Ravi Shankar - Tabla Solo In Ektal

Monterey International Pop Festival 1967

De Ravi Shankar (1920-2012) já aqui foi dada nota da importância que teve ao influenciar a música Pop ocidental com as sonoridades indianas. Muitos foram os grupos Pop-Rock  já consagrados a manifestar essa influência, alguns exemplos recordámos , de The Kinks, The Beatles ao rock psicadélico dos Spirit, todos utilizaram ou imitaram o som das cítaras e das tablas característicos da música indiana.

Foi a partir de 1965 quando David Crosby apresentou a música de Ravi Shankar a George Harrison que tudo começou. A música de Ravi Shankar começou a ser conhecida e a colaboração com George Harrison prolongou-se culminando em 1971 com o famoso Concerto para o Bangladesh.

No entretanto, é no Festival de Monterey que Ravi Shankar vai ganhar maior notoriedade. Foi no Domingo à tarde, dia 18 de Junho desse ano único de 1967, que Ravi Shankar (pesquisar no Youtube) extasiou um público de 7000 pessoas com um concerto de 3 horas de duração.

Em entrevista a Harvey Kubernik, em 1997, Ravi Shankar recorda assim o Festival de Monterey:
"Monterey to me was like a revelation. Completely new. I had met George before that and that started the whole big hullaballoo. To me, it was a new world."
...
"Jimi Hendrix was sitting there. (Jerry) Garcia was there. I remember a few names. All of them were there and you can see on the film what magic it had. I was so impressed and it is one of my memorable performances. I didn’t plan for this. I was grateful to God that I was sitting in the atmosphere without anyone disturbing me. It drizzled for a few minutes and then it stopped. So, it was cloudy and there were flowers from Hawaii and you know, what atmosphere! After my set, it was crazy. I have never felt such a commotion of this sort. I was so pure, in spite of the fact that there were many people who were also strong. But it didn’t matter, because the whole atmosphere was so clean and beautiful and I could give my best. That’s all I can say."

Agora é imaginar que se está em Monterey, ouvir Ravi Shankar dizer:
“I love all of you, and how grateful I am for your love of me. What am I doing at a pop festival when my music is classical? I knew I’d be meeting you all at one place, you to whom music means so much. This is not pop but I am glad it is popular.” e ouvir "Tabla Solo In Ektal".



Ravi Shankar - Tabla Solo In Ektal