George Harrison and Ravi Shankar hold a press conference – 3 August 1967

Name: George Harrison and Ravi Shankar press conference
Start: 1967-08-03
Location: Kinnara School of Music

August 3, 2026

Thursday 3 August 1967 | Kinnara School of Music, Los Angeles

On 3 August 1967 — the third day of their US trip — George Harrison, Neil Aspinall and Alexis ‘Magic Alex’ Mardas returned to Ravi Shankar's music school in Los Angeles. Harrison and Shankar held a press conference at the Kinnara School of Music to promote Shankar's forthcoming concert at the Hollywood Bowl, which was taking place the following day, 4 August 1967.

Pattie Harrison was not present at the press conference. Her sister Jenny Boyd had flown in from San Francisco, and the two went sightseeing in Los Angeles. That evening, George and Pattie Harrison, along with Derek Taylor — the Beatles' press officer — attended a recording session by The Mamas And The Papas.

George Harrison and Ravi Shankar

By the summer of 1967, George Harrison's relationship with Ravi Shankar was one of the most celebrated cultural partnerships of the era. Harrison had first met Shankar in 1966 and had studied sitar under him in India. His championing of Indian classical music — most visibly on Norwegian Wood (1965) and Love You To (1966) — had introduced Shankar to a vast new Western audience.

The Kinnara School of Music was Shankar's Los Angeles base, where he taught Indian classical music to Western students. Harrison's presence at the press conference underlined his role as Shankar's most prominent advocate in the Western pop world.

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Key Facts

Date	Thursday 3 August 1967
Location	Kinnara School of Music, Los Angeles
Present	George Harrison, Ravi Shankar, Neil Aspinall, Alexis ‘Magic Alex’ Mardas
Purpose	To promote Ravi Shankar's Hollywood Bowl concert (4 August 1967)
Evening	George and Pattie Harrison and Derek Taylor attended a Mamas And The Papas recording session

Los Angeles, California — where George Harrison and Ravi Shankar held their press conference at the Kinnara School of Music on 3 August 1967.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did George Harrison attend a press conference with Ravi Shankar in 1967?

George Harrison attended the press conference at the Kinnara School of Music in Los Angeles on 3 August 1967 to help promote Ravi Shankar's Hollywood Bowl concert the following day. Harrison was Shankar's most prominent Western advocate, having studied sitar under him and introduced Indian classical music to a global pop audience.

What was the Kinnara School of Music?

The Kinnara School of Music was Ravi Shankar's Los Angeles base, where he taught Indian classical music to Western students. George Harrison visited the school during his August 1967 trip to the United States.

Who was Magic Alex?

Alexis ‘Magic Alex’ Mardas was a Greek electronics engineer who became close to The Beatles in 1967, particularly John Lennon. He was appointed head of Apple Electronics and accompanied George Harrison on his August 1967 US trip.

Did George Harrison and Ravi Shankar work together after 1967?

Yes. George Harrison and Ravi Shankar maintained a close friendship and creative partnership throughout their lives. Harrison produced Shankar's recordings, organised the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, and the George Harrison Estate later launched the HariSongs label to reissue Shankar's catalogue.