Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"Shankar and Gingger are masters of a peculiar instrument: they own the only two Double Violins in the world...Shankar and Gingger are certainly virtuosos...It does not take a great leap of imagination to picture the instruments they do employ as instellar craft. The 10 string hybrids that look and sound like something that might have emerged from the 17th century workshops of Antonio Stradivari, had some time traveller granted him access to the latest developments in stealth technology.
The terrain that Shankar and Gingger survey with these unique implements is that of inner space, not outer. That’s particularly true of the duo’s first multimedia project, One in a Million, which last week was sitting comfortably atop the Billboard DVD charts. The work’s mixture of haunting music and equally haunting imagery has obviously struck a chord...Gingger obviously knows her traditional stuff, too, the almost erotically slinky accompaniment she provides ranks among the CD’s highlights.
In this time of global chaos, bringing people together could be as arduous an undertaking as any interstellar voyage, but given the history of collaborative brilliance, and the musical and personal empathy Gingger displays on disc and in conversation, the two will surely bring feelings of deep harmony with them, when they and their guests grace the stage of the Vogue."
-The Georgia Straight, Vancouver
"Classical and Pop Maestro Gingger will be performing…two much anticipated concerts at San Francisco's Herbst Theatre and a Los Angeles show at the Skirball Center... The concert promises to bring some of the most daring and technically intricate music to the stage... One of Gingger's most impressive claims to fame is that she is the only person besides Shankar to have mastered the Double Violin." -India West, US
“... Gingger, Shankar's only competition on the double violin, and a great singer in her own right." -Mirror, Montreal
"Passion, ecstasy and joy radiate from Winspear stage... Blistering technique enough to mist eyes of true raga lovers..."
"...It's not easy to encapsulate the musical depth of an evening with masters, Shankar and Gingger..."
"Some 1500 fans sat with rapt attention through the two sets of their World at Winspear concert Sunday... They were going with the flow... that rose gradually to incredible peaks of emotional intensity, inspiring water in the eye when you weren't blinking in disbelief at the virtuosic technique and lightning speed of the group... "
"The double neck, 10 string stereophonic violins that Gingger performed with would seem to be almost designed for displays of pyrotechnics...the frequently dizzying tremolos which followed sad, languorous opening solos... the overall mood was one of musical sincerity as they reached for passion, ecstasy and joy..."
"Gingger, the 21 year old seemed easily able to hold her own...her career holds exceptional promise...playing, right from the heart ...starting with a long part for the lone violinist, with wonderful ensemble interp1ay...this ranked as one of their very best appearances here." -Edmonton Journal
"...Legends of Music... singer and double violinist Gingger..."
-The Toronto Sun
"...Masters of Music... Shankar and Gingger" -Village Voice, New York
"...Memorable Evening...Concert at the Skirball Cultural Center had a great deal going for it up front... double violinist Gingger...a world class lineup of artists...an extraordinary evening of music...exceptional enough to draw enthusiastic applause from a full house crowd...
...singing and violin work as the focal point...Ranging easily across the sensual, occasionally microtonal, intervals...equally adroit with the double violin, a 10 string electronic instrument that approximates string instruments from bass violin to violin...choosing to emphasize it's powers of vocalization to reflect the lines of singing..."
-Los Angeles Times
"It was a successful concert by any standards...drawing repeated applause and appreciative whistles, Gingger charmed a standing room only audience at the Herbst Theater here with the vivacity and freshness of the music...
... a musician par excellence...skill drew repeated applause from the crowd...Apart from Shankar, Gingger is the only artist in the world who possesses and plays a double violin. On stage it was a treat to watch her as she sailed through some complicated solos...
...Concert-goers in the Bay Area are a savvy bunch and it is a privilege to introduce them to the best talents that music has to offer..." -India West, US
"...Ventures beyond barriers...Gingger doesn't allow virtuosity to leave room for complacency... 'magic really happens' through the telepathic bond shared on stage..
