 2022 |work=Mansworld}}</ref> He made a prototype with cardboard and spent about a year and a half improving the design.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |last=R |first=Varadarajan |date=July 1, 1984 |title=Interview: L. Shankar - Shakti's Music is Shakti's Music |url=https://www.sruti.com/articles/spotlight/interview-l-shankar-shaktis-music-is-shaktis-music |access-date=24 Jan 2022 |work=Sruti}}</ref> According to Shankar, “It was not easy to get anyone to take my violin seriously until I crafted one myself putting it together piece by piece and then suddenly they responded”.<ref name=":9">{{Cite news |last=Menon |first=Raghava |date=April 30, 1984 |title=L.Shankar: A violinist of rare quality |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-and-the-arts/story/19840430-l-shankar-a-violinist-of-rare-quality-802986-1984-04-29 |access-date=17 Dec 2023 |work=India Today}}</ref> He and Parker spent hours testing various materials and forms and he made sure that both necks were equally strong to avoid a tendency to predominantly play on only one.<ref name=":7" /> Also known as the LSD (L.Shankar's Double violin),<ref name=":6" />  the lower neck covers the double bass and cello range and the upper neck generates treble sounds; the violin and viola.<ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last=Ferreira |first=Verus |date=14 November 2014 |title="The double necked violin has a full orchestral range" |url=https://www.musicunplugged.in/interviews/interviews_info/27/0 |access-date=16 March 2020 |work=Music Unplugged}}</ref> In addition to providing a wide range of 5 ½ octaves, playing on one neck produces a sympathetic effect on the other. The horizontal rib can be positioned beneath the chin or supported against the chest (Indian style) while playing.<ref name=":9" />
[[File:L.Shankar in Milano (Teatre ciak), 1990.png|left|thumb|L.Shankar in Milano (Teatre Ciak), 1990]]
Due to the instrument's greater angle, the bowing was different and Shankar incorporated new techniques<ref name=":8" /> including playing on both necks simultaneously.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sarkar |first=Avijit |date=December 6, 2004 |title=Shankar & Gingger |url=https://abstractlogix.com/shankar-and-gingger/ |access-date=6 Jan 2022 |work=Abstract Logix}}</ref> According to him, “It’s musically more satisfying”.<ref name=":8" /> The double violin is capable of replicating a full orchestra's effect, allowing for traditional classical performance as well as versatility in pop and jazz genres.<ref name=":7" />  Shankar stated that “I suppose what matters is not the violin but how you play it. Without that effort your violin will never learn to speak and [even] 20 strings will make no difference”.<ref name=":9" /> To date, Shankar has commissioned four different versions of the double violin, with the latest edition crafted by luthier John Jordan and released in 2023.

== Lakshminarayana World Music Festival ==
[[File:L. Shankar launched the first Lakshminarayana Music Festival in Los Angeles & San Francisco in 1991.jpg|thumb|349x349px|L. Shankar launched the first Lakshminarayana Music Festival in Los Angeles & San Francisco in 1991.]]
[[File:Lakshminarayana World Music Festival, Bombay 1992.jpg|thumb|L. Shankar's tribute concert to V. Lakshminarayana in Bombay on January 1, 1992 was filmed by the BBC and featured in the documentary ''Bombay and All That Jazz'' (1992).|348x348px]]
As a tribute to his late father, [[V. Lakshminarayana]], Shankar launched the Lakshminarayana Music Festival in 1991 in Los Angeles and San Francisco, following his father's death in 1990.<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":17" /> The 1992 BBC film "Bombay and All that Jazz," directed by [[H. O. Nazareth]] and co-produced by Shankar, was based on the tribute concert held in Bombay on New Year's Day, January 1, 1992.<ref name=":18">{{cite video |title=Bombay and All that Jazz |date=1992 |medium=Film |publisher=BBC |location=London |people=H.O. Nazareth}}</ref> It features performances by renowned musicians such as [[Don Cherry (trumpeter)|Don Cherry]], [[T. H. Vinayakram|TH Vinayakram]], and [[Trilok Gurtu]]. The film was also nominated for best documentary at the Cannes Film Festival.{{block quote|"This concert is in memory of my father, V. Lakshminarayana and this is the first World Music Festival - Lakshminarayana Festival - in Bombay. We had the same festival in America a few months ago - in San Francisco and Los Angeles."|L. Shankar, Bombay and All That Jazz, 1992<ref name=":18" />}} Subsequently, [[L. Subramaniam]] and [[Viji Subramaniam]] held a similar tribute concert called the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival in Madras (Chennai) on January 11, 1992.<ref>{{Cite web |title=34th edition of Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival begins in Chennai |url=https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2024/12/20/mes16-ka-music-fest.html |access-date=22 December 2024 |website=The Week |language=en}}</ref>

