''Collaborations'' is a four-disc

compilation Compilation may refer to: *In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler **Compilation error **Compilation unit *Product bundling, a marketing strategy used to sell multiple products, such as video game co ...

box set A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists ...

by the Indian classical musician

Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitar, sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known expert of Hin ...

and the former

Beatle The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the most influential band in Western popular ...

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...

. Released in October 2010 on

Dark Horse Records Dark Horse Records is a record label founded by former Beatle George Harrison in 1974. The label's formation coincided with the winding down of the Beatles' Apple Records and allowed Harrison to continue supporting other artists' projects whi ...

, it compiles two studio albums originally issued on that label – the long-unavailable ''

Shankar Family & Friends ''Shankar Family & Friends'' (stylised as ''Shankar Family Friends'' on the album cover) is an album by Indian musician Ravi Shankar, recorded primarily in Los Angeles during the spring of 1973, and released in late 1974. It was produced by Shan ...

'' (1974) and ''

Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India was an Indian classical music revue led by sitarist and composer Ravi Shankar intended for Western concert audiences and performed in 1974. Its presentation was the first project undertaken by the Materi ...

'' (1976) – and ''

Chants of India ''Chants of India'' is an album by Indian musician Ravi Shankar released in 1997 on Angel Records. Produced by his friend and sometime collaborator George Harrison, the album consists of Vedic and other Hindu sacred prayers set to music, marking ...

'', first issued on

Angel Records Angel Records was a record label founded by EMI in 1953. It specialised in European classical music, classical music, but included an occasional operetta or Broadway score. and one Peter Sellers comedy disc. The famous Recording Angel trademark ...

in 1997. Although all three albums were originally Shankar releases, for which Harrison served in the role of music producer and guest musician, both Shankar and Harrison are credited as artists on the box set. Each of the collaborative projects represents a departure from Shankar's more typical work as a

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in 19th-century India. Khusrau K ...

ist and performer of

Hindustani classical Hindustani classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent's northern regions. It may also be called North Indian classical music or ''Uttar Bhartiya shastriya sangeet''. The term ''shastriya sangeet'' literally means classica ...

raga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...

s, with the box set showcasing his forays into, variously, jazz and rock, Indian folk and orchestral ensembles, and devotional music. The fourth disc of ''Collaborations'' is a DVD containing previously unissued film of a performance by the Music Festival from India, recorded at London's

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...

in September 1974. Filmed by director

Stuart Cooper Stuart W. Cooper (born 1942) is an American filmmaker, actor and writer. Career Cooper was a resident of the United Kingdom in the 1960s and 1970s where his most notable film appearance was as one of ''The Dirty Dozen'', Roscoe Lever, in 1967. ...

, the footage required substantial restoration for its 2010 release. An audio-only track on the DVD, prepared by

Anoushka Shankar Anoushka Hemangini Shankar (born 9 June 1981) is a British-American sitar player and musician of Indian descent, as well as occasional writer. She performs across multiple genres and styles—Indian classical, classical and contemporary, acoust ...

and Paul Hicks, provides a more complete record of the concert. Issued nine years after Harrison's death, the limited-edition release coincided with celebrations for Shankar's 90th birthday and was overseen by Harrison's widow,

Olivia Olivia may refer to: People and fictional characters * Olivia (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Olivia (singer), American singer Olivia Longott (born 1981) * Olívia (basketball), Brazilian basketball playe ...

. Among the lavish packaging for the compilation, each disc appears inside enlarged, 8½-inch sleeves, and each copy of the set is individually numbered. An accompanying book contains a foreword by American composer

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...

, rare photographs documenting Shankar and Harrison's 35-year friendship, and commentary from both artists on the projects featured in the box set. While ''Collaborations'' presents only a portion of Shankar and Harrison's work together, music critics have recognised it as a successful representation of the far-reaching cultural legacy of their partnership.

Background

In June 1966, while still a member of

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

met Indian classical musician

in London and became a student of the

ist. Harrison later said that, for himself, the music was "like an excuse", and that in reality he was searching for a "spiritual connection" with the culture of India. The association immediately brought Shankar and Indian music unprecedented popularity in the West,Philip Glass
"George Harrison, World-Music Catalyst and Great-Souled Man; Open to the Influence of Unfamiliar Cultures"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', 9 December 2001 (retrieved 16 August 2014). while Harrison's introduction of the sitar into the Beatles' sound inspired a new genre known as

raga rock Raga rock is Rock music, rock or pop music with a pronounced Music of India, Indian influence, either in its construction, its timbre, or its use of Indian musical instruments, such as the sitar, tanpura, tambura, and tabla. The term "raga" ...

