I saw Mclaughlin perform with Shakti in Kolkata in January of this year. Even at age 80, his stamina, speed, precision and depth were simply incredible. He sat cross-legged onstage for the two full hours of the show.
I am absolutely stopped in my tracks. This intimate look into my favorite musicians working out their early incarnation together is beyond precious. I saw Remember Shakti maybe it was 20 years ago, for about three months afterward I was in a nearly speechless daze. Now still the memory of that evening, and those weeks after gives me shivers. 💜💗🙏🏽🪷☮️
I have nothing but love and admiration for John Ji. I owe my guitaristic life to him. Am especially stoked of having him met at numerous occasions. As we speak I am awaiting delivery of my Shakti Guitar made by Stevens Guitar in Munich.
Oh my god!!!! This is absolute gold. Why haven’t I seen this documentary before? What an insight to each of the musicians and especially John McLaughlin himself of course and his rise to fame. I loved it! I especially liked how whole pieces were used as music samples, not just fragments of music as is in the case of most music docos. Thank you thank you thank you!🙏👏👍🇦🇺❤️🕺🌏
Raised by jazz musicians and my mother a krshna devotee and I as well, I absolutely love JM and all the other people in this video made my hair stand straight up for once in a long time,felt Siva Shakti visiting me touching my heart and crown chakra.thanks for this gift
Although John McLaughlin has contributed in many ways to music, for me his greatest contribution and true calling - musically and culturally - was and is, in uniting north and south Indian musicians within the different incarnations of SHAKTI. John always favored music over fame .... So my heartfelt gratitude for posting this video. Namasté.
Very interesting comment. I think shakti is a pinnacle of human achievement with their music. For john to initially conceive the idea for the guitar with the sympathetic strings, scalloped finger board and very light strings to facilitate the music that he heard was truly inspired. Then to bring it all together, as you rightly point out, sets them apart for me as it was a completely new concept in music. So many aspects of the concept were executed perfectly.
Nel 1977 oltre Bologna, Roma e altre città, Shakti si materializzarono al Teatro Verga di SIracusa (un grande cine-teatro in Ortigia, oggi perfettamente ristrutturato ma chiuso al pubblico per gli insondabili misteri della politica siracusana). Anni indimenticabili, Siracusa era è rimane il sud del sud, la provincia più a sud della Sicilia, in quel Cine-Teatro tra il 1975 e il 1978 passarono la PFM, Il Banco, Le Orme, Loy & Altomare, Francesco De Gregori e altri che non ricordo. Il ricordo del concerto di John McLauglin & Shakti è vivo ancora oggi come fosse accaduto ieri e sono trascorsi solamente quarantasei anni.
@@ornleifs And I just saw the 50th anniversary show in Kolkata in January. Excellent show, better than ever and I've been a fan since day one. Right now they're touring Europe
I saw John in his many variations a bunch of times in the 70’s, Mahavishnu, Shakti, the Trio, etc. in Philly, across the bridge from where I lived in Jersey. I had just gotten into John in ‘73 with the first Mahavishnu Orchestra and went to see them but, instead, was blown away by the second Orchestra. So many wonderful memories but, you lucky person, somehow I missed this. What a beautiful concert. Thanks for putting this on UA-cam or I would have totally missed it. The drum solo and the piece after it gave me such joy and took me way back. I was 50 years younger, as were they. I could see the Trio from my first row seat. I just found the McLaughlin, Mahadevan, Hussain c.d. from2019 and will order it in a minute. I’ve gotten away recently from my prog jazz love and more into my prog rock, but I’m going to be breaking out John and all my old favorites again (along with Yes and Floyd)!
What an amazing group of musicians. They acoustically shocked the world in the mid 1970's. What was even more amazing is the love that had towards one another considering the geopolitics of what India had just come out of. Here is a British man sitting down with Indian musicians and there are no boundaries.
