Sitar Hero - by guest blogger Bob Blanchard!

Ravi Shankar – virtuoso sitarist, composer and conductor – turned 90 this April. He’s been celebrating this milestone with – what else? – a string of concerts, including a date at Symphony Center in Chicago the night before Halloween.

Although he became a household name to English and American youth in 1966 via his association with Beatle George Harrison, his career as a performer -- first as an accomplished Indian dancer and then as a master instrumentalist -- spans more than 80 years. Without a doubt, Shankar’s greatest wish will come true – that, above all, he will be remembered for his musical creations.

To help you remember, or discover, the musical world of Ravi Shankar, your library has a number of his recorded works.

My favorite is The Concert for Bangladesh, a collaboration featuring one album side of Shankar’s music (which opened the 1971 benefit concert), and performances by Harrison and some of his friends, including Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Ringo Starr. The audiences apparently were not used to Indian music, for after Shankar and his group finished warming up on stage, the crowd applauded. The musician’s understated acknowledgement is this classic rock quote: “If you appreciate the tuning so much, I hope you’ll enjoy the playing more!”

At that, the quartet begins the astonishing “Bangla Dhun.” When I first heard it, my 12-year-old ears could not – or maybe did not want to -- appreciate the piece. Almost 40 years later, I heard it again for the first time and was amazed (more like blown away) by the intricacies and intensity Shankar built around a simple Bengali folk song.

Shankar’s life also is chronicled in his autobiography, and his legacy is carried on by his two musically talented daughters: Anoushka Shankar, an accomplished sitarist in her own right; and Norah Jones, whose albums, including the breakout Come Away with Me, appeal to some listeners’ jazz sensibilities.

Consider giving a listen to the work of the person some consider the “father of ethnic music.” If you’re interested in music from other parts of the globe, check out our extensive lineup of cultural music, too. There’s an entire world of sound out there, so why not give your ears an unexpected treat this month?

Thanks to Bob Blanchard, Adult Services Librarian, for this insightful post on Ravi Shankar - Karen

"I will take a white wall and fill it with all your beautiful colors..."

Ask for a verbal description of a carnival, amusement park, fairground and inevitably someone will offer "colorful," a mundane failure of an adjective for the riot of stripes, tent tops, fluttering flags and twinkling lights that fill up such places. The latest musical (and personal) project in the life of Chrissie Hynde, longtime leader of The Pretenders, has that carnival air: JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys (Named, according to media reports, for Hynde and Jones' mutual love for fun parks). Got a chance to see this ensemble at Chicago's Park West last night and came away far more impressed than I expected.

First off, the back story, if you've missed it. Hynde was "propping up the bar" at a party in England, when up saunters a scruffy fellow with a "boy band" look - this would be JP Jones. A romance kindled, both parties feel as if they've found their lifelong soul mate - except that he is half her age. Apparently the romance idea was scrapped in favor of rock and roll. You can find the rest of the sultry details all over the Internet, I'll focus on the music here. If you, like me, grew up a Pretenders fan, there is a lot to love on Fidelity!, this collection of new tunes from JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys, especially if you enjoyed the Pretenders more melodic side - think "Brass In Pocket," "Show Me," "Talk Of The Town," even harder rocking tracks like "Middle Of The Road." There is not another "Precious" here - and that's okay, would you want to hear an artist remake the same thing over and over again?

I thought the "Fairground" band was terrific, particularly the textures and colors conjured up by as many as three guitars blazing at once, plus a very solid rhythm section. No keys at this live performance. Hynde looks astonishingly youthful and energetic for a woman just weeks past her 60th birthday - no "I (heart) My Grandchildren" sweatshirts here, she's still a petite bundle of fireworks with a powerful singing voice - and she makes no small gestures. Jones was an unknown quantity to me but he's very likeable, genuine and his talents hold up well against his seasoned partner. (Okay, and maybe I also liked him for complimenting the shirt I was wearing.) Their voices blend well together and Hynde coaxes the confidence out of her companion.

I attended the show with a small group of friends and we all couldn't wait to purchase a copy of Fidelity! after the show, so that should also clue you in. The bad news? DPPL does not own a copy of Fidelity! (named, by the way, for Fidel Castro) and given our dire budget situation, we won't be ordering one this year. The good news - interlibrary van delivery is BACK and some of our neighboring libraries are lucky enough to have Fidelity! in their collections. Search for it in the Catalog but make sure you click "ALL" for "Library." Helpful hint: the CD comes up as being by "J.P Jones (singer)," the result of some weird cataloger logic, I am sure. In the meantime, you can explore the long, varied and successful career of Chrissie Hynde in many other items in DPPL's collection - click here to browse Chrissie Hynde or The Pretenders. Or, heck, buy this new CD - maybe even buy it and donate it to us! :)