. By 1971, a year after

the Beatles' break-up The Beatles were an English rock band, active from 1960 until 1970. From 1962 onwards, the band's members were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Their break-up is attributed to numerous factors, including the 1967 d ...

, and having established himself as a solo artist with his ''

All Things Must Pass ''All Things Must Pass'' is the third studio album by George Harrison. Released as a triple album in November 1970, it was Harrison's first solo work after Break-up of the Beatles, the break-up of the Beatles in April that year. It includes th ...

'' triple album (1970), Harrison began working with Shankar, as his producer. These 1971 projects, all released on the Beatles'

Apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...

record label, included the soundtrack to the documentary film ''

Raga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...

''; Shankar's '' Joi Bangla'' EP, recorded to raise international awareness for the plight of refugees of the

Bangladesh Liberation War The Bangladesh Liberation War (, ), also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalism, Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which res ...

; and the live album ''

The Concert for Bangladesh The Concert for Bangladesh (or Bangla Desh, as the country's name was originally spelt)Harry, p. 135. was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and the Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows we ...

'', which documented the

UNICEF UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...

benefit concerts that Harrison and Shankar staged in New York that August. Twenty-three years older than Harrison,Inglis, p. 137. Shankar described their relationship as, variously, that of father and son (with each one adopting either role); close friends and brothers; and teacher and student. Author Ian Inglis has commented on the various differences between the two musicians, in terms of age, culture and social status: "And yet, in another sense, those contrasting factors helped to prevent any personal or professional rivalries, produced spaces and separations that their music could fill, and ultimately created … a partnership that was never competitive, but perfectly complementary." While their collaborations continued only intermittently after the mid 1970s, the depth of their friendship remained,Tillery, p. 141. such that Harrison would credit Shankar as being "the person who has influenced my life the most". When Harrison died in November 2001, following a four-year battle with cancer, Shankar was at his bedside, along with members of Harrison's family.

Musical content

The 2010 box set ''Collaborations'' was one of several reissue projects celebrating Shankar's 90th birthday. It compiles three studio albums that he and Harrison worked on together between 1973 and 1996: ''

'' (1974), ''

'' (1976) and ''

'' (1997). The first two of these albums had long been out of print, and their inclusion in the box set marked the debut CD release for both titles. Disc four contains a previously unissued concert film from 1974, titled ''Music Festival from India – Live at the Royal Albert Hall''.Evan Schlansky
"George Harrison and Ravi Shankar's Relationship Explored on ''Collaborations''"
''

American Songwriter ''American Songwriter'' is a bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee. History The ''American Songwri ...

'', 12 August 2010 (retrieved 15 August 2014). Harrison's role on the three studio albums was mainly confined to that of a

record producer A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...

, although his name appeared prominently on the front cover of ''Chants of India'', and the latter was marketed as a collaborative work between Shankar and Harrison. ''Collaborations'' presents the albums in reverse chronological order, with ''Chants of India'' appearing on disc one.

''Chants of India''

Shankar and Harrison recorded the album between January and August 1996, with sessions taking place in the southern India city of

Madras Chennai, also known as Madras ( its official name until 1996), is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian ce ...

, and at Harrison's English home,

Friar Park Friar Park is a Victorian neo-Gothic mansion in Henley-on-Thames, England, construction began in 1889 and was completed in 1895. It was built for lawyer Sir Frank Crisp, and purchased in January 1970 by English rock musician and former Beatl ...

, in

Henley-on-Thames Henley-on-Thames ( ) is a town status in the United Kingdom, town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish on the River Thames, in the South Oxfordshire district, in Oxfordshire, England, northeast of Reading, Berkshire, Reading, west of M ...

. The majority of the selections consist of

Vedic upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas ( or ; ), sometimes collectively called the Veda, are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed ...

prayers and other

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

-worded,

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

religious texts that Shankar set to music. He also wrote new pieces in a similarly sacred vein, including "Prabhujee", the only song on the album to contain

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

lyrics. Among the many musicians and singers on ''Chants of India'' were Shankar's daughter Anoushka, tablist

Bikram Ghosh Bickram Ghosh is an Indian classical tabla player. Early life Ghosh started learning tabla from his father, Pandit Shankar Ghosh. Career Ghosh has performed with Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Ravi Shankar. Ghosh's band, Rhythmscape, which per ...

and

santoor The Indian santoor instrument is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer, and a variation of the Iranian santur. The instrument is generally made of walnut wood and has 25 bridges. Each bridge has 4 strings, making for a total of 100 strings. It ...

player

Tarun Bhattacharya Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya (born 23 December 1957) is an Indian classical musician who plays the santoor, a type of hammered dulcimer. He studied with Ravi Shankar. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2018. Early life Tarun Bhat ...

