ANOUSHKA SHANKAR

It’s no longer enough to say that sitarist  and composer Anoushka Shankar is keeping alive the legacy of her iconic father, Ravi Shankar. With two decades of experience on the instrument and several albums that explore diverse aspects of her artistry—from traditional solo Indian classical to experimental full-band works that integrate Indian elements with cutting-edge electronica—Shankar is constantly moving the sitar into places it’s rarely if ever visited. On Traveller, she investigates her love of flamenco. Produced by Spain’s Javier Limón, who also contributes guitar, Traveller is all drama and fire, rumination and daring—a confluence of dense, percussion-heavy rhythms and virtuosic, bright-hued melodic improvisations. The title track practically rocks, Shankar peeling out complex lines in tandem with layers of percussion and an especially exotic shehnai (an oboe-like Indian instrument). Traveller is one of the most inspired, accessible and far-reaching efforts yet from an artist who has not only absorbed her father’s lessons but transcended them. –J. Tamarkin