Amazing We get to discover This! 😊 I watched this ensemble performing in Milwaukee, Wi in mid 70s. The violinist, L. Shankars rosen smoked up into a single spotlight overhead during his solo! Never forgotten. 🙏🏼🪘 🕊️
L Shankar was a smokin' violinist! I can just imagine seeing a cloud of resin fumes from him playing so fast. I heard Frank Zappa's Hot Rats in the early 80s on a trip. I thought the acid was putting extra notes in the guitar solo, but no, it was Shankar playing superfast amongst Zappa's guitar!
Such an awesome video. These people are so spiritual - something which is missing in our current days. So spiritual, they communicate as one over this special wavelength of music. This is such a rare diamond. Thank you for putting this all together.
Amazing never seen the whole programme all the way through before. This is such an inportant part my musical history and in many ways my favourite group of all time. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Many thanks, I had to google different historical doco's about the band, then joined and edit them together for the full story. Shakti was very influential in my guitar and sitar playing.
John McLaughlin was pursuing a spiritual paradigm, both musically and intellectually, if one can ever be said to be intellectually spiritual, unfettered by religious dogmatism
I am always amazed by the guy playing the clay water pot. The rhythms that he creates!! How many Indian guys over the centuries developed the technique for playing such a simple every-day object!! Please fill me in about the differences between Northern and Southern Indian music!!
I'm not a musicologist or music historian, so I can't fill you in on the differences between North and South Indian music. However, knowing something about history tells me the North Hindustani system was influenced by centuries of Islamic, Moghul and Sufi integration, while the South Carnatic system was not. There are some almost identical ragas in both systems under different names, but the instruments of South and North are traditionally different. Many people recognize Shakti's influence in uniting both styles of classical Indian music.
I found two old VHS quality docos on UA-cam, then edited them together with a bit of audio restoration, to create this version. Let me know if you find any better sources for part A (subs) or B (no subs).
This was a golden time. McLaughlin et al brought rich and complex music into the popular realm and people loved it. The music companies soon destroyed it with ever increasing "shredding" as the next big thing. They never understood the musicality, only in search of the next "big profitable thing". Pity... If you want a clear understanding of this commercialization, then listen to anything in the top 50 odd now. It is the same 4 chord progression, the same modality, the same vocal gymnastics, overlayed with fantastic effects and sound production. It's so boring! when i point this out by playing along with a few hit tracks on the piano, and hum a vocal line, friends are flabbergasted. Computer music selected by algorithms on the basis of the previous hit toon. That's how it works and we should not be surprised as that's how social media works. Its a business making profit. This is not to denigrate the artists out there maybe doing something new, but they will not get a deal, nor will they be promoted by the algorithms of the big streaming services. Computers will never be able to find the next new talent. They can only be programmed to respond to what is selling now. I was lucky to live through the revolution in music that was the late 60s, 70s and even the 80s. (hairstyles excepted) I fear that there is an entire generation that has not heard anything new in their entire lives and are addicted to the infinite micro variations of a single song style and chord progression and modality. I'm not kidding. If you have any musical skills then check this out on your instrument of choice. In the end it is about money, profit and corporate greed, and that should not surprise anyone. The best thing is that when i play some tracks to my younger friends they often go "wow, that's so cool" When i tell them its twice their age they go "no way..." We have to get beyond corporate control of what we hear. There are so many great musos ready to expand our minds and give us the greatest pleasure. Music!
Yes, that's right, slide is an alternative method for playing microtones, and is used by Indian musicians who use the crystal-guitar-vina, and the fretless sarod using the fingernail. The technique of bending notes the Indian way, compared to Blues and Country slide, has a very different feel though. Listen to Shivam Rath on crystal slide and Ali Akbar Khan on sarod for that traditional Indian slide sound on UA-cam.
@@soolaba I am surprised that you don't mention Debashish Bhattacharya or V. M. Bhatt as examples of Indian slide players. They are both so well known that I've had the pleasure of seeing them in Liverpool. I had never heard of Shivam Rath until now, so thanks for the tip off, I'll check him out. I'm also surprised that you don't mention that it's possible to play microtones on any guitar by bending notes, a scalloped fingerboard is not required. P.S. Thanks for this vid, I saw the version of Shakti with Hariprasad but the L Shankar lineup is the only "real" Shakti for me ............................