. The album's creation resulted from Shankar and Harrison having renewed their close friendship in recent years; this following a period when, by his own admission, Shankar had partially withdrawal from his Western-musician friends in the late 1970s, stung by persistent criticism from the Indian press that he was "diluting" Indian classical music. Other projects that the pair undertook together in the mid 1990s include '' Ravi Shankar: In Celebration'' (1996), a four-disc career retrospective compiled by Harrison,Shankar, p. 305. and '' Raga Mala'', Shankar's second autobiography, for which Harrison served as editor. Shankar considered ''Chants of India'' to be among his best works,Lavezzoli, p. 197. and he praised Harrison's contributions as a musician and producer on the album.Shankar, p. 308. Released on

in May 1997, the album was critically well received. In his book ''The Dawn of Indian Music in the West'', Peter Lavezzoli describes it as "a quiet masterpiece, one of the most uplifting and musically engaging recordings of sacred music",Lavezzoli, p. 198. while

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

critic Jim Brenholts writes: "Among records of this nature, this one is special."Jim Brenholts
"Ravi Shankar ''Mantram: Chants of India''"

(retrieved 15 August 2014). ''Chants of India'' was the last official musical collaboration between the two artists,Leng, p. 281. after Harrison was diagnosed with cancer in August that year.

''Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India''

Harrison first got the idea to stage what became the 1974 Music Festival from India during the Bombay sessions for his debut solo album, the 1968 film soundtrack ''

Wonderwall Music ''Wonderwall Music'' is the debut solo album by the English musician George Harrison and the soundtrack to the 1968 film ''Wonderwall (film), Wonderwall'', directed by Joe Massot. Released in November 1968, it was the first solo album by a membe ...

'',Harrison, p. 302. after hearing Shankar's orchestral work ''Nava Rasa Ranga''. While in India in early 1974, Shankar and Harrison planned the venture, which consisted of a European tour by Shankar's hand-picked orchestra of Indian classical musicians, after which the ensemble would tour North America with Harrison and his band of Western musicians. For his orchestra, Shankar selected regular accompanists such as tabla player

Alla Rakha Alla Rakha Qureshi (29 April 1919 – 3 February 2000) was an Indian tabla player who specialised in Hindustani classical music. Widely revered as one of history's most iconic players of the tabla, he was a frequent accompanist of sitar player ...

and singers

Lakshmi Shankar Lakshmi Shankar (née Sastri, 16 June 1926 – 30 December 2013) was an Indian singer and a noted Hindustani classical music, Hindustani classical. Born into a south Indian Hindu family, she became an outstanding Hindustani music, Hindustani voc ...

and Kamala Chakravarty; other established players including

Shivkumar Sharma Shivkumar Sharma (13 January 1938 – 10 May 2022) was an Indian classical musician and santoor player who is credited with adapting the santoor for Indian classical music. As a music composer, he collaborated with Indian flautist Hariprasad ...

(santoor),

Hariprasad Chaurasia Hariprasad Chaurasia (born 1 July 1938) is an Indian music director and classical flautist, who plays the bansuri, in the Hindustani classical tradition. Early life Chaurasia was born in Allahabad (1938) (present day Prayagraj) in the Indian ...

(flute), Rijram Desad (percussion) and Kamalesh Maitra (

tabla tarang A ''tabla'' is a pair of hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, it has been the principal percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music, where it may be played solo, as an accompaniment with other instruments a ...

