Results for "Shakti"

Shakti

Active since: 1974

Shakti was a renowned band in the world of fusion music, formed in the 1970s. It was a collaborative project featuring renowned musicians from different musical backgrounds, blending Indian classical music with elements of jazz and rock. The band was co-founded by Indian violin virtuoso L. Shankar, English guitarist John McLaughlin, and tabla maestro Zakir Hussain.

Shankar, a disciple of Indian sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, brought his expertise in Indian classical music to the group. John McLaughlin, known for his work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, contributed his jazz and rock guitar skills, while Zakir Hussain brought his mastery of the tabla, a traditional Indian percussion instrument.

Simon Lasky Group: About The Moment

by Geno Thackara
July 15, 2019

Which moment could this title be referring to? There's no shortage of beautifully striking ones scattered throughout the Simon Lasky Group's second outing: dynamic lifts and swells, chord changes that step through sophisticated sequences as smoothly as descending stairs, little heads or melody lines that pack a special hit because they're placed at just the right ...

Baiju Bhatt: Eastern Sonata

by Geno Thackara
April 11, 2019

Is there a term for the opposite of culture shock? Whatever it is, it's also the guiding theme behind Baiju Bhatt and his Red Sun ensemble. Their studio debut, Eastern Sonata, is a figurative travelogue from start to finish, but there's nothing jarring or shocking about it. A conventional Western lineup (piano, bass/drums, saxophone) is led ...

Ronan Skillen: Telepathic Euphoria

by Seton Hawkins
January 5, 2019

When one thinks of South African jazz, the didgeridoo and the tabla don't immediately jump to mind. Nevertheless, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and engineer Ronan Skillen has made them vital additions to a range of South African ensembles. While acclaimed for his work in the genre-smashing South African ensemble Babu, Skillen has engaged in ...

Sarathy Korwar & The UPAJ Collective: My East Is Your West

by Chris May
October 25, 2018

Indo-jazz fusion has distinguished ancestry in Britain. The music took shape in the mid to late 1960s, when a string of extraordinary albums, each with one foot in Indian classical music and the other in post-bop jazz, were recorded by guitarist Amancio D'Silva and violinist John Mayer. Both featured empathetic jazz musicians (Joe Harriott, Don Rendell, ...

Funchal Jazz Festival 2018

by Ian Patterson
July 26, 2018

Funchal Jazz Festival 2018 Santa Catarina Park Madeira, Portugal July 12-14, 2018 A stunning tableau greets visitors to the Funchal Jazz Festival entering by the main gate, at the top of Santa Catarina Park. The first thing that catches the eye are the spectacular trees that define the park's boundaries. ...

Cross Purposes

by Geno Thackara
July 25, 2018

He hasn't had quite such a visible solo profile as some of his past and future King Crimson colleagues, but that probably suits David Cross just fine. He's used to not being a noticeably out-front presence (normal for a violinist in the rock world, after all), but his electrified playing still has no shortage of juice ...

John McLaughlin on the Mystery of Creativity, Inspiration, & Music

by Alan Bryson
February 21, 2018

Improvised music within a sophisticated framework is one if the primary hallmarks of jazz. World class improvisation requires split second reactions, mental agility, dexterity, and the emotive soul of an artist. As a testament to his age defying vitality, on January 29, 2018 at the age of 76, John McLaughlin won a Grammy® Award for the ...

Leni Stern: Finally The Fame Has Come

by Jim Worsley
February 9, 2018

Leni Stern has long been a triumphant voice of inspiration. The truth and steadfast beauty of her lyrics and music has touched many hearts around the world. Recognition is a slippery slope, especially when one is not seeking or prioritizing it. Stern has stayed true to her roots and focused her impressive compositions, vocals, ...

Mark Egan & Arjun Bruggeman: Dreaming Spirits

by Kris Perdew
October 27, 2017

Dreaming Spirits serves not only as an album title, but also the name of a world/ambient jazz trio formed by renowned bassist Mark Egan, tabla player and percussionist Arjun Bruggeman, and special guest Shane Theriot, who is best known these days as lead guitarist/musical director of the Hall and Oates and Live From Daryl's House bands. ...