Shakti headed for the safer confines of a London recording studio on its second album, minus R. Raghavan and minus some of the volatile energy that they generated on their debut record. They were, however, a more integrated, more subtle ensemble now, exploring quieter, more lyrical corners of their East-West fusion, with L. Shankar's spectacular violin and Zakir Hussain's tabla taking the solo foreground as much as, if not more than, McLaughlin's acoustic guitar.
A 60 minutes documentary film Shakti Timeless, which tells the story of the indo-western music group Shakti. Formed in 1975, the group pioneered a groundbreaking and highly influential musical East-meets-West approach. In the 70s, the group, whose name means creative intelligence, beauty and power, consisted of legendary British jazz guitarist John Mclaughlin, North Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain and violinist L. Shankar and ghatam (percussion) player T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram, both of whom hail from South India. Together, they created a fluid and organic sound that managed to successfully combine seemingly incompatible traditions.
For his next act, the decibel champion of electric jazz shocked the world by unplugging and returning to South Indian music before an excitable audience at South Hampton College. Yet the alert John McLaughlin follower will note that beyond the reliance upon South Indian instruments and scales, there are unbroken links to records like My Goal's Beyond and the high-speed electric music that McLaughlin was casting aside at the moment. McLaughlin called his new quintet Shakti, which means "creative intelligence and beauty and power" and the music here has all of that and something else, a ferocious streak inherited from the Mahavishnu days.
On Remember Shakti, jazz guitarist John McLaughlin returns to one of his chief inspirations – classical Indian music – by re-forming his '70s group Shakti. Original members Zakir Hussain (tabla) and Vikku Vinayakram (ghatam) return, joined by Hariprasad Chaurasia on the bansuri (Indian flute). Remember Shakti has a more meditative, fluid feel than the percussive work of the original group, but McLaughlin's subtle, hypnotic guitar work bridges Shakti's past and present. Remember Shakti's double-disc length gives the group ample time to explore the intricacies of compositions like "The Wish," "Chandrakauns," and the hour-plus "Mukti." An emotionally rich, musically accomplished album, Remember Shakti reunites a unique group of players.
On Remember Shakti, jazz guitarist John McLaughlin returns to one of his chief inspirations – classical Indian music – by re-forming his '70s group Shakti. Original members Zakir Hussain (tabla) and Vikku Vinayakram (ghatam) return, joined by Hariprasad Chaurasia on the bansuri (Indian flute). Remember Shakti has a more meditative, fluid feel than the percussive work of the original group, but McLaughlin's subtle, hypnotic guitar work bridges Shakti's past and present. Remember Shakti's double-disc length gives the group ample time to explore the intricacies of compositions like "The Wish," "Chandrakauns," and the hour-plus "Mukti." An emotionally rich, musically accomplished album, Remember Shakti reunites a unique group of players.
Chick Corea and John McLaughlin share one of the great pedigrees in the music of the 20th century: they were both key sidemen on Miles Davis' seminal albums In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. They have played together since those heady days, as a duo or as sit-in guests. Five Peace Band was Corea's idea of putting together a dream band to play all kinds of jazz, and he approached McLaughlin. Corea chose the other members in saxophonist Kenny Garrett, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, and bassist Christian McBride.
The album was very well received, winning the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album!
Chick Corea and John McLaughlin share one of the great pedigrees in the music of the 20th century: they were both key sidemen on Miles Davis' seminal albums In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. They have played together since those heady days, as a duo or as sit-in guests. Five Peace Band was Corea's idea of putting together a dream band to play all kinds of jazz, and he approached McLaughlin. Corea chose the other members in saxophonist Kenny Garrett, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, and bassist Christian McBride…
“Playing and working with the same musicians in a band is a living process which unfolds as time goes by,” reflects guitarist, composer, and bandleader John McLaughlin when considering the release of his latest album, Black Light – the third studio album to feature his band, the 4th Dimension. Available via Abstract Logix on September 18, 2015, Black Light finds the relentlessly inquisitive, exploratory McLaughlin continuing to uncover new melodic and rhythmic pathways with the same fearless zeal that has made him one of modern music’s most admired and influential figures. And, in the 4th Dimension – drummer/vocalist Ranjit Barot, keyboardist/drummer Gary Husband, and bassist Étienne M’Bappé – McLaughlin has gathered a trio of fellow travelers with the collective discipline, technical ability, musicianship, and imagination to support, enhance, and enrich McLaughlin’s challengingly expansive new material and methods.