); and musicians that went on to establish themselves internationally as a result of their participation, such as violinist L. SubramaniamShankar, p. 223. and

sarangi The sārangī is a bowed, short-necked three-stringed instrument played in traditional music from South Asia – Punjabi folk music, Rajasthani folk music, Sindhi folk music, Haryanvi folk music, Braj folk music, and Boro folk music (the ...

player Sultan Khan. Lodge at Friar Park - geograph

Before the European tour began in September 1974, Shankar and Harrison recorded a studio album with the sixteen Music Festival musicians at Friar Park.Lavezzoli, p. 195. Using the facilities from his upstairs studio, FPSHOT, Harrison recorded the album in Friar Park's drawing room, overlooking the property's expansive gardens. Shankar wrote the pieces in a variety of traditional Indian folk and classical styles, often composing on his way to Henley from his London hotel, while travelling along the

M4 motorway The M4, originally the London-South Wales Motorway, is the third longest motorway in the United Kingdom, running from west London to southwest Wales. The English section to the Severn Bridge was constructed between 1961 and 1971; the Welsh ele ...

.Shankar, p. 224. Harrison later recalled his fear that Shankar's directions to the assembled musicians would create a musical "catastrophe", yet the result each time was "the most amazing thing". Among the tracks on ''Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India'', "Raga Jait" is Shankar's interpretation of that

for an orchestral ensemble, and the ten-minute "Dehati" features extended interplay between the various percussionists. The album was released on Harrison's

Dark Horse A dark horse is a previously lesser-known person, team or thing that emerges to prominence in a situation, especially in a competition involving multiple rivals, that is unlikely to succeed but has a fighting chance, unlike the underdog who is exp ...

record label in February 1976.The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', p. 193.

''Shankar Family & Friends''

Shankar and Harrison began recording ''Shankar Family & Friends'' in Los Angeles in April 1973. In a marked departure from Shankar's more familiar work in the

style, the album was a fusion of several musical genres,Rodriguez, p. 237. particularly Indian classical,

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and Western pop. The contributors ranged from American jazz proponents Tom Scott and

Emil Richards Emil Richards (born Emilio Joseph Radocchia; September 2, 1932 – December 13, 2019) was an American vibraphonist and percussionist. Biography Musician Richards began playing the xylophone aged six. In High School, he performed with the ...

to Indian players such as Rakha, Sharma, Chaurasia, Subramaniam,

sarod The sarod is a stringed instrument, used in Hindustani music on the Indian subcontinent. Along with the sitar, it is among the most popular and prominent instruments. It is known for a deep, weighty, introspective sound, in contrast with the sweet ...

iya

Aashish Khan Aashish Khan (5 December 1939 – 14 November 2024) was an Indian Indian classical music, classical musician and player of the sarod. He was also nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006 in the 'Best Traditional World Music Album' category for his ...

and, a former student and longtime associate of Shankar's, multi-instrumentalist

Harihar Rao Harihar Rao (January 21, 1927 – January 13, 2013) was an Indian-born American musician, noted for playing tabla and sitar. He was born into a prominent musical family in Mangalore, India. He moved to the United States in 1964, residing in Pasa ...

. Adopting the pseudonym "Hari Georgeson", since he was still contracted to

EMI EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...

-affiliated Apple Records, Harrison contributed on electric and acoustic guitars, and

autoharp An autoharp or chord zither is a string instrument belonging to the zither family. It uses a series of bars individually configured to mute all strings other than those needed for the intended chord. The term ''autoharp'' was once a trademark of t ...

. Shankar played

surbahar ''Surbahar'' (; ) sometimes known as bass sitar, is a plucked string instrument used in the Hindustani classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It is closely related to the sitar, but has a lower pitch. Depending on the instrument's size, i ...

and

Moog synthesizer The Moog synthesizer ( ) is a modular synthesizer invented by the American engineer Robert Moog in 1964. Moog's company, R. A. Moog Co., produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 2014. It was the first commercial synthesizer ...

,Album credits, ''

'' LP (

, 1974; produced by George Harrison). and otherwise served as director and conductor at the sessions. Other participants included guitarist

David Bromberg David Bromberg (born September 19, 1945) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. David Bromberg biographyat Billboard.com An eclectic artist, Bromberg plays bluegrass rock, blues rock, folk rock, jazz rock, country rock, ...

,Leng, p. 138. members of the

Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra LOS, or Los, or LoS may refer to: Science and technology * Length of stay, the duration of a single episode of hospitalisation * Level of service, a measure used by traffic engineers * Level of significance, a measure of statistical significance ...

,''Collaborations'', p. 19. and

electronic music Electronic music broadly is a group of music genres that employ electronic musical instruments, circuitry-based music technology and software, or general-purpose electronics (such as personal computers) in its creation. It includes both music ...

artists

Paul Beaver Paul Henry Beaver Jr. (August 14, 1925 – January 16, 1975) was an American musician who was a pioneer in popular electronic music, using the Moog synthesizer. From 1967, Beaver collaborated with Bernie Krause as the recording duo Beaver & Krau ...

and

Robert Margouleff Robert Margouleff is an American record producer, recording engineer, electronic music pioneer, audio expert, and film producer. Career The Birth of TONTO Margouleff was an early customer, friend and collaborator of fellow New Yorker and music ins ...