==Career==

=== 1960s - 1975 Violin Trio ===

[[File:L Vaidyanathan, L Subramaniam and L Shankar trio with Palghat Mani Iyer on Mridangam.jpg|thumb|188x188px|Violin Trio: L Vaidyanathan, L Subramaniam and L Shankar with Palghat Mani Iyer on mridangam.]]
Shankar, along with his brothers [[L. Vaidyanathan]] and [[L. Subramaniam]], pioneered the trend of sibling ensembles performing Carnatic music.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Sai |first=Veejai |date=23 July 2016 |title=The doctor who became the international face of Carnatic violin |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/features/l-subramaniam-doctor-who-became-international-face-carnatic-violin-46986 |access-date=28 August 2017 |website=The News Minute}}</ref> Prior to that, Carnatic violin had been primarily a solo instrument or used as an accompaniment in vocal concerts.<ref name=":1" /> They began performing together as the "Violin Trio".  Although this approach was initially criticized by traditionalists, their music gained immense popularity in India and ultimately spread worldwide during the 1970s.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=July 1, 1991 |title=Bowing Into Infinity |url=https://www.hinduismtoday.com/magazine/july-1991/1991-07-bowing-into-infinity/ |url-status= |access-date=19 May 2022 |website=Hinduism Today}}</ref> They recorded several albums as the Violin Trio.

=== 1973 - 1984: Shakti ''(formerly known as Turiyananda Sangeet)'' ===
[[File:Turiyananda Sangit - performed on March 16, 1975 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in New York.jpg|thumb|Turiyananda Sangit - performed on March 16, 1975, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in New York|283x283px]]
[[File:Turiyananda Sangit 1975 poster with L.Shankar, John McLaughlin, R.Raghavan.jpg|left|thumb|Turiyananda Sangit (1975) featuring L.Shankar, John McLaughlin & R.Raghavan]]
The original line-up, formed in 1973 consisted of Shankar on violin, [[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]] on guitar, R. Raghavan on mridangam, Mahalakshmi Eve McLaughlin (tamboura) and Tanima (shruti box). Before Shakti became known under this name, they were called Turiyananda Sangit, a name given to them by [[Sri Chinmoy]], literally translated as 'the pinnacle delight in music’ [https://www.srichinmoylibrary.com/aum-1426#fn4] <ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Basu |first=Rith |date=6 January 2019 |title=Grammy winner returns to his 'best' audience |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/grammy-winner-shenkar-of-shakti-returns-to-his-best-audience/cid/1681078 |access-date=2 February 2021 |website=The Telegraph India}}</ref>  [[Zakir Hussain (musician)|Zakir Hussain]] was later added on tabla and the name was changed to Shakti as the band members wanted a name that “listeners in the West could relate to” <ref name=":2" /> Raghavan didn't stay with the project and [[T. H. Vinayakram|TH Vikku Vinayakaram]] was added on ghatam for the remainder of those Shakti days. The group toured extensively, gaining international recognition by 1976,<ref name=":19" /> and were considered as the game-changers of Indo-jazz fusion.<ref name=":19" /> 

