Shankar Thinks His Time Has Finally Come : Music: He’s been blending Indian classical sounds, rock, jazz and world music with New Age overtones for two decades.

Indian violinist Shankar has performed with a list of performers that reads like a pop music hall of fame: Peter Gabriel, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins, the Talking Heads, Frank Zappa, the Pretenders. And the list could go on.

His more than two decades in this country have included virtually every kind of musical experience, from South Indian classical music programs to the jazz-rock-Indian fusion of Shakti and a colorful array of pop recordings and film soundtracks.

Why is it, then, that this gifted artist--with a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology, credentials as violinist, singer, composer and producer, and pioneering efforts in world music--has such low public visibility?

The 42-year-old Shankar, who will perform at At My Place tonight with an ensemble that includes his English-born vocalist wife, Caroline, isn’t quite sure.

“It can be very difficult,” explained Shankar recently. “Most countries, not just here, but in Europe, as well, prefer to market their own artists. And, very simply, there can be great prejudice against foreigners, even when, as in my case, they’ve been here for a long time.”

Shankar’s current tour supports the re-release of his album “Touch Me There.” Recorded in 1979, and produced by Zappa for his own label, it is a ‘70s-style blend of Indian classical sounds, rock, jazz and world music with a few New Age overtones. The re-release once again bears a Zappa insignia--that of his new company, Barking Pumpkin Records.

Asked whether he believes the 13-year-old album has contemporary relevance, Shankar responded affirmatively: “Oh yes, I certainly do. Most of the tunes are very similar to the kind of music we’re doing now.”

Shankar also feels that today’s audiences--at a time when Brazilian, African and Middle Eastern styles have begun to make small inroads into the public consciousness--may be somewhat more receptive than they were at a time when the sounds of world music held little more than novelty value.

“Back when Frank produced my record, people still hadn’t really heard very much Indian music,” Shankar said. “But today there is much more openness and awareness on the part of audiences. In fact, I wish the record companies would realize how much interest there really is.”

Tonight’s listeners will hear at least one sound not present on the album--that of Shankar’s peculiar-looking, double-neck, 10-string violin.

“I used to overdub all the strings on recordings--cello, viola, violin,” he explained. “And I used to have to carry all those different instruments around with me, which was much too difficult.

“So, immediately after I finished ‘Touch Me There,’ I decided to see if I could combine everything into one instrument. I worked for two years to perfect it, to make one instrument have the whole range of an entire orchestra.”

The 10-string violin is not an instrument that exists in South Indian music. Nor, for that matter, do any of the contemporary combinations of styles that characterize Shankar’s music. But he continues to be a respected presence in classical music, as well as an iconoclastic innovator.

“I like the mixture of things we’re doing right now,” Shankar said. “Of course, I would like for the music industry to stop looking at our music as ethnic marketing, as something that should be stuck in one tiny corner.

“But the most vital thing, always, is the performance, bringing the music and the audience together. As interesting as it may be to work with all these pop stars, the truth is that I’m happy whether I’m playing for 10,000 people or 10 people.”