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Shankar and Gingger
Grammy nominated
vocalist/violinist/producer, Shankar (whose previous musical credits include collaborations with Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen,
Van Morrison, U2, Talking Heads and Frank Zappa), is joined by vocalist/songwriter/violinist Gingger (who's lengthy performance
credits include The Concert For Global Harmony and the 80th birthday celebration for Nelson Mandela). Their inspiring songs
reflect many of the emotions and relationships that define the human condition.
Shankar & Gingger have always been involved in different
idioms of music, from Pop/Rock to World Music. They have recorded and appeared on six albums in these different genres of
music. Their pop album One In A Million features guest artists Phil Collins, David Paich (Toto), Steve Vai, Steve Porcaro
(Toto), Mike Porcaro (Toto), and Tony Levin, among others.
Touring internationally as Shankar & Gingger over the
past eight years, they have garnered both critical acclaim and a growing fan base, performing at world events such as The
Concert for Global Harmony and Nelson Mandella's 80th Birthday celebrations. They also participated in Fiddlefest, a benefit
for the Harlem Center For Strings at the Apollo Theater. Shankar and Gingger's first release in the DVD-Audio format, which
presents the music in stunning six channel surround sound, One In A Million was released worldwide on Silverline Records.
In
the fall of 2001, Shankar & Gingger completed an extensive tour to sold out audiences all over North America. It was a complete
critical success, and also helped them to take their incredible careers to unprecedented new heights. Their pop DVD, One
In A Million, became the #1 DVD in the country, spending 4 weeks at #1 on the U.S. Soundscan / Billboard charts.
In 2004, Shankar
& Gingger composed, produced and performed vocals and double violins on Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ,
along with composers Jack Lenz and John Debney. Their voices and violins can be heard throughout the movie providing the haunting
melodies and sounds that are unmistakably theirs. They also composed chants which they performed with Mel. The movie has been
a box office smash.
Shankar, widely known as a living legend in the world of music, has entranced
audiences and critics alike all over the world. Shankar is an acclaimed vocalist, violinist, composer and producer who has
sold over ten million albums. He is truly a pioneer in the field of music. His
performance "held everyone's attention... voice and double violin unite to create almost incantory atmosphere... hypnotized
viewers made such use of vocal chords that they were like an instrument that blazed the trail... unified in a piercing cry...
would move everyone to get up and dance" - La Presse Montreal.
Some of the most daring, exuberant and technically
proficient music of this decade has cascaded from vocalist / violinist Shankar. A child prodigy, born into a renowned family
of musicians, he studied vocal from the age of two, violin from the age of five, and played his first concert at the age of
seven.
Shankar is a virtuoso vocalist / violinist whose vocal range covers five octaves. His 1980 release, Who's
To Know, and Phil Collins' solo debut, Face Value, introduced the unique sound of Shankar's own invention, the
10 string stereophonic Double Violin, to listeners around the world. Shankar along with violin virtuoso Gingger are the only
musicians that have mastered and currently play the Double Violin. The Double Violin, designed by Shankar and built by Ken
Parker, covers the entire range of the orchestra's double bass, cello, viola and violin, and is the only one in the world.
The combination of Shankar's haunting vocals, double violin and composing has brought him worldwide acclaim as an innovator.
His unmistakable sound has been heard over many albums.
Grammy-nominated Shankar has released numerous solo albums
and videos in various idioms of music, from Pop / Rock to World Music. A major
world recording and touring artist, his numerous collaborations have brought him international audiences. His pop albums have
featured an impressive line-up of guest musicians including Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, John Waite, Bruce Springsteen,
Van Morrison, Stewart Copeland (The Police), Steve Vai, Ginger Baker and Nils Lofgren (E Street Band) to name a few.
Shankar
collaborated with Peter Gabriel on the song "Across the River" for the premiere of the Nomad double album Music and Rhythm
which included tracks from David Byrne, Pete Townsend, etc. Shankar's own song, "Himalaya",
was the album's single, which he wrote, sang and produced. Other projects have included the Sun City Album (Artists
Against Apartheid), The Princess Trust Rock Concerts, featuring artists such as Elton John, Eric Clapton, Bee Gees, Joe Cocker
and others, and the United Nations Peace Day Festivals which included Bob Geldoff, Bono (U2) and Yoko Ono, among many others.
The rock extravaganza Human Rights Now World Tour in 1988, featured his own group, who were joined in performance by Bruce
Springsteen and Peter Gabriel, in addition to several other musicians. In 1993, he completed a long world tour with Peter
Gabriel (Secret World Tour), as a special guest, singing and playing violin, besides performing with his own band in several
places. The tour ended at the Woodstock Festival in 1994.
Shankar co-produced a one hour BBC film directed by award
winning director, H.O. Nazareth. The film featured live concert footage of Shankar in Bombay,
India. It was nominated as one of the best documentaries at
the Cannes Film Festival. Shankar has also worked on many soundtracks included Jacob's Ladder, Jennifer 8, Robin
Hood, and the Grammy Award winning and controversial The Last Temptation of Christ, in which he co-wrote 13 of
the tracks with Peter Gabriel. He has also worked as a composer, arranger, producer, singer, violinist and performer with
Frank Zappa, Phil Collins, Talking Heads, Lou Reed, Marianne Faithful, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Van Morrison,
U2, The Pretenders, Echo & The Bunnymen, John Lydon (Sex Pistols) and Dave Stewart, among many others.
Gingger,
an extraordinary gifted virtuoso violinist, singer and songwriter, has been touring all over the world for the past eight
years as a member of the pop duo Shankar & Gingger, and as a solo and guest performer in many shows, winning over fans
and critics alike. She has also lent her voice, violin and compositions to several album projects.
Born in Los Angeles, Gingger spent her beginnings studying within one of India's most acclaimed musical families. Her initial training began with her mother,
an accomplished singer, who toured the world and won many awards as a classical star. She began teaching Gingger from the
time she was a baby. Between the coaching from her mother and grandfather (violin), and her extensive training in classical
Indian violin, opera, western classical music, piano, pop and world music, Gingger has developed a musical style all her own,
yet one that encompasses all of these genres and creative experiences.
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