Shankar co-wrote all of the group's material with John McLaughlin, resulting in the release of three world music albums under the [[CBS Records International|CBS]] label: ''[[Shakti (Shakti album)|Shakti with John McLaughlin]]'' (1976), ''[[A Handful of Beauty]]'' (1976), ''and [[Natural Elements (Shakti album)|Natural Elements]]'' (1977).<ref name=":19" /> According to Lee Underwood, a ''[[DownBeat]]'' music magazine critic, "All three are masterpieces, of which the deeply moving and technically astonishing ''Handful of Beauty'' will stand tall in recorded history for decades to come.”<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Underwood |first=Lee |date=November 2, 1978 |title=Profile: L.Shankar |url=https://users.cs.cf.ac.uk/Dave.Marshall/mclaughlin/art/shankar.html |url-status= |archive-url= |access-date=15 Dec 2021}}</ref> In 1978, Shankar was listed fourth among Established Violinists by Downbeat’s Critics Poll, and came in second in the TDWR (“Talent Deserving Wider Recognition”) division.<ref name=":11" />
[[File:Frank Zappa - The Deathless Horsie (feat. L. Shankar), Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, September 7, 1978.png|thumb|Frank Zappa & L. Shankar in Berlin, 1978]]
The group disbanded in 1978 and as Shankar put it, ‘I felt enough time wasn’t given to rehearsals and I wanted to do it right’.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Menon |first=Priya |date=Jul 14, 2019 |title=A journey that began with 108 coconuts |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/a-journey-that-began-with-108-coconuts/articleshow/70210409.cms |url-status= |access-date=4 May 2023 |website=The Times Of India}}</ref>  During this period, Shankar took on the role of playing the electric violin and toured alongside [[Frank Zappa]],<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Pietaro |first=John |date=April 2022 |title=Artist Feature: L.Shankar |url=https://robertbrowningassociates.s3.amazonaws.com/L+Shankar+-+NYC+Jazz+Record_04_2022_pg7.pdf |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=Robert Browning Associates}}</ref> succeeding [[Jean-Luc Ponty]] in the position. The experience led to Zappa producing and contributing lyrics for his debut 1979 American solo album, ''[[Touch Me There]].'' In 1979, Shankar briefly joined McLaughlin's ''One Truth Band'', which also included [[Fernando Saunders]] on bass, [[Stu Goldberg]] on keyboards, and Tony Smith on drums, to record the studio album, ''[[Electric Dreams (John McLaughlin album)|Electric Dreams.]]''
[[File:Shakti performing with Larry Coryell, standing in for John (who had injured his hand) at a concert in India in 1982.jpg|thumb|221x221px|Shakti performing with Larry Coryell, in India, 1982]]
Between 1982 - 1984, Shakti regrouped for a reunion tour in India, this time with Shankar performing on the double violin.<ref name=":19">{{Cite web |last=Kusnur |first=Narendra |date=2023-01-16 |title=COVER STORY: Celebrating 50 Years of Shakti |url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/cover-story-celebrating-50-years-of-shakti-intervew-mclaughlin-zakir-hussain/amp/ |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=Rolling Stone India |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1982, [[Larry Coryell]] filled in when McLaughlin had injured one of his playing fingers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kusnur |first=Narendra |date=February 24, 2017 |title=Farewell, Larry Coryell |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/farewell-larry-coryell/article17356551.ece |access-date=20 March 2022 |website=The Hindu}}</ref> 

Shakti regrouped again in 1997 under the name ''[[Remember Shakti]]''. However, the new line-up excluded Shankar.

