Shakti (band)

For other uses, see Shakti (disambiguation).

Shakti
A quartet performs acoustic music to the audience while being covered by a dark stage-light.
Shakti in 1976
Background information
Also known asTuriyananda Sangit (in the early days)
Genres
Years active1973–1978; 2020–present
Labels
SpinoffsRemember Shakti
Members
Past members

Shakti is a fusion band formed by English guitarist John McLaughlin, Indian violin player L. Shankar, percussionists Zakir Hussain (on tabla) and T. H. "Vikku" Vinayakram (on Ghatam)[1] in 1973,[2] initially under the stage name "Turiyananda Sangit"[3] (which translates in English to "The pinnacle delight in music"[4]). The band played acoustic fusion music which combined Indian music with elements of jazz. The band's name means, in English, "creative intelligence, beauty, and power."[5]

In addition to fusing American and Indian music, Shakti also represented a fusion of the Hindustani and Carnatic music traditions, since Hussain is from the north region of India while the other Indian members are from the South.[6]

The group came together in 1973, after the dissolution of the first incarnation of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and toured fairly extensively during the period 1975-1977; it made only sporadic appearances (with personnel changes) thereafter.

After 1977, the albums which L. Shankar recorded with Z. Hussain and T. H. "Vikku" Vinayakram stayed close to the music made popular by Shakti.

Two concerts at the Montreux Jazz Festival (July 6, 1976 and July 8, 1977) are included among the 17 CDs of the box set Montreux Concerts by John McLaughlin.[7]

In 1997, McLaughlin and Hussain put together another band with the same concept, called Remember Shakti, including V. Selvaganesh (son of T. H. "Vikku" Vinayakram ), mandolin player U. Shrinivas and eventually Shankar Mahadevan.

The band reformed in 2020,[8] and released their first album as Shakti in 46 years, This Moment, on 23 June 2023.[9] The album will be supported by a world tour including India, Europe, and United States under the name Shakti50.[2] Violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan joined the band as a full time member. The band also performed a live set for the Tiny Desk Concert.

In 2024, Shakti won the Grammy Award for the Best Global Music Album for the album This Moment.

  1. ^ Innerviews. "John McLaughlin - Remembering Shakti". Innerviews: Music Without Borders. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Shakti are back! The Indo-jazz super-group marks 50th anniversary with 2023 tour and new album". Jazzwise. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Before Shakti became known under this name, they were called Turiyananda Sangit, a name given to them by Sri Chinmoy, literally translated as 'the... | By John McLaughlin Archive". Facebook.com. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Turiyananda Sangit". Srichinmoylibrary.com. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  5. ^ Innerviews. "John McLaughlin - Remembering Shakti". Innerviews: Music Without Borders. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  6. ^ "Khabar: The Legends of Shakti". Khabar.com. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  7. ^ "John McLaughlin – John McLaughlin Montreux Concerts". Discogs.com. February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  8. ^ "John McLaughlin interview: discussing Shakti's 2020 reformation". Raga Junglism. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  9. ^ Ng, Scott. "John McLaughlin's Shakti announce their first studio album in 46 years". Guitar.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.