VALLEY WEEKEND : SATURDAY : WEST MEETS EAST

For many people, the first time they heard the sitar was when Beatle George Harrison began playing one. But Harrison is just one of many Western musicians who were deeply influenced by the music of sitar master Ravi Shankar, who will perform in concert Saturday night in Glendale.

Shankar, whose album with violinist Yehudi Menuhin, “West Meets East,” won a Grammy for best chamber music performance, is probably most responsible for exposing the musical traditions of his native India to the rest of the world. Shankar has performed his classical Indian ragas in concerts with orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic and the London Philharmonic, as well as at rock concerts including the original Woodstock Festival.

Shankar, a longtime Los Angeles resident, was honored last July by the City Council on his 75th birthday.

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Ravi Shankar performs on the sitar accompanied by Zakir Hussain on tabla at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Tickets are $40 and $25. Call (800) 233-3123.