@@PIPEHEAD I mentioned a local Australian slide player, young Shivam, as he tours here. Yes, I play both electric guitar and sitar, so I know very well strings bend! Still an avid fan of both Hendrix and Ravi Shankar (who watched each other perform at Monterey Pop). And totally agree - there is no Shakti without L. Shankar!
There are/were few that equal John's level of virtuosity, and according to many other there are no "better" guitar player to those few virtuoso.Taylor might be a "better" singer than them ...which still is a rather silly comparison.
In 1977 shakti was my first concert
SHAKTI FOREVER!
Incredible union of two masters...
I saw Mclaughlin perform with Shakti in Kolkata in January of this year. Even at age 80, his stamina, speed, precision and depth were simply incredible. He sat cross-legged onstage for the two full hours of the show.
This documentary and its music is worthy of its weight in gold 💛
I am absolutely stopped in my tracks. This intimate look into my favorite musicians working out their early incarnation together is beyond precious. I saw Remember Shakti maybe it was 20 years ago, for about three months afterward I was in a nearly speechless daze. Now still the memory of that evening, and those weeks after gives me shivers. 💜💗🙏🏽🪷☮️
Yes, I meditated to Shakti as a teenager, and then saw his fusion trio when I was 30. Such amazing music and musicians!
I have nothing but love and admiration for John Ji. I owe my guitaristic life to him. Am especially stoked of having him met at numerous occasions. As we speak I am awaiting delivery of my Shakti Guitar made by Stevens Guitar in Munich.
Awesome! I don't have a Shakti guitar in my collection, but I do have a standard sitar for wild bends!
Oh my god!!!! This is absolute gold. Why haven’t I seen this documentary before? What an insight to each of the musicians and especially John McLaughlin himself of course and his rise to fame. I loved it! I especially liked how whole pieces were used as music samples, not just fragments of music as is in the case of most music docos. Thank you thank you thank you!🙏👏👍🇦🇺❤️🕺🌏
A beautiful and historic piece of recording and filming so full of such positive energy
The conductor of cosmic emotions. Far out, man.
The narrator is Melvin Bragg I'm sure! BBC Omnibus used to air programmes like this years ago; what a great upload, thanks
Thank you for the info - I found two docos and edited them together to showcase the whole story!
Raised by jazz musicians and my mother a krshna devotee and I as well, I absolutely love JM and all the other people in this video made my hair stand straight up for once in a long time,felt Siva Shakti visiting me touching my heart and crown chakra.thanks for this gift
A rare hour and 20 minutes footage about the formation of Shakti - with John Mclaughlin in 1977.
Although John McLaughlin has contributed in many ways to music, for me his greatest contribution and true calling - musically and culturally - was and is, in uniting north and south Indian musicians within the different incarnations of SHAKTI.
John always favored music over fame ....
So my heartfelt gratitude for posting this video.
Namasté.
That's an incredible sentiment
Very interesting comment. I think shakti is a pinnacle of human achievement with their music. For john to initially conceive the idea for the guitar with the sympathetic strings, scalloped finger board and very light strings to facilitate the music that he heard was truly inspired. Then to bring it all together, as you rightly point out, sets them apart for me as it was a completely new concept in music. So many aspects of the concept were executed perfectly.
Beautiful solo version of In a Silent Way around 13 minutes in.
Nel 1977 oltre Bologna, Roma e altre città, Shakti si materializzarono al Teatro Verga di SIracusa (un grande cine-teatro in Ortigia, oggi perfettamente ristrutturato ma chiuso al pubblico per gli insondabili misteri della politica siracusana).
Anni indimenticabili, Siracusa era è rimane il sud del sud, la provincia più a sud della Sicilia, in quel Cine-Teatro tra il 1975 e il 1978 passarono la PFM, Il Banco, Le Orme, Loy & Altomare, Francesco De Gregori e altri che non ricordo.
Il ricordo del concerto di John McLauglin & Shakti è vivo ancora oggi come fosse accaduto ieri e sono trascorsi solamente quarantasei anni.
Loved to see this - Shakti was such a Fantastic group.
Still touring.
@@slimturnpike Yes Zakir and John started again as Remember Shakti in 2001.