. One side of the original LP consisted of music that Shankar had composed for a ballet,Shankar, p. 222. titled ''Dream, Nightmare & Dawn'', while among the album's other songs and

bhajan Bhajan is an Indian term for any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Dharmic religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root w ...

s was a rare English-language pop composition by Shankar, "

I Am Missing You "I Am Missing You" is a song by Indian musician Ravi Shankar, sung by his sister-in-law Lakshmi Shankar and released as the lead single from his 1974 album ''Shankar Family & Friends''. The song is a rare Shankar composition in the Western Pop m ...

". Harrison arranged the latter track in a rock-music setting, with backing from Western musicians such as Scott,

Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer, and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, backing Little Richa ...

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, us ...

and

Jim Keltner James Lee Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. He was characterized by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes as "the leading session drummer in America". Howard Sounes. ''Do ...

;Album booklet, '' Ravi Shankar: In Celebration'' box set (

Angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

, 1996; produced by George Harrison & Alan Kozlowski). sung by Lakshmi Shankar, this version of "I Am Missing You" was the first single released on Dark Horse Records, in September 1974. Music from ''Shankar Family & Friends'' featured in the setlist for the Harrison–Shankar North American tour later that year, during which the Music Festival personnel were accompanied on stage by Harrison and members of his touring band, such as Scott and Richards.

''Music Festival from India – Live at the Royal Albert Hall''

Harrison sponsored Shankar's Music Festival from India concerts through his

Material World Charitable Foundation The Material World Charitable Foundation, also known as the Material World Foundation (MWF), is a charitable organisation founded by English musician George Harrison in April 1973. Its launch coincided with the release of Harrison's album ''Livi ...

, for which the European tour was its debut event.Dan Forte
"Ravi Shankar and George Harrison ''Collaborations''"
'' Vintage Guitar'', February 2011 (retrieved 16 August 2014). The DVD issued on ''Collaborations'' is from the Music Festival's concert at the

, London, on 23 September 1974, the first date of the tour. The footage was shot by director

, whose film ''

Little Malcolm ''Little Malcolm'' is a 1974 British comedy drama film directed by Stuart Cooper and starring John Hurt. It is based on David Halliwell's stage play '' Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs''.Clayson, p. 370. The play's full name ...

'', made early the previous year, marked Harrison's first foray into film production. After Harrison introduces Shankar to the London audience, Shankar conducts the musicians during the performance. He plays sitar on the twenty-minute "Raga Yaman Kalyan", however, accompanied by Rakha."Dark Horse Records Set to Release Ravi Shankar George Harrison Box Set"
Ultimate-Guitar.com, 10 November 2010 (retrieved 16 August 2014). Author Simon Leng recognises the Music Festival from India as the first Indian orchestra to have played in Europe,Leng, p. 148. while Harrison's widow

, in her role as producer of the compilation, Album credits">"Collaborations Box Set" > Album credits
georgeharrison.com (retrieved 16 August 2014). notes singer and

mridangam The ''mridangam'' is an ancient percussion instrument originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble. In Dhrupad, a modified version, the pakhawaj, is the primary percussion in ...

player T.V. Gopalkrishnan among the musicians who went on to have "incredible careers of their own". Considerable restoration was required to prepare ''Live at the Royal Albert Hall'' for release in 2010, since much of Cooper's footage had been lost during the ensuing decades or damaged. Olivia Harrison explained: "We laid music where we had picture and we cheated a little bit with picture where only sound existed to create over an hour of the concert …" A separate selection on the DVD presents the audio for a more complete version of the performance, lasting over 90 minutes. Also included is a short segment where Anoushka Shankar and Paul Hicks, as

remaster A remaster is a change in the sound or image quality of previously created forms of media, whether Mastering (audio), audiophonic, Cinematography, cinematic, or Videography, videographic. The resulting product is said to be remastered. The term ...

producers, work on the concert audio in a

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

studio and are visited by Shankar and Olivia.