=== 1979: Touch Me There by Zappa Records ===
[[File:Frank Zappa & L Shankar during the production of "Touch Me There" by Zappa Records.jpg|thumb|Frank Zappa & L Shankar during the production of "Touch Me There" by Zappa Records|270x270px|left]]
Shankar met [[Frank Zappa]] in 1978 while they were both working at a pop festival in Germany <ref>{{Cite news |last=Denyer |first=Ralph |date=May 1979 |title=2000 Mots |url=https://donlope.net/fz/notes/Touch_Me_There.html |access-date=15 Dec 2023 |work=Sound International}}</ref> and during a casual jam session, Zappa extended an invitation for him to play with his band in New York.  Following the dissolution of Shakti, Shankar toured briefly with Zappa, which resulted in him signing the violinist to his label.<ref name=":3" /> As per Zappa, “The reason I wanted to sign him is because I like the way he plays”.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Forte |first=Dan |date=1 November 1979 |title=Frank Zappa interview |url=https://donlope.net/fz/notes/Touch_Me_There.html |access-date=15 December 2023 |work=M.I}}</ref> In 1979, they released '[[Touch Me There]],' an album that featured Shankar's electric five-string violin and vocals alongside guitarist [[Phil Palmer]] and drummer [[Simon Phillips (drummer)|Simon Phillips]]. The album was produced in England, featuring a British rhythm section. Most of the compositions were Shankar's, while Zappa handled the arrangements and wrote the lyrics that were included in the album.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Branton |first=Michael |date=October 5, 1979 |title=Frank Zappa Interview |url=https://donlope.net/fz/notes/Touch_Me_There.html |access-date=15 December 2023 |work=BAM Magazine}}</ref> According to Zappa, “it's got a lot of stuff that's' definitely going to hit the radio right where it lives.” <ref name=":4" />

{{Quote frame|“Shankar's probably the best violinist in the world; he's really incredible.”|Frank Zappa|BAM Magazine, October 5, 1979|align=center}}

Initially, Shankar had entered into a 10-album deal with Zappa Records. However, a conflict between the distributors and Zappa led to the eventual termination of the agreement.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lint |first=Mark |date=Feb 19, 2022 |title=L. Shankar's World of Violin and Voice |url=https://nakedlyexaminedmusic.com/nem166-l-shankar/ |access-date=23 August 2023 |work=Nakedly Examined Music}}</ref>

=== 1980 - 1985: Who’s To Know, Vision & Song For Everyone ===
[[File:Zakir Hussain, Manfred Eicher, L.Shankar, Umayalpuram Sivaraman.jpg|thumb|293x293px|From left: Zakir Hussain, Manfred Eicher, L.Shankar, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman]]
In the 1980s, Shankar released several albums under the ECM label, his first being "Who’s To Know," featuring his double violin and accompanied by Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman on mridangam and Zakir Hussain on tabla. According to ECM reviewer, Tyran Grillo, the album “will ever remain an ECM jewel”<ref>{{Cite news |last=Grillo |first=Tyran |date=February 11, 2010 |title=Shankar: Who's to Know' (ECM 1195) |url=https://ecmreviews.com/2010/02/11/whos-to-know/ |access-date=4 March 2012 |work=ECM Reviews}}</ref> owing to Shankar's signature style and melodic sensibility. In 1984, Shankar released his second ECM album, ‘[[Vision (Shankar album)|Vision]]’, accompanied by saxophonist Jan Garbarek and trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg. In an AllMusic review, Richard S. Ginell describes the album as "an ethereal tour-de-force”[https://www.allmusic.com/album/vision-mw0000194737] that is reassuringly easy to listen to. According to J.D. Considine from The Washington Post, Shankar's “solo recordings avoid entirely the excesses of fusion jazz”<ref name=":10">{{Cite news |last=Considine |first=J.D |date=July 25, 1984 |title=Jazz With an Accent |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/07/26/jazz-with-an-accent/b622ab58-8734-4f4d-990a-cef16ab1e175/ |access-date=23 August 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> and instead, “pursue a plangent serenity… that suggests a transcendence unheard in jazz.”<ref name=":10" /> ‘Song for Everyone’ was released in 1985 and remains the most memorable among his ECM releases. According to Shankar, “It is a highlight that stays with me, the melodies keep coming up in my playing”.<ref name=":3" />

