Face to Face

L. Shankar, born Shankar Lakshminarayana, is a virtuoso violinist, singer, and composer renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to world music. Often hailed as a pioneer of East-West fusion, Shankar seamlessly blends the rich traditions of Indian classical music with Western genres such as rock, pop, jazz, and electronic music. His innovative spirit is evident in his invention of the stereophonic Double Violin, a 10-string instrument that covers the full range of the orchestral string family. With a career spanning decades, Shankar has released 28 solo albums, the most recent being "Full Moon" and "Over the Stars," both released in 2024. He has collaborated with legendary artists like Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel, and John McLaughlin, and his phenomenal capacity for improvisation has earned him the highest esteem from his peers. Shankar's deeply soulful performances and technical prowess on the violin make him a living legend in the world of music.