ENDEIT
L. Shankar
Photo: L_Shankar_and_John_McLauglin_1978.jpg : Chris Hakkens…, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Violinists · b. 1950

L. Shankar

Indian violinist and composer (born 1950)

Born
26 April 1950
Chennai
Country
India
Active
1972–
Record labels
ECM Records
Discography
16 albums

Biography

L. Shankar is a jazz musician who plays violin, jazz violin and double violin. L. Shankar was born on 26 April 1950 in Chennai. The music is usually filed under jazz and Carnatic music. Record labels: ECM Records. The discography here lists 16 albums, from “Touch Me There” (1979) to “Christmas from India” (2021).

Lakshminarayana Shankar (born 26 April 1950), is an Indian violinist, singer and composer who goes by the stage name Shenkar. Known as a world music icon for his significant contributions to world music, he is often regarded as one of the pioneers of East-West fusion, blending the traditions of Indian classical with Western genres such as rock, pop, jazz, and electronic music. His extensive body of work spans a wide spectrum of genres, encompassing vocal and instrumental compositions. He has released 28 solo albums, the two latest being Full Moon and Over the Stars, which were released in September and August 2024, respectively. Shankar is credited with inventing the stereophonic double violin (known as the LSD – L. Shankar Double Violin), which covers the orchestral string family's range.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Touch Me There 1979 · Zappa Records
Who’s to Know 1981 · ECM Records
Vision 1984 · ECM Records
Song for Everyone 1985
The Epidemics 1986
Nobody Told Me 1989
Pancha Nadai Pallavi 1990
Soul Searcher 1990
Soul Searcher 1990
M.R.C.S. 1991
Raga Aberi 1995 · Music of the World Eternal Light 2000 · Moment! Records
The Blue 2001
Celestial Body 2004
Chepleeri Dream 2020
Christmas from India 2021

Also plays on

Albums where L. Shankar is credited as a sideman

1972 Attica Blues — Archie Shepp violin
1977 A Handful of Beauty — Shakti arranger
1977 Natural Elements — Shakti viola, violin, vocals, strings
1981 Face Value — Phil Collins tambura, violin
1986 Horses & Trees — Ginger Baker violin
1988 Usfret — Trilok Gurtu violin
1993 Heroes — Mark O’Connor violin
1995 World Diary — Tony Levin violin, vocals

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument does L. Shankar play?

L. Shankar is known for playing violin, jazz violin and double violin.

When and where was L. Shankar born?

L. Shankar was born 26 April 1950 in Chennai.

What are L. Shankar's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Touch Me There (1979), Vision (1984), Raga Aberi (1995) and Eternal Light (2000).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.