Sponsored by the School for University Studies, musicians from the Alan Parsons Project and Indian music ensemble As Kindred Spirits took the stage at Hofstra’s Adams Playhouse last Friday to commemorate the late George Harrison’s impact on the worlds of pop culture and spirituality.

Hosted by Hofstra’s own Joshua Greene, an instructor of Hinduism, “Here Comes The Sun”—which is based on Greene’s biography on Harrison of the same name—also included images and videos detailing the life, music, and ideologies of the quiet Beatle.

Greene, who studied yoga with Harrison in the 70s, employed four world-class musicians to help tell the story of Harrison’s mystical journey through music. The band—which included Godfrey Townsend (guitar), John Montagna (bass), Tommy Williams (Guitar) and Michael Bellusci (Drums)—ran through classic Harrison numbers like “Taxman,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and, of course, “Here Comes the Sun.”

As Kindred Spirits, who are rising stars in the world of kirtan and Indian spiritual music provided meditative chanting as well as a stunningly beautiful rendition of “Within You, Without You.”

As music usually does, these songs perfectly depicted the different stages of Harrison’s complex life and his illustrious career.

In 1965, Harrison began to immerse himself in Indian culture, spirituality, and music. Oddly enough, when he first heard the sitar playing of the legendary Ravi Shankar, Harrison felt an unusual familiarity, as if he had heard it before.

The story is that, while George was still in her womb, his mother would listen to Indian music on the radio, Greene said.

Whether one chooses to accept this astonishing story, one cannot deny that Harrison was largely responsible for bringing Hinduism and Indian music into the Western consciousness.

“When you discover something great, your first instinct is to share it with your friends. Harrison decided to share the power of Indian spirituality with the rest of the world,” Greene said.

Although Harrison is most known for his time with The Beatles, it was this commitment to yoga and spirituality, which he believed could improve lives and protect the planet, that set him apart.

“Even though Harrison loved being a member of the biggest pop band of all time, he still felt like there was something more,” Greene said.

Perhaps it was because he felt overshadowed by the Lennon-McCartney dynamic, but Harrison, in a way, embraced the dissolution of the Beatles because it allowed him to grow both as a solo artist and a distinct personality.

In 1971, Harrison made yet another significant contribution to the music world: he became the first musician to conceive of a benefit concert, the Concert For Bangladesh. Organized to spread awareness of the conflict in East Pakistan at the time, the concert featured legendary musicians such as Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton.

Here Comes the Sun has been touring the country for the last three years, playing to sell-out shows across America.

“I can proudly say that ‘Here Comes the Sun’ was by far the biggest event held at Hofstra’s Adams Playhouse on a Friday in November that commemorated the life and times of a Beatle,” Greene said jokingly.