New York, NY–The Ravi Shankar Foundation proudly announces the launch of East Meets West Music (EMWMusic). With the creation of EMWMusic, Ravi Shankar bridges any divide between his recorded music and his audience. With unique access to an astonishing archive featuring thousands of hours of live performance audio, film footage, interviews, and studio masters, the legendary sitarist and composer hopes to provide a glimpse into what has most inspired and shaped him in his 70-plus years on stage. And, in keeping with Ravi’s dedication to looking forward and not back, EMWMusic provides a vibrant platform for new artists, projects, and collaborations.

“There is something beautiful about the stage. There is a performer and there is an audience. Nothing is in the way. The sound remains pure and unburdened by things like marketing and distribution. My hope is for this label to be more like a stage and less like the music business as I have experienced it.”

–Ravi Shankar

The name of the label, East Meets West, points to the Shankar philosophy of exploration, experimentation and cross-pollination. The vast archive features performances and appearances by an extraordinarily eclectic cast of musicians from across the globe. This new label continues in the long tradition of open-mindedness and curiosity that has been a hallmark of Ravi’s work.

The debut release, Nine Decades: Volume One, is scheduled for Ravi’s 90th birthday on April 7th. The Nine Decades series will feature rare live performances hand-picked by Ravi. The series will focus decade by decade on performances that are particulary meaningful to the artist himself. In October 2010, EMWMusic will release the George Harrison produced documentary on Ravi, called Raga. The soundtrack to the film will also be available in October.

The newly launched website, EastMeetsWestMusic.com, features release updates and performance information for both Ravi and Anoushka Shankar.