Artwork and packaging

''Collaborations'' was presented in an unusually lavish package, designed by Drew Lorimer and Olivia Harrison. Housed in a hinged box, the four discs sit on cardboard bases inside album covers measuring 8½ by 8½ inches, with the enlargement from CD and DVD dimensions allowing for a closer replication of the original LP jackets. A limited-edition release, each copy of the box set came with an individually numbered certificate of authenticity. A 56-page, hardcover book contains quotes from Shankar and Harrison, commenting on their long friendship and the projects represented on the discs. Both artists' families supplied photographs for the book,Alex Young
“George Harrison and Ravi Shankar's Collaborations due out in October”
''

Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. History ''Consequence of Sound'' was founded in Septem ...

'', 18 August 2010 (retrieved 16 August 2014). while other pictures are credited to professional photographers

Clive Arrowsmith Clive Arrowsmith is a London-based photographer. Works He has worked for many fashion publications and is one of only a few photographers, including Brian Duffy who have twice been given the commission to shoot the Pirelli Calendar. He curren ...

Dezo Hoffmann Dezider Hoffmann (1912 – 1986), also known as Dezo Hoffmann or Dežo Hoffmann, was a Slovaks, Slovak photographer, photojournalist and cameraman from Czechoslovakia. In the 1960s he photographed pop and showbiz personalities, including the Beat ...

, Jan Steward and Carolyn Jones.''Collaborations'', p. 55. The photo used on the front of the box was one of a series of pictures that Arrowsmith took at Friar Park in 1974, over the period when the Music Festival orchestra were recording and rehearsing there. The book's foreword was supplied by American composer

, with whom Shankar had collaborated on the 1990 album '' Passages''.''World Music: The Rough Guide'', p. 109. Glass writes of the Shankar–Harrison musical partnership as having " adewaves ... on a tremendous scale and for a passionate worldwide audience", adding that its influence "reverberates, as clearly, even today".

Release

The box set was issued on Dark Horse Records, distributed by

Rhino Entertainment Rhino Entertainment Company (formerly Rhino Records Inc.) is an American specialty record label and production company founded in 1978. It is currently the catalog division for Warner Music Group. Its current CEO is Mark Pinkus. History Founded ...

,Olivia Harrison, , ''

Spinner Spinner may refer to: Technology * Spinner (aeronautics), the aerodynamic cone at the hub of an aircraft propeller * Spinner (cell culture), laboratory equipment for cultivating plant or mammalian cells * Spinner (computing), a graphical widget in ...

'', 18 October 2010 (archived version retrieved 12 August 2014). on 18 October 2010 in Britain, and 19 October in the United States. Announcing the release in August that year, ''

'' described it as "a certified dream for world music/Beatles fans". ''Collaborations'' coincided with East Meets West Music's Shankar reissues such as the Nine Decades seriesSean Michaels
"George Harrison and Ravi Shankar collaborations to be reissued"

Guardian.co.uk ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

, 18 August 2010 (retrieved 12 August 2014). and the DVD release of the long-unavailable ''Raga'', which features 1968 footage of Harrison as well as the soundtrack he produced and originally issued on Apple. In America, the box set was available solely through Harrison's official website and the online retailer

Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology company * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek myth ...

. At this time the Harrison estate undertook a similarly low-key campaign for the 40th anniversary of ''All Things Must Pass'',John Bergstrom
"George Harrison: All Things Must Pass"
''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...

'', 14 January 2011 (retrieved 9 March 2015). which coincided with several reissue projects relating to the Beatles. ''Collaborations'' entered ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' magazine's Top World Albums list at number 3, its peak position on that chart. Having been Harrison's assistant at Dark Horse during the 1970s,Tillery, pp. 115, 162. Olivia Harrison promoted the release; in an interview with

, she described the reissue project as a "labor of love for me".

Reception

In a five-star review for ''

Goldmine Goldmine may refer to: * A location where gold mining takes place * ''Goldmine'' (magazine), a music collectibles magazine * ''Goldmine'' (album), by Gabby Barrett, 2020 * "Goldmine" (George Fox song), 1989 * "Goldmine" (Kimbra song), 2015 * ...

'' magazine, Gillian Gaar considered that ''Collaborations'' "succeeded on crossover appeal" and had praise for the "mesmerizing" Music Festival album and concert DVD. Reviewing the box set for '' Uncut'', John Lewis found Harrison "a little too respectful" in his deference to Shankar on the 1970s projects, although he admired ''Chants of India'', saying: "there is a heaviness and intensity to each performance that makes this seemingly austere collection quite compelling to rock ears."John Lewis, "The Specialist: George Harrison/Ravi Shankar", '' Uncut'', December 2010, p. 90. Terry Staunton of ''

Record Collector ''Record Collector'' is a British monthly music magazine focussing on rare and collectable records, and the bands who recorded them. It was founded in September 1979 and distributes worldwide. It is promoted as "the world’s leading authority o ...

