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Posts: 15334
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Shakti 50th Anniversary Album an... (in reply to Estevan)
One of the best concerts I have ever seen. Here in DC in 2004, I had a great seat next to the sound engineer, packed with like 95% Indian people. Women were all dressed up gorgeous like it was a Royal event. The rhythm boss was selva with his lizard tambourine that sounded like Panteras double kick drums. Got to meet John and shake his hand after the show. Definitely going to see this one!!!
RE: Shakti 50th Anniversary Album an... (in reply to Estevan)
They'coming to Montreux. John comes every year I think, even when he doesn't play. He's a very accessible and nice guy. I talked with him a few years ago when I met him by the lake. I'll probably go, but I choosed to se Plant and Krauss, and Nick cave. And now I'm broke :(
Posts: 15334
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Shakti 50th Anniversary Album an... (in reply to Estevan)
Tour dates just came out. August 23 Wolftrap around these parts.
Nice to hear violin in the mix again. Mclaughlin shredding as fast as ever on the first tune in 11, with a much edgier tone than years ago when he revived the group with a jazz guitar. It will be even better than 50 years of metal with Priest I just saw this year.
Posts: 15334
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Shakti 50th Anniversary Album an... (in reply to Estevan)
I purchased the new Shakti Record on vinyl and was going to give a review weeks ago, but I realize the new tracks they sent me for download were also not yet available on typical streaming formats yet. In any case it is a really nice package with some new music and some old throwbacks. For example “Bending the Rules” has new themes composed by singer, but Mclaughlin sneaks in some Florianopolis licks and the drums do the vocal intro for Danse de Bonhure. The violin has a great solo here similar in style to the original shakti member L. Shankar. The best piece for me was Koruna by Mclaughlin in 7. Beautiful melody. Mclaughlin also has composed a piece in 3 with flamenco style palmas that sounds similar to Buleria de Cadiz or something….but honestly it is one of the weaker tunes. I followed an extensive interview where they were asked directly about the old violinist L Shankar who had dropped out of circulation when Remember Shakti formed in the early 2000, and later wanted back into the group but they had to tell him no, since they had replaced him with Srinivas (mandolin). So the question was after he passed away, why did they not bring L. Shankar back in….and worse, why do they now have a violinist? I am still confused about this, however, I looked up L. Shankar and he seems very eccentric or perhaps he is transitioning genders??? He wears these ridiculous wigs on stage….but still seems quite active playing with Vikku in his own group projects, and could totally function in this Shakti tour. But perhaps they simply don’t want to deal with the wig???
Posts: 1956
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco
RE: Shakti 50th Anniversary Album an... (in reply to Ricardo)
I saw them at the Great American Music Hall in SF. Pretty sure it was in 1976. It's a pretty small club. It was an amazing concert.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
One of the best concerts I have ever seen. Here in DC in 2004, I had a great seat next to the sound engineer, packed with like 95% Indian people. Women were all dressed up gorgeous like it was a Royal event. The rhythm boss was selva with his lizard tambourine that sounded like Panteras double kick drums. Got to meet John and shake his hand after the show. Definitely going to see this one!!!
Posts: 15334
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Shakti 50th Anniversary Album an... (in reply to Ricardo)
Amazing show last night! The main difference from the other shakti shows was much shorter arrangements and improvisations (so they could do more songs, including 3 from the new album), and the new PRS Mclaughlin had some rippin distortion the whole night…more like mahavishnu Orchestra meets tabla, etc. Even my wife loved the show, and I am usually accused of torturing her ears with stuff. The singer had a lot of duende too. Zakir pronounced John’s last name “Mack Lock-lynn”, as many do, different than John himself LOL.
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RE: Shakti 50th Anniversary Album an... (in reply to Ricardo)
Nice photos - thanks Ricardo, I'd been looking forward to your comments about the show.
Unfortunately the organizers of Shakti's tour on this side of the world overlooked the fact that there is more than one country in "North America", so we won't be seeing them up here.
However... as a consolation that may be of interest to other dwellers in remote unknown areas of inaccessible darkness, there will be a livestream of the upcoming Nashville gig (with guest John Scofield) this Thursday August 31st. at 7:30pm Central time.
You need to sign up and give them some money (U$20). [Edit: plus "Administration fee" $5]
Posts: 15334
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Shakti 50th Anniversary Album an... (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
I looked up L. Shankar and he seems very eccentric
So just to update this comment regarding the issue of Shakti and the original violinist, I could tell something strange was going on, and the interview last week addressed all of this problems. Unfortunately it starts off with a lot of accusation and what we would call “talking smack” about the old days, airing out dirty laundry. (Starting about 58:30). But by the time I got toward the end of the interview I realized too many contradictions in his complaints, and realize that Zakir and John were better off without him. I have dropped several comments in the video if anyone cares for the time stamps and such, but long story short, Shankar claims to demand strict rehearsals etc., and also feels the project was 90% all his ideas and music, and goes as far to say non-south Indian people won’t get it and so he dumbs down the music for everybody, even disallowing certain artists to stand on stage with him if they avoided proper rehearsal, etc. He contradicts this with claims John refused to jump on stage with Zappa with no rehearsal, or that John and Zakir look down on Rock musicians, poo pooing Hendrix, or his own working with Zappa etc. Then he name drops all these famous pop guys that he is friends with (i play with Michael Jackson, George Harrison’s lawyer is my lawyer, etc.), making him look more opportunistic than “humble” etc. After calling Zakir and John liars, that he was always available and easy to find, around 1:48:40 he admits he was off grid in Africa (exactly what he claimed they lied about), and that they should have contacted Peter Gabriel….WTF? I think he likely has some mental issues, and probably (since he talks about drugs several times) had drug issues too, or maybe they caused the mental issues. He claims no royalties come in but the record jacket I have makes it clear he always had his own publishing, and that is hugely misleading….his issue was more likely about John being the Producer. Obviously to put ones name on a record “Shakti with John McLaughlin” was a marketing decision since this project was a huge gamble after Mahavishnu playing arenas with gold records, and more likely the CBS records pushed that in hopes it would sell (which it never did and john lost money as producer of those projects). 90% Shankar’s creation, but since the 2000’s Shakti has all new music which is just as good if not better than the old stuff, including the new album that took the Grammy. So a lot of this dirty laundry is very disappointing to me, even if some has truth behind it.
Posts: 15334
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Shakti 50th Anniversary Album an... (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
I think he likely has some mental issues, and probably (since he talks about drugs several times) had drug issues too, or maybe they caused the mental issues.
On his social media L. Shankar posted an article interview where he seems to think it is cute to describe his invention of the Double violin "LSD". meaning: L=L S=Shankar D=double violin
I guess that would explain a lot of the weirdness going on.
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