July/August 2000

Ananda Shankar
Walking On
Real World

By Tom Terrell

To paraphrase the announcer on Monty Python, "And now for some completely different things." Indian sitar master Ananda Shankar's Walking On (Real World, 72438-48118, 64:18) surprised the hell outta Grooves. From the title tune's wicked frisson of ol' time Ganges River Delta slide sitar, hip-hop beats, bouncing tablas to "Jungle Symphony (Live)"'s surreal evocation of "hip" '70s Hollywood/Bollywood B-movie themes (cheesy buzzsaw-wah-wah-slide-flamenco-horn-like sitar effects, hippy flute, groovy tabla, pop-generic drum 'n' bass), Walking On will surprise you too. Shankar's been doing this sort of thing since 1970. (He passed away last year)