John McLaughlin and Shakti

John McLaughlin and Shakti group India 1974

[@nuegai4642]

The birth of the "world music" genre as we know it today as a product of the corporation. John McLaughlin the innovator; John McLaughlin the genius. The instrument he's playing alone is an innovation. Scalloped fret board and drone strings. McLaughlin's influence and legacy on the instrument and music in general is so deep that sometimes it's 2 or 3 layers disconnected from the modern cohort of musicians. Millions of guitarists are influenced by him and don't even know his name or that he exists. Truly one of a kind.

[@sudha4128]

What an amazing group, sheer genius coming together, fantastic concert. L.Shanker's violin solo was superb! Thanks for the upload. Shakti made history!

[@darkbluesoul]

Man the violin in here is so amazing, I have the album shakti with Zakir Hussein, McL and L Shankar. The whole album is amazing but that is some of my favorite violin playing. Indian scale really allows the fretless stringed instruments to shine IMO. Wow, this is why youtube is amazing.

[@streamtracker]

Saw them perform together when I was in High School in either '77 or '78. Thanks for bringing back this memory.

[@jackdolphy8965]

Ever many thank you for sharing these clips of time travel to Shakti live from their early years. As a kid I had and wore out the Lps. Never in a zillion years did I ever think 50 plus years later I would be seeing video footage of their actual live performances from those very days.

[@jackhammer111]

You develop virtuoso musical skills on an instrument and you learn to improvise. You get together with other virtuosos in a format like this and during the improvisation, the goal is to get "you" out of the way so that you're not playing the music, the music is playing you. You're just the vehicle through which the music passes. "you" are not in control. I've heard players like this hint at denial of personal credit for what they play deep in improvisation. All their practice and previous musical experiences are like acts of purification that allow them to get out of the way when the music comes. It's what makes me jealous because I know I'm never going to the Bliss they feel when they become merely the instrument. Antonio Salieri was jealous of Mozart in the way that I am jealous of McLaughlin and Billy Cobham and Sean Luc Ponty and Stanley Clarke and Chick Corea and more. I have seen and heard them go to that place I'll never go and damn does it ecstatic. I am Salieri!

[@umawwi]

i love these guys. as great as mclaughlin is, man, shankar's solos are just as outstanding. i wish there were more youtube clips that included shankar's solos the way that this one does!!

[@Clint313]

Thanks, I appreciate it. It sounds phenomenal. John McLaughlin is so versatile in his styles of playing. Excellent!

[@racketlauncher]

This is the real deal! Probably my favorite of Johnny Mac's material. Saw Shakti at the Bottom Line in NYC doing the Handful of Beauty album. "India" is an amazing tune, with a beautiful melody, and has one of the funkiest vibes, ever, during the Shankar solo! One could not help, but jump to up and down! Of course, John's playing goes to the next level, both here and on the record. The stuff is timeless...That's what you want, and could ever hope for!

[@rogeredtabbit]

Shakti Rocks! I once had the pleasure to meet Vikku Vinayakram ji, what great musicians and so down to earth. They are all excellent musicians and beautiful people.

[@mojopin11]

I have been lucky enough to see Remember Shakti once and Zakir 3 times. Thank You for posting this unreal moment! Please post more!!

[@ckaski]

Wow. I'll try not to let my bias show too much but . . . brilliant. The guitar also needs to get get some mention: 13 string (7 drones across the soundhole) custom Gibson J200 w/ rosewood back & sides, scalloped ebony fingerboard built by Abe Wechter who also built quite a few of John's later acoustics.

[@andyshuttleworth]

Thanks so much for posting this. Sheer genius.Blew me away then. Blows me away now.

[@picoattofemto]

This a truly a gem. Thanks for sharing. I only wish they made music videos back then. One of my favorite albums is "Natural Elements". I had to purchase 4 copies, because I wore them all out. 2 cassetes, 1 vinyl, and 1 CD...I haven't worn the last one out - yet.

[@brwnhornet59]

The scales that John is using are mostly pentatonic. The ragas are inferred with the glissando on the strings, via sliding and more importantly, bending. That is what the scalloped fret board lets him do with much more ease. Thus invoking the quarter tone and eighth tone variations. Also when the diminished scale is used it implies Harmonic minor. or variations of melodic minor, ascending. Very beautiful stuff. I have been listening to Shakti since the 70's. I still love it.

[@Zeonoid]

I love their albums from 76 and 79, this one is 76 Ithink... When I hear song called TwoSisters sometimes I cry.. No I`m serious... and Iplay in a punk band

[@joemarklin]

This is the single best piece of art I have ever experienced.

[@bdub3345]

THANK YOU SO MUCH Ive been waiting 9 years to see footage of this performance!!! Surely one of the great moments in musical history?

[@dustyflair]

i listened to this cd while on a boat cruzing a river while on acid...I saw the curve of the earth that evening in the sky as well as watched the water turned to liquid metal...It was one for the books!!!

[@slawoffice]

I saw this performed in Lancaster, Pa. in 1976, right after my return from India. I never grow tired of hearing it. I don't think their more recent work is as good.