=== 1986 - 1989: The Epidemics and other ventures ===
[[File:Bombay and All that Jazz ( ROTW) 1992.jpg|thumb|From the BBC documentary, Bombay and All that Jazz, 1992]]
Between 1986 and 1989, Shankar released 3 albums: ''[[The Epidemics]]'' (1986), ''Do What You Do'' (1987), & ''Eye Catcher'' (1989) under the pop/rock group The Epidemics ( previously known as Sadhu, after his pet rabbit)<ref name=":6" />  In 1987, the three former members of Shakti - Shankar, Zakir, and Vikku undertook a brief tour as Peshkar with Larry Coryell in Britain. Concurrently, Shankar joined [[SXL (band)|SXL]], a jazz fusion collective initiated in the same year by composer [[Bill Laswell]]. This ensemble featured a core group of musicians, including [[Aïyb Dieng]], [[Ronald Shannon Jackson]], along with South Korean percussion quartet, [[Samul nori|SamulNori]]. The performances, which took place on August 1 and 2, collectively attracted an audience of nearly 30,000. These events were preserved through live recordings with Sony releasing [[SXL Live in Japan]] (1987) and Celluloid Records presenting SXL Into the Outlands (1987).

=== 1990 - 1995: Classical solo albums & Raga Aberi ===
[[File:L.Shankar & Vikku Vinayakram, 1988 Berkeley.jpg|alt=L.Shankar & Vikku Vinayakram|left|thumb|315x315px|L.Shankar, Vikku Vinayakram (pictured) & Zakir Hussain in 1988 (Berkeley, California).]]
[[File:L.Shankar, Vikku Vinayakram, Zakir Hussain poster c.1980s.jpg|thumb|309x309px|L. Shankar toured extensively with Vikku Vinayakram and Zakir Hussain during the 1980s and 1990s.]]
Shankar released several Indian classical albums in the 1990s including ''Nobody Told Me'' (1990), ''Pancha Nadai Pallavi'' (1990), ''Soul Searcher'' (1990) and Raga Aberi (1995). His ''Pancha Nadai Pallavi'' peaked at No.9 on the Billboard top ten world music charts for three consecutive  months – making it the first traditional Indian record ever hit those charts.<ref name=":0" /> The album consists of two tracks, the first is the rendition of ragam “Sankarabharanam" on the double violin and vocal  without percussion and the second accompanied by Zakir Hussain on tabla and Vikku Vinayakram on ghatam.  According to ECM Reviewer, Tyron Grillo describes Shankar's playing as “a language of the utmost depth and beauty”<ref name=":16">{{Cite web |last=Grillo |first=Tyran |date=April 4, 2012 |title=SHANKAR: PANCHA NADAI PALLAVI (ECM 1407) |url=https://ecmreviews.com/2012/04/04/pancha-nadai-pallavi/ |access-date=5 July 2021 |website=ECM Reviews}}</ref> and that while traditionalists in the Carnatic music sphere may find Shankar's modern touches unconventional, “the music soars in ways that far outsoar its criticism.”<ref name=":16" />  In 1995, Shankar released ''Raga Aberi'', a rendition of ragam “Abheri”, featuring his original composition set in a 9 1/2 beat cycle. Within the same year, the album garnered a Grammy Award nomination in the "Best World Music Album" category.[https://www.grammy.com/awards/38th-annual-grammy-awards]

=== 1995 - 2006: WOMAD & Special projects ===
Shankar’s band collaborated in Peter Gabriel's 1995 [[World of Music, Arts and Dance|WOMAD]] shows in Spain and toured globally, performing in several humanitarian events including The Concert for Global Harmony, Fiddlefest (a benefit for the Harlem Center For Strings) and [[Nelson Mandela]]'s 80th Birthday celebrations. During this period, Shankar subsequently released the pop-oriented album ''One in a Million'' (2001) and the world music album ''Celestial Body'' (2004). Shankar wrote ‘Palaces' as a song dedicated to children worldwide. The song was performed in Peter Gabriel’s [[Secret World Tour]] and the second annual World Peace Music Awards in San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza, to benefit all the orphans of war and terrorism. In September 2004, he received the World Peace Music Award<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 December 2004 |title=Shankar and Gingger |url=https://abstractlogix.com/shankar-and-gingger/ |access-date=20 December 2022 |website=Abstract Logix}}</ref> and in that same year, he composed and performed vocals and played the double violin on Mel Gibson's [[The Passion of the Christ (soundtrack)|The Passion of the Christ]], along with composers [[Jack Lenz]] and [[John Debney]].

