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Shakti (band)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 and Indian violinist Shenkar with percussionists Zakir Hussain (on tabla) and Vikku Vinayakram (on ghatam).[1] Initially formed in 1973 under the name “Turiyananda Sangit” (a name coined by Sri Chinmoy that translates into english as “The pinnacle of delight in music”) [2], with a lineup consisting of McLaughlin, Shenkar, Ramnad V. Raghavan (on mridangam) and Eve McLaughlin on Tanpura & Shruti box.[3][4][5] Eve McLaughlin left the project, and Zakir Hussain was added on tabla and the group name changed to “Shakti” (meaning "creative intelligence, beauty, and power."[6]) as the band wanted a name that “listeners in the West could relate to”.[7] Raghavan also didn't stay with the project beyond the first album, and Vikku was added (on ghatam) for the remainder of Shakti’s early career. The group played acoustic fusion music which combined Carnatic music with elements of jazz.

Turiyananda Sangit (1975) poster featuring John McLaughlin, L.Shankar & R.Raghavan.

In addition to fusing Western (Jazz, Celtic folk, Classical music) with Eastern music, Shakti also represented a fusion of the Hindustani and Carnatic music traditions, since Hussain was from Northern India while Shenkar and Vikku are from the South.[8]

The group came together after the dissolution of the first incarnation of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and toured fairly extensively during the period 1975-1977. After 1977, the albums which Shenkar recorded with Hussain and Vikku stayed close to the music they had popularized in 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.[9]

Shakti performing with Larry Coryell, standing in for John (who had injured his hand) at a concert in India in 1982

Between 1982 - 1984, Shakti regrouped for reunion tours in India, this time with Shenkar performing on his double violin.[10]

In 1997, McLaughlin and Hussain put together Remember Shakti, including V. Selvaganesh (son of T. H. "Vikku" Vinayakram ), electric mandolin player U. Shrinivas and eventually vocalist Shankar Mahadevan.

The band reformed in 2020,[11] and released their first album as Shakti in 46 years, This Moment, on 23 June 2023.[12] The album will be supported by a world tour including India, Europe, and United States under the name Shakti50.[3] 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.

Discography

[edit]
List of Shakti albums, with selected details and chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[13] 		US Jazz
[13] 		SWE
[14]
Shakti with John McLaughlin
  • Released: 1976
  • Label: Columbia
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download[15]
 194 37 —
A Handful of Beauty
  • Released: 1976
  • Label: Columbia
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download[16]
 168 32 42
Natural Elements
  • Released: 1977
  • Label: CBS
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download[17]
 — — —
This Moment
  • Released: 23 June 2023
  • Label: Abstract Logix
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download
 — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Innerviews. "John McLaughlin - Remembering Shakti". Innerviews: Music Without Borders. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  2. ^ "Turiyananda Sangit". Srichinmoylibrary.com. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Shakti are back! The Indo-jazz super-group marks 50th anniversary with 2023 tour and new album". Jazzwise. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "Turiyananda Sangit". Srichinmoylibrary.com. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  6. ^ Innerviews. "John McLaughlin - Remembering Shakti". Innerviews: Music Without Borders. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Grammy winner returns to his 'best' audience". Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Khabar: The Legends of Shakti". Khabar.com. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  9. ^ "John McLaughlin – John McLaughlin Montreux Concerts". Discogs.com. February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  10. ^ Kusnur, Narendra (16 January 2023). "COVER STORY: Celebrating 50 Years of Shakti". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  11. ^ "John McLaughlin interview: discussing Shakti's 2020 reformation". Raga Junglism. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  12. ^ Ng, Scott. "John McLaughlin's Shakti announce their first studio album in 46 years". Guitar.com. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Album Search for "shakti with john mclaughlin"". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Swedish Charts Portal". Swedishcharts.com.
  15. ^ "iTunes - Music - Shakti with John McLaughlin (Shakti with John McLaughlin) by Shaki with John McLaughlin". iTunes. 5 July 1975.
  16. ^ "iTunes - Music - A Handful of Beauty (With John McLaughlin) by Shakti". iTunes. January 1976.
  17. ^ "iTunes - Music - Natural Elements (With John McLaughlin) by Shakti". iTunes. January 1977.
[edit]
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