'' commented that had

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

and

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...

ceded more of their creative control in the Beatles to Harrison, "there might today be a stronger case for Ravi Shankar's claim to the fiercely-debated position of

fifth Beatle The fifth Beatle is an informal title that has been applied to people who were at one point a member of the Beatles or who had a strong association with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. The term originated in 196 ...

." Staunton described ''Collaborations'' as an "intriguing series of East–West summits" and concluded: "It may have limited appeal … but this box set is a strong testament to two friends' mutual respect and their desire to push musical boundaries." In an article for ''

Time Out New York ''Time Out'' is a global magazine published by Time Out Group. ''Time Out'' started as a London-only publication in 1968 and has expanded its editorial recommendations to 333 cities in 59 countries worldwide. In 2012, the London edition became ...

'' on the various Beatles-related reissues of late 2010, Sophie Harris wrote: "You might not ''think'' that Vedic chanting is your thing, but as Philip Glass notes in the introduction to this gorgeous set, there's scarcely a musician in the world who hasn't been touched by the musical partnership etween Shankar and Harrison… Contained herein: awesome, spooky-sounding chanting, a live DVD, a glossy book and much more to rejoice about."Sophie Harris, Jay Ruttenberg & Mikael Wood
"Even though the Beatles are finally on iTunes, you'll want these groovy sets"
''

'', 22 November 2010 (archived version retrieved 28 September 2017). While also comparing the collection to the more highly publicised reissues by Lennon and McCartney, Joe Marchese of The Second Disc praised ''Collaborations'' for its adventurous music, as well as the lavishness of the packaging. Of the three studio albums, he described ''Shankar Family & Friends'' as the "most commercial" and ''Music Festival from India'' as "exotic, but immediately transporting", and wrote that "joy and a celebratory feel exudes from 'Chants of India''. Marchese added: " healbums illuminate an important aspect of the career of George Harrison, for sure. But they also remind one of the immense musical influence of Ravi Shankar ... These once hard-to-find LPs are presented with great integrity here."Joe Marchese
"Review: Ravi Shankar and George Harrison, 'Collaborations'"
The Second Disc, 8 November 2010 (retrieved 16 August 2014). Writing for AllMusic,

Richie Unterberger Richie Unterberger (born 1962) is an American author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing. Life and writing Unterberger attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he wrote for the university newspaper '' The Daily P ...

qualifies the joint credit afforded Shankar and Harrison, saying: "Without downplaying the closeness of the two musicians' friendship and Harrison's genuine participation in all of these projects, it should be stated up front that this is much more Shankar's music than Harrison's, and much more Indian music than the rock for which Harrison was most famed." Unterberger describes the box set as "a bountiful gathering of some of Shankar's more accessible recordings" and highlights ''Chants of India'' as the most effective collaboration between the two artists.Richie Unterberger
"George Harrison/Ravi Shankar ''Collaborations''"

(retrieved 11 August 2014). ''

'' contributor Sachyn Mital described the box set as "a special gift for hankar'sfans" on the occasion of his 90th birthday, and "worthy of a man of such esteemed stature". Mital concludes of the partnership: "The diligence of Harrison brought Ravi Shankar, Indian music and Eastern spirituality soundly into Western collective consciousness."

Track listing

Disc one – ''

'' All selections are traditional, adapted by Ravi Shankar, except where noted. # "Vandanaa Trayee" – 4:32 # "Omkaaraaya Namaha" – 1:53 # "Vedic Chanting One" – 3:12 # "Asato Maa" – 7:12 # "Sahanaa Vavavtu" – 4:26 # "Poornamadah" – 1:28 # "Gaayatri" – 3:26 # "Mahaa Mrityunjaya" – 4:43 #

"Veenaa-Murali" – 3:36 # "Geetaa" – 2:13 # "Managalam" (Shankar, Dr Nandakumara) – 4:03 # "Hari Om" (Shankar) – 2:57 # "Svara Mantra" (Shankar) – 4:34 # "Vedic Chanting Two" – 2:13 # "Prabhujee" (Shankar) – 8:06 # "Sarve Shaam" – 5:09 Disc two – ''