Shankar has also performed with [[Elton John]], [[Eric Clapton]], [[Phil Collins]], [[Bruce Springsteen]], [[Van Morrison]], [[Yoko Ono]], [[Stewart Copeland]], [[John Waite]], [[Charly García]], [[Steve Vai]], [[Ginger Baker]], [[Nils Lofgren]], [[Jonathan Davis]] and The SFA and [[Sting (musician)|Sting]].

==Discography==
<!--ORDERED BY YEAR. PLEASE ADD NO FURTHER ENTRIES WITHOUT CITATIONS! THANK YOU.-->
{{main list|L. Shankar discography}}
* ''[[Shakti (Shakti album)|Shakti]]'' (<small>with [[Shakti (band)|Shakti]])</small> (1975)
* ''[[A Handful of Beauty]]'' (<small>with Shakti</small>) (1976)
* ''[[Natural Elements (Shakti album)|Natural Elements]]'' (<small>with Shakti</small>) (1977)
* Violin Ecstasy (1978)
* ''[[Touch Me There]]'' (1979)
* ''[[Who's to Know]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Vision (Shankar album)|Vision]]'' (1984)
* ''[[Song for Everyone]]'' (1985)
* ''[[The Epidemics]]'' (1986)
* ''Do What You Do (''1986'') ''
* ''Eye Catcher (''1987'')''
* ''Galaxy (1989) ''
* ''Pancha Nadai Pallavi'' (1989)
* ''M.R.C.S'' (1989)
* ''Nobody Told Me'' (1990)
* ''Soul Searcher'' (1990)
* ''[[Raga Aberi]]'' (1995)
* ''Enlightenment (''1999'') ''
* ''Eternal Light'' (2000)
* ''One in a Million'' (<small>with [[Gingger Shankar]]</small>) (2001)
* ''Celestial Body'' (2004)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/celestial-body-mw0000476551|title=Celestial Body - Lakshminarayana Shankar &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>
* ''Open the Door'' (2007)
* ''In a Box'' (2012)
* ''The Revelation'' (2013)
* ''Champion'' (2014)
* ''Transcend'' (2015)
* ''Face to Face'' (2019)
* ''Chepleeri Dream'' (2020)
* ''Christmas from India'' (2021)
* ''Over The Stars'' (2024)
* ''Full Moon'' (2024)

==Filmography==
* [[The Last Temptation of Christ (film)|The Last Temptation of Christ]] (1988) (double violin)
* Bombay Jazz (1992, documentary)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03qzz41|title=BBC World Service - The Documentary, Bombay Jazz|website=BBC|access-date=1 August 2021}}</ref><ref name=":17">{{Cite web|url=https://bluerhythm.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/bombay-and-jazz-a-documentary-1992/|title=Bombay and Jazz – A documentary 1992|website=Bluerhythm.wordpress.com|date=12 June 2011}}</ref>
* [[Secret World Live (film)|Secret World Live]] (1994) (double violin, backing vocals)
* [[Queen of the Damned|Queen of the damned]] (film) (2002) (double violin)
* [[The Passion of the Christ (soundtrack)|The Passion of the Christ]] (2004) (vocals, double violin)
* [[Heroes (U.S. TV series)|Heroes]] (2006–2009, TV series) (vocals)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://lshankar.com Official website]
*[http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/Dave/mclaughlin/art/shankar.html Article from ''DownBeat'' magazine (1978)]

{{L. Shankar}}
{{Shakti (band)}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shankar, L.}}
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Carnatic violinists]]
[[Category:Indian male composers]]
[[Category:Jazz fusion musicians]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Tamil musicians]]
[[Category:Wesleyan University alumni]]
[[Category:ECM Records artists]]
[[Category:Indian rock musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian composers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian violinists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male musicians]]
[[Category:Jonathan Davis and the SFA members]]
[[Category:Shakti (band) members]]
[[Category:SXL (band) members]]