ZAKIR HUSSAIN — Making Music (1986) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Making Music The tradition of Indian percussion has been revolutionalized by tabla player Zakir Hussain. The son of Ustad Allah Rakha, the long time collaborator of Ravi Shankar, Hussain has inherited his father's quest for bringing the music of India to the international stage. His recording credits include albums with George Harrison, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Jack Bruce, Tito Puente, Pharoah Saunders, Billy Cobham, the Hong Kong Symphony and the New Orleans Symphony. His work with Mickey Hart of The Grateful Dead have included performances and albums with the Diga Rhythm Band and Planet Drum. Hussain joined with British guitarist John McLaughlin and Indian violinist L. Shankar to form the east-meets-west supergroup, Shakti, in 1975. Although the group disbanded in 1978, they reunited to tour as Remember Shakti in 1998. Hussain has been equally successful as a bandleader. During the 1980s, he toured with Zakir Hussain's Rhythm Experience. His debut solo album, Making Music, released in 1987, was called "one of the most inspired East-West fusion albums ever recorded". In 1992, Hussain launched a record label, Monument Records, that focused on Indian music. A lengthy list of awards have been bestowed upon Hussain throughout his career. In 1988, he became the youngest percussionist to be awarded the title "Padma Shri" by the Indian government. Two years later, he recieved the Indo-Ameican award in tribute to his contributions to furthering relations between the United States and India. Planet Drum, an album co-produced with Hart in 1992, received a Grammy for "best world music album", a NARM Indie Best Seller award and won the Downbeat Critics Poll for "Best world music album". Still a youngster when he began to attract attention with his virtuosic playing, Hussain began his musical career at the age of seven and was touring by the age of twelve. In 1970, he made his American debut as accompanist for Ravi Shankar. Three years later, he became the leader of the Tal Vadya Rhythm Band. The group subsequently evolved into the Diga Rhythm Band. In 1976, the band collaborated on a self-titled album with Mickey Hart. Hussain has performed on the soundtracks of numerous films including Apocalypse Now!, In Custody and Little Buddha. At the 1983 Cannes Film Festival, he was nominated for an award as composer and music director of the film, Heat And Dust. Craig Harris
Tracklist 
1 Making Music 12:30
Written-By – Hussain
2 Zakir 6:24
Written-By – McLaughlin
3 Water Girl 3:52
Written-By – Hussain
4 Toni 3:51
Written-By – Hussain
5 Anisa 9:15
Written-By – Hussain
6 Sunjog 7:36
Written-By – Hussain
7 You And Me 2:13
Written-By – McLaughlin, Hussain
8 Sabah 3:35
Written-By – Hussain
Credits
Acoustic Guitar – John McLaughlin
Flute [Flutes] – Hariprasad Chaurasia
Tabla, Percussion, Voice – Zakir Hussain
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Jan Garbarek

PHAROAH SANDERS - