The Sitar today is still primarily used in the context of North Indian Classical Music, but it's usage is steadily expanding to include various types of fusion with western classical, jazz, rock, folk, pop, and many other types of music. The Sitar was first brought to attention of the western world when George Harrison took it up, under Ravi Shankar, and began experimenting with it in his work with the Beatles. Subsequently, pioneering musicians such as John Mclaughlin, Zakir Hussain, Colin Walcott, and others first experimented with fusing eastern and western forms of improvisation, thereby laying the groundwork for entirely new world fusion forms.
Hear the Sitar on 'Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo', 'Dharana', and 'Bar-Bar-A' from 'Svadharma', and on 'Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo' from ''Sa Ta Na Ma'.
Read about the history and the description of the Sitar.