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Shakti: This Moment
By Track review of "Mohanam"After a period of mourning, however, McLaughlin, Hussain and long-time members vocalist Shankar Mahadevan (vocals) and Selvaganesh Vinayakram (mridangam) recruited violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan for a one-off Remember Shakti gig in India, in early 2019. The pandemic put the kibosh on more extensive touring, but the remotely recorded Is That So? (Abstract Logix, 2020)a McLaughlin-Hussain-Mahadevan collaborationheld the promise of another go round.
And so it is, that Shaktihaving reverted to its original monikerreturns with its first studio outing since Natural Elements (CBS, 1977).
The single, "Mohanam," is an elegant, vibrant calling card from This Moment (Abstract Logix), due for a summer 2023 release. Lively percussion, catchy motifs and two, three or four-part konokol lines form the canvas over which Shankar Mahadevan's voice soars majestically. McLaughlin and Rajagopalan nip in and out with darting melodic runs, sounding as one, then taking turns to revel. Players dance in and out, creating an ever-fluid mosaic where melodious unison, playful call-and-response and flashes of darting improvisation are the primary elements. Six minutes of joy.
Track Listing
Shrini’s Dream; Bending the Rules; Karuna; Mohanam; Giriraj Sudha; Palmas; Changay Naino; Sono Mama.
Personnel
Shakti
band / ensemble / orchestraJohn McLaughlin
guitarZakir Hussain
tablasShankar Mahadevan
vocalsGanesh Rajagopalan
violinAdditional Instrumentation
Selvaganesh Vinayakram: kanjira, mridangam, ghatam, konokol; John McLaughlin: guitar synthesizer; Zakir Hussain: konokol, chanda, madal; Shankar Mahadevan: konokol; Ganesh Rajagopalan: konokol.
Album information
Title: This Moment | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Abstract Logix
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About Shakti
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
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