[@AfroZen]

Ooooh yeah! Shankar is playing is heart out!

[@LodoGrdzak]

When Mclaughlin does this he's the best that ever did it.

[@bingefeller]

Wow this is incredible playing. I love the energy of these guys.

[@sudha4128]

The violinist is L.Shanker, the younger brother of L.Subramaniam, a great violinist, who made an album called 'Conversation" along with Stephane Grapelli, you must hear that album! The cut 'Conversation" is a perfect blend of East and West, just amazing!

[@ivonsmith3095]

Rare footage of one of the most brilliant and unique bands in history!!

[@OneBigRetard]

Keep listening. It will come. He leaves many ideas as soon as he finds them and leaves you to finish, or it revolves around. Trust me, more exposure and one day it will just click.

[@lytovcas]

Now that's an amazing video! Thank you for posting this one! Never seen a young J.M. Seen very many but not the old shakti! :)

[@KOALAsounds]

LOVE SHAKTI such a great band. I would like to see them one day in Belgium

[@dfougeres]

I am so glad that someone explored this fusion, a gift to the world and to history.

[@robertbulger3855]

Amazing…….. Indian music is inclusive , it embraces every aspect of the human condition

[@newsfella]

JM is a genius and this group slays.

[@MartinScoresEZ]

McLaughlin was just on fucking fire with Shakti. That first album will forever hold up. It's like they have telepathy!

[@fingling8]

That fiddle is sooo sublime...so very great.

[@MichaelGodinho]

This was the music I grew up with. True fusion.

[@SamPaiKenpo]

I saw them live in concert in Santa Monica many years ago. Shakti was incredible.

[@cartoontortoise]

Notice how the best parts are when McLaughlin plays fewer notes.

[@laphammer]

great video.. i have to say i enjoyed it, and the violin player gets so sick at teh end

[@MartinScoresEZ]

McLaughlin was just on fucking fire with Shakti. That first album will forever hold up.

[@irigormo]

Wow, I had no idea there was any footage of them. I've had their first CD for a long time and it has always seemed magical. But this is something else, a new dimension, thanks.

[@plezurhounds]

Beautiful. Thank you.

[@runnaway20]

I use to think Jimi Hendrix was the best guitar player of all time until I found John McLaughlin/Shakti and Al Di Meola/romantic warrior. Different in style, but what mastery.

[@vikrampinto]

i wish i was alive to witness firsthand the beautiful music of Shakti.

[@agitator1]

what a mad crazy performance !!! ZAkir hussain on tabla. L shankar on violin Vikku Vinaykram on ghatam

[@drummerman558]

wow, thats awesome. john mclaughlin is amazing.

[@monicafravashi1]

......e il geniale e giovanissimo L. Subramaniam col suo violino. Penso che il suo nome meriti di essere inserito nel titolo del video.....

[@chezruss]

the ultimate campfire music. back to roots acoustic.

[@sudha4128]

This is NOT Lotus Feet, because the latter is my all time favorite composition. I am afraid I dont know the name of this piece!

[@anantsundaram452]

I think this piece is called "India". From the album "Handful of Beauty".

[@janderson2000]

I don't think anybody's better than L. Shankar. He's unbelievably great...

[@minimalizam006]

omg, the violin solo part is divine!

[@SourabhGoho]

legends together...this is priceless vid. thnx regards sourabh

[@KysterDK]

Thanks for shareing! ;-) Just amazing!

[@smstudiob5]

I just reached the Nirvana with this piece

[@dethmetalderique]

wow... this is just utterly amazing. literally i'm speechless.

[@Maugister]

You are correct - by removing the wood, the friction between the string and the board becomes much smaller and helps naturally with bends, allowing them to become vastly "bigger" in a sense. You can hear this by listening to John's playing, most of the time he is totally going out with bends, easily bending the note over two/three whole notes up from the original point. But because there's more room to push the string, the correct intonation is indeed more difficult to achieve.

[@KikoPeres]

thanks for posting!!

[@luciad4e]

i love this song!

[@MsFrenchPetal]

saw these guys round that time. great memories

[@MechanicalCrowds]

Does anyone else think that the whole violin solo is just sick?

[@stringrip]

If anyone wants to hear 1977 concert of Shakti where they do an extended version of this song , go to JAZZ FUSION TV , (do google search on those words to find it , comes up 1 st result). Click onto AUDIO BOOTLES , lots of fusion concert recordings , and you can find 1977 San Diego concrt of Shakti. Good sound quality.

[@Kmartg]

mclaughlin is pretty good on this vid, and the tabla is killer, the whole band rocks!

[@Darota529]

John is my boy but Shankar's solo is so wild!

[@aeropilot4419]

Yes, 1975 or 1976 if I remember correctly. Never saw Shakti live tho have seen ZH and Shankar many time via Ravi Shankar's Music Circle.

[@Maugister]

His acoustic Shakti guitar definitely is scalloped, he has mentioned it himself many times. The idea was to mimic sitar and allow truly insane bends. This is the trademark sound of John on any Shakti recording, and is allowed by the custom made scalloped guitar he used.