'' All selections written by Shankar. # "Vandana" – 2:44 # "Dhamar" – 5:23 # "Tarana / Chaturang" – 5:33 # "Raga Jait" – 9:48 #

"Kajri" – 4:51 # "Bhajan" – 3:56 # "Naderdani" – 4:43 # "Dehati" – 10:09 Disc three – ''

'' All selections written by Shankar. # "

" – 3:45 # "Kahān Gayelavā Shyām Saloné" – 2:55 # "Supané Mé Āyé Preetam Sainyā" – 4:15 # "I Am Missing You (reprise)" – 4:03 # "Jaya Jagadish Haré" (PD) – 4:54 :''Dream, Nightmare & Dawn (Music for a Ballet)'' #

"Overture" – 2:33 :*''Part One (Dream):'' #

"Festivity & Joy" – 3:56 # "Love-Dance Ecstasy" – 3:13 :*''Part Two (Nightmare):'' #

"Lust (Rāga Chandrakauns)" – 3:13 # "Dispute & Violence" – 2:43 # "Disillusionment & Frustration" – 2:50 # "Despair & Sorrow (Rāga Marwā)" – 3:04 :*''Part Three (Dawn):'' #

"Awakening" – 3:05 # "Peace & Hope (Rāga Bhatiyār)" – 4:31 Disc four – ''Music Festival from India – Live at the Royal Albert Hall'' All selections written by Shankar. ''Concert film'' # "Introduction by George Harrison" # "Hymns from the Vedas" # "Tappa (Raga Khamaj)" # "Tarana (Raga Kirwani)" # "Raga Jait" # "Vilambit Gat, Drut Gat and Jhala (Raga Yaman Kalyan)" # "Naderdani" # "Krishna Krishna Bhajan (based on Raga Pancham-se-gara)" # "Dehati" ''Concert audio'' # "Musicians Introduction" # "Vandana" # "Alap / Noom / Toom Jor (Raga Abhogi)" # "Dhamar (Raga Vasanta in Tala Dhamar)" # "Khyal (Raga Kedara in Tala Teental)" # "Tarana (Raga Kirwani in Tala Ektal)" # "Chaturang (Raga Yaman Kalyan in Tala Teental)" # "Kajri" # "Pallavi (Thani Avarthanam / Raga Bilahari in Tala Aditala)" # "Thumri (Mishra Piloo in Tala Jat)" # "Raga Mala (Garland of Ragas, based on Raga Khamaj in Tala Teental)"

Notes

References

Sources

* Keith Badman, ''The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001'', Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ). * ''Collaborations'', book accompanying ''Collaborations'' box set (

, 2010; produced by Olivia Harrison; package design by Drew Lorimer & Olivia Harrison). * The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', ''Harrison'', Rolling Stone Press/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY, 2002; ). * Walter Everett, ''The Beatles as Musicians: Revolver Through the Anthology'', Oxford University Press (New York, NY, 1999; ). * Olivia Harrison, ''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Abrams (New York, NY, 2011; ). * Bill Harry, ''The George Harrison Encyclopedia'', Virgin Books (London, 2003; ). * Ian Inglis, ''The Words and Music of George Harrison'', Praeger (Santa Barbara, CA, 2010; ). * Peter Lavezzoli, ''The Dawn of Indian Music in the West'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; ). * Simon Leng, ''While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison'', Hal Leonard (Milwaukee, WI, 2006; ). * Robert Rodriguez, ''Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980'', Backbeat Books (Milwaukee, WI, 2010; ). * Nicholas Schaffner, ''The Beatles Forever'', McGraw-Hill (New York, NY, 1978; ). * Ravi Shankar, ''Raga Mala: The Autobiography of Ravi Shankar'', Welcome Rain (New York, NY, 1999; ). * Michael Simmons, "Cry for a Shadow", ''

Mojo Mojo may refer to: * Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in Hoodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * ''Mojo'' (2017 film), a 2017 Indian Kannada drama film written and directed by Sreesha Belakvaadi * '' ...

'', November 2011, pp. 74–87. * Gary Tillery, ''Working Class Mystic: A Spiritual Biography of George Harrison'', Quest Books (Wheaton, IL, 2011; ). * ''World Music: The Rough Guide (Volume 2: Latin and North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific)'', Rough Guides/Penguin (London, 2000; ). {{Authority control 2010 compilation albums Ravi Shankar albums George Harrison compilation albums Albums produced by George Harrison Dark Horse Records compilation albums Reissue albums