@@ornleifs And I just saw the 50th anniversary show in Kolkata in January. Excellent show, better than ever and I've been a fan since day one.
Right now they're touring Europe
Thanks so much, I was so changed by their music in the 70's. I am finally going to see them 50 years later here in Austin, TX next month
I saw John in his many variations a bunch of times in the 70’s, Mahavishnu, Shakti, the Trio, etc. in Philly, across the bridge from where I lived in Jersey. I had just gotten into John in ‘73 with the first Mahavishnu Orchestra and went to see them but, instead, was blown away by the second Orchestra. So many wonderful memories but, you lucky person, somehow I missed this. What a beautiful concert. Thanks for putting this on UA-cam or I would have totally missed it. The drum solo and the piece after it gave me such joy and took me way back. I was 50 years younger, as were they. I could see the Trio from my first row seat. I just found the McLaughlin, Mahadevan, Hussain c.d. from2019 and will order it in a minute. I’ve gotten away recently from my prog jazz love and more into my prog rock, but I’m going to be breaking out John and all my old favorites again (along with Yes and Floyd)!
What an amazing group of musicians. They acoustically shocked the world in the mid 1970's. What was even more amazing is the love that had towards one another considering the geopolitics of what India had just come out of. Here is a British man sitting down with Indian musicians and there are no boundaries.
Amazing We get to discover This! 😊 I watched this ensemble performing in Milwaukee, Wi in mid 70s. The violinist, L. Shankars rosen smoked up into a single spotlight overhead during his solo! Never forgotten. 🙏🏼🪘 🕊️
L Shankar was a smokin' violinist! I can just imagine seeing a cloud of resin fumes from him playing so fast. I heard Frank Zappa's Hot Rats in the early 80s on a trip. I thought the acid was putting extra notes in the guitar solo, but no, it was Shankar playing superfast amongst Zappa's guitar!
@@soolaba The violins on HR are Sugarcane Harris ( Willie/Gumbo ) and Jean-Luc Ponty ( Camel ) .
Such an awesome video. These people are so spiritual - something which is missing in our current days. So spiritual, they communicate as one over this special wavelength of music. This is such a rare diamond. Thank you for putting this all together.
Thank you for uploading this video :))
I saw Remember Shakti live at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland in 2000 and 2003. Incredible shows. Thank you for sharing this!
Thank you for posting this. The most interesting and inspirational thing I've ever seen on UA-cam 🙏❤️
Copacetic! Thanks for uploading this documentary. What a joy Shakti were, and continue to be. Peace.
Amazing never seen the whole programme all the way through before. This is such an inportant part my musical history and in many ways my favourite group of all time. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Many thanks, I had to google different historical doco's about the band, then joined and edit them together for the full story. Shakti was very influential in my guitar and sitar playing.
Wow! I love all of their albums, Shakti was incredible!!!!! Thanks for posting!
They still are incredible
John McLaughlin was pursuing a spiritual paradigm, both musically and intellectually, if one can ever be said to be intellectually spiritual, unfettered by religious dogmatism
There is great joy in this documentary...thanks for sharing it. Much appreciated
Wow, thanks for posting this. I never knew it existed. One of my favorite albums of all time was Natural Elements. This documentary is a gem.
Just Fantastic! Thanks 👌🌟❤️
Génial
thanks for sharing it
I am always amazed by the guy playing the clay water pot. The rhythms that he creates!! How many Indian guys over the centuries developed the technique for playing such a simple every-day object!! Please fill me in about the differences between Northern and Southern Indian music!!
I'm not a musicologist or music historian, so I can't fill you in on the differences between North and South Indian music. However, knowing something about history tells me the North Hindustani system was influenced by centuries of Islamic, Moghul and Sufi integration, while the South Carnatic system was not. There are some almost identical ragas in both systems under different names, but the instruments of South and North are traditionally different. Many people recognize Shakti's influence in uniting both styles of classical Indian music.
Thank you Soolaba!! I appreciate your input!!
Thank you so much for uploading. Cannot find this anywhere else. Does anyone know if there is a high quality version of this that exists??