[@Bonedalas]

It's specially made for Mac's needs with higher frets for "extended" bending and seven resonance strings similar to a sitar, built by Abe Wechter. Thanx, Sky40! One of my all-time favourite bands.

[@ilovecrty]

This is sooo amazing!!! I wish I could tell the person the same thing who told me bout it.......

[@uncasist]

Shankar had a way with the violin. I've heard few other violinists coax such mystery and ambiguity. What's he do now?

[@mardgi]

the song's called "India" from "A Handful of Beauty" album

[@stringrip]

Right , I saw you mention that on another clip. According to interview with Bogue it was worth 5000 $ , don't know if thats todays money. Eagle Vision are releasing Mahavishnu at Monteux soon on dvd , maybe they will release Shakti later ,so we can watch without camgirl ads.

[@marinman39]

@gtr1359 This is brilliant music, it doesn't get more interesting than this music. And we are on an internet site where (I just looked this up) a Lady Gaga video has 202 MILLION hits, and this one has 238 THOUSAND.I suppose eight folks who enjoy silly music accidentally listened to this, and perhaps they couldn't even hear it . Maybe the vibration went right past them. Be happy that you can hear it!

[@remokg]

These people are really gods..amazing..

[@higessk]

技術と情念が一体となった濃厚な音楽。

[@BacksidePL]

Studying composition and orchestration have nothing to do with understanding and feeling the music... goldenbollocks ---> in fact in can be boring for those who aren't keen on ethnical projects and Indias music. If you are, it's not hard to admire mystical spirit of this type of music and McLaughlin's genius :].

[@drummerman558]

such good music... wow...

[@insanatomystic]

hem türk olup yada türkiyeli olup hemde shakti yi seven az insana rastlıyorum...saygılar...

[@martinfilas]

excelente material

[@omly85]

fucking unreal!!!!...how many albums did these guys make? & what are they called??..its time i updated my collection of music to loose your wig too..thanks 4 posting!!

[@agitator1]

superb classic !!

[@pbanders]

I'm a long-time MO fan, loved JM's playing, but live, he was often out-of-control. Not so when he played in Shakti. I saw them twice live, and as this video shows, he was incredibly precise and absolutely on the beat. IMO, he was at his absolute best here, the two Wecter guitars he used were perfect for him.

[@riflepoet]

This is priceless

[@astronome1144]

beautiful music

[@carbonc6065]

Excellent!

[@coreyagraph]

fast and tricky! amazing musician

[@slawoffice]

I think it was at Franklin and Marshal College. Very intimate. I had just returned from 6 months in India.

[@stringrip]

Thsis not 1974 . He is playing Wechter cutaway guitar which he didn't get till 1977 . The song is "India' from the NATURAL ELEMENTS album.

[@yaelreidel]

hermoso!

[@llafutaal]

why John doesn´t use his second SHAKTI guitar (played on youtube´s video "when blue turns gold") now? it would be very nice to have that acoustic feeling.

[@douzilles]

@omly85 A Handful of Beauty is a very good album!

[@MrMuzikbuff]

@ericLross - This is called "Lotus Feet" - It refers to the Lotus feet of Lord Vishnu, the highest god in the Hindu Pantheon of gods, and one of the holy trinity.

[@DavidSewellGuitar]

this is music my friends!

[@coreyagraph]

there is a utube section which shows jm discussing his guitar......it does have the empty spaces you mention

[@doublearejazz]

beautiful music - great band - i saw them 1976 in zagreb/croatia :-) !!!! ..you wonna maybe see/hear how to improvise classical music in new aesthetic..? look for video : "bach sarabande jazz guitar" - maybe you ll like it.. :-) !

[@jaydude214]

I don't think all violin players and piano players play a lot of notes... but I do agree with you in that it's all about the balance of not a lot and then a lot of notes. With music I'd say the ultimate goal is to get a yin and yang effect in your playing. That's mine at least dynamic and speed wise

[@stringrip]

The guitar on "blue turns to gold" was built later.

[@avatarcollides2day]

yo im from trinidad and im a Hindu so i know about this guy and the shiv shakti dancers

[@kuiperobject]

Correct, except that Ravi Shankar is no relation of L. Shankar. As you mentioned, L. Shankar and L. Subramanium are indeed brothers, both of whom I have seen in concert. As you may know, the intial (in this case "L") functions as the surname in parts of south India. FYI "L" stands for "Laxminarayana", their father's given name.

[@stephenbost5892]

Great!

[@MrMuzikbuff]

@ericLross - I stand corrected. This starts off with traces of Lotus Feet, but then metamorphoses into other Shakti numbers.

[@AfroZen]

Good stuff.

[@deathwagon94]

dude, Malsmteen excels in his genre.

[@guitarguy1381]

You don't necessarily need scalloped or modified fretboards to play indian classical on a guitar. The bends can be replicated by different sliding methods, but it is true that the closest to vocal form is still a bend.