Shakti

Shakti was a fusion band founded by English guitarist John McLaughlin and Indian violinist L. Shankar with percussionists Zakir Hussain (on tabla) and Vikku Vinayakram (on ghaṭam). 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”), with a lineup consisting of McLaughlin, L. Shankar, Ramnad V. Raghavan (on mridangam) and Mahālakṣmī Eve McLaughlin on Tanpura & Shruti box. Eve McLaughlin left the project, Zakir Hussain was added on tabla, and the group name changed to “Shakti” (meaning "creative intelligence, beauty, and power.") as the band wanted a name that “listeners in the West could relate to”. 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. 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 Shankar and Vikku are from the South...

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