I found two old VHS quality docos on UA-cam, then edited them together with a bit of audio restoration, to create this version. Let me know if you find any better sources for part A (subs) or B (no subs).
@soolaba Ahh, bless you. Cheers
I saw Shakti 2001 Blue Note NYC 2001
thanks for this😊😊😊❤❤❤
This was a golden time. McLaughlin et al brought rich and complex music into the popular realm and people loved it. The music companies soon destroyed it with ever increasing "shredding" as the next big thing. They never understood the musicality, only in search of the next "big profitable thing". Pity...
If you want a clear understanding of this commercialization, then listen to anything in the top 50 odd now. It is the same 4 chord progression, the same modality, the same vocal gymnastics, overlayed with fantastic effects and sound production. It's so boring! when i point this out by playing along with a few hit tracks on the piano, and hum a vocal line, friends are flabbergasted.
Computer music selected by algorithms on the basis of the previous hit toon. That's how it works and we should not be surprised as that's how social media works. Its a business making profit. This is not to denigrate the artists out there maybe doing something new, but they will not get a deal, nor will they be promoted by the algorithms of the big streaming services. Computers will never be able to find the next new talent. They can only be programmed to respond to what is selling now.
I was lucky to live through the revolution in music that was the late 60s, 70s and even the 80s. (hairstyles excepted)
I fear that there is an entire generation that has not heard anything new in their entire lives and are addicted to the infinite micro variations of a single song style and chord progression and modality. I'm not kidding. If you have any musical skills then check this out on your instrument of choice. In the end it is about money, profit and corporate greed, and that should not surprise anyone. The best thing is that when i play some tracks to my younger friends they often go "wow, that's so cool" When i tell them its twice their age they go "no way..."
We have to get beyond corporate control of what we hear. There are so many great musos ready to expand our minds and give us the greatest pleasure. Music!
Did John ever play Sitar?
❤👍👍
what a rare gem! can't find any mention of this documentary on the internet. Any idea of the source?
Yes, check my video description.
As much as I loved seeing and hearing this ensemble, I really wish McLaughlin had found a way to include Nasrat Fateh Ali Khan.
Cool idea .... I guess he Mustt Mistt the opportunity
I’d say that ‘Qawwalifies’ as hilarious. 44:22
Why isnt it possibe to play microtones when you can slide on a guitar?
Yes, that's right, slide is an alternative method for playing microtones, and is used by Indian musicians who use the crystal-guitar-vina, and the fretless sarod using the fingernail. The technique of bending notes the Indian way, compared to Blues and Country slide, has a very different feel though. Listen to Shivam Rath on crystal slide and Ali Akbar Khan on sarod for that traditional Indian slide sound on UA-cam.
@@soolaba I am surprised that you don't mention Debashish Bhattacharya or V. M. Bhatt as examples of Indian slide players. They are both so well known that I've had the pleasure of seeing them in Liverpool. I had never heard of Shivam Rath until now, so thanks for the tip off, I'll check him out. I'm also surprised that you don't mention that it's possible to play microtones on any guitar by bending notes, a scalloped fingerboard is not required. P.S. Thanks for this vid, I saw the version of Shakti with Hariprasad but the L Shankar lineup is the only "real" Shakti for me ............................
@@PIPEHEAD I mentioned a local Australian slide player, young Shivam, as he tours here. Yes, I play both electric guitar and sitar, so I know very well strings bend! Still an avid fan of both Hendrix and Ravi Shankar (who watched each other perform at Monterey Pop).
And totally agree - there is no Shakti without L. Shankar!
@@soolaba I actually saw R Shankar here in Birkenhead in the late 70s but I unfortunately never got to see JH !
My buddy said Taylor swift was a better guitar player than Mclaughlin.
There are/were few that equal John's level of virtuosity, and according to many other there are no "better" guitar player to those few virtuoso.Taylor might be a "better" singer than them ...which still is a rather silly comparison.
I'm that buddy
@@mattdelany6799
What a coincidence; Taylor Swift told me you were a troll!
@@YouzTube99 what is that
well-
Total BS music. Horrible. Gross.
And yet here you are