-The Gazette, Montreal
"There may be no finer balance of drama, spirituality and technique in music than in the sounds...with the voice and double-neck 10 stri - Various Media
Discography
One in a Million DVD (Silverline)
Celestial Body (Mondo Melodia)
Calm Before the Storm (Immergent)
Planet Blue (Favored Nations)
Passion of the Christ (Sony)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Some of the most daring, exuberant and technically proficient music has cascaded from vocalist / violinist. Born into a renowned Ravi Shankar musical family, she studied vocals and violin from the age of two.
Gingger, whose vocal range covers five octaves. Shankar's own invention, the 10 string stereophonic Double Violin, to listeners around the world. Gingger is the only other musician that has mastered and currently plays the Double Violin. The Double Violin, designed by Shankar and built by Ken Parker, covers the entire range of the orchestra's double bass, cello, viola and violin, and is the only one in the world. The combination of Ginggers haunting vocals, double violin and also as a composer has brought her worldwide acclaim as an innovator.
Gingger, an extraordinary gifted singer, virtuoso violinist, model and songwriter, has toured all over the world as a solo artist, as a collaborator with master vocalist/violinist Shankar (Peter Gabriel, Frank Zappa) and a guest performer in many shows, winning over fans and critics alike. She has also lent her voice, violin and compositions to several album projects.
Born in Los Angeles, Gingger spent her beginnings studying within one of India's most acclaimed musical families. Her initial training began with her mother, an accomplished singer, who toured the world and won many awards as a classical star. She began teaching Gingger from the time she was a baby. Between the coaching from her mother and grandfather (violin), and her extensive training in classical Indian violin, opera, western classical music, piano, pop and world music, Gingger has developed a musical style all her own, yet one that encompasses all of these genres and creative experiences.
Gingger has always been involved in different idioms of music, from Pop/Rock to World Music. She has recorded and appeared on albums in these different genres of music, working with artists such as Phil Collins, David Paich (Toto), Steve Vai, Steve Porcaro (Toto), Mike Porcaro (Toto),Tony Levin (John Lennon, Peter Gabriel), Poet (Black Eyed Peas), Robin DiMaggio (Celine Dion) among others.
Touring internationally over the past few years, she has garnered both critical acclaim and a huge fan base, performing at world events such as The Concert for Global Harmony and Nelson Mandella's 80th Birthday celebrations. She also participated in Fiddlefest, a benefit for the Harlem Center For Strings at the Apollo Theater
As a model and actress, Gingger has graced the covers of magazines, as well as performed in many stage productions.
In the fall of 2001, Gingger and Shankar completed an extensive tour to sold out audiences all over North America. It was a complete critical success, and also helped them to take their incredible careers to unprecedented new heights. Their pop DVD, One in a Million, became the #1 DVD in the country, spending 4 weeks at #1 on the U.S. Soundscan / Billboard charts.
In 2004, Gingger, along with Shankar, composed, produced and performed vocals and double violins on Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ, along with composers Jack Lenz and John Debney. Their voices and violins can be heard throughout the movie providing the haunting melodies and sounds that are unmistakably their own. They also composed chants which they performed with Mel. The movie has been a box office smash. She also appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno to perform music from the Passion of the Christ.
Gingger recently wrote and performed on Celestial Body, a world music/soundtrack album for Universal, which was met with enormous critical praise. She followed the release with a worldwide tour. She also received a World Peace Music Award, which is dubbed as the Nobel Peace Prize of Music in September at the Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco.
In 2006, Gingger performed at the Juvenile Diabetes Gala at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Gingger also opened both the Method Film Festival (where she also held a workshop on how to score music for film), and at the Indian Festival of Los Angeles, where she received the Cinematic Scoring Achievement Award.
For more information go to http://www.gingger.com. She is currently working on her new album.
Representation: Kevin Koloff
Law Offices of Kevin Koloff
(310) 576-7298
Soundtrack Agent: Brice Gaeta
ICM (310) 550-4075
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