Ananda Shankar – Jumpin’ Jack Flash

Artist – Ananda Shankar
Song Title – Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Album – Snow Flower
Year – 1970

Ananda Shankar (11 December 1942 – 26 March 1999) was an Indian musician best known for his fusion of Western and Eastern musical styles. He was married to Tanushree Shankar.

Born in Almora in Uttar Pradesh, India, Shankar was the son of Amala and Uday Shankar, popular dancers, and also the nephew of renowned sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar. Ananda did not learn sitar from his uncle but studied instead with Dr. Lalmani Misra in Varanasi.

In the late 1960s Shankar travelled to Los Angeles, where he played with many contemporary musicians including Jimi Hendrix. There he was signed to Reprise Records and released his first studio album, the self-titled Ananda Shankar in 1970, featuring original Indian classical material alongside sitar-based cover versions of popular hits such as The Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and The Doors’ “Light my fire”. This album has become an enduring cult classic.

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favour of fair use.