The Concert for Bangladesh album reviewed – archive, 4 January 1972

4 January 1972: The live record of George Harrison and friends performing at New York’s Madison Square Garden to raise money for refugees in Bangladesh

We are not trying to make any politics. We are artists. But through our music we would like you to feel the agony … In Bangladesh.” Ravi Shankar speaking before he began to play at Madison Square Garden. The record of that concert will be released next Monday as a triple album (Apple STCX 3385), and all the proceeds will go to relief for Bangladesh (like the concert gate of $243,418.50).

Since he played in Monterey, Ravi Shankar became well known both to the rock music audience and also to rock musicians. George Harrison elected to be influenced by Indian music as soon as the Beatles played more than pop tunes: Revolver, released in 1966, shows the beginning of his self-teaching. (Brian Jones was influenced at the same time: Aftermath, also released in 1966, has him playing sitar). Harrison was always more concerned to deepen his ideas than to attempt the musically impossible; so, instead of emulating Ravi Shankar, both men have for years in effect been the others’ patron: George by placing his fame at Ravi’s service, Ravi by being, in the background, an altogether better Guru for Harrison than the Maharishi.