Ever tried to fret a sitar?  I mean a real one.  If you haven’t, try it sometime.  Just try playing one single, true note on a real sitar (this would be after you learn how to hold it properly).  Then think about 16th note scales.  Forget improvisation, just the scales.

The first time I tried to play a sitar, I suddenly realized exactly what the big deal was about Ravi Shankar.  Then I tried to play a tabla.

Every time I heard Ravi Shankar I felt a little guilty that I wasn’t practicing.  OK, a lot guilty.  There are a handful of musicians that I feel confident played music that will live forever.  Ravi Shankar is one.  And the reality is that if it wasn’t for George Harrison and Bill Graham, I doubt that many of us would ever have known his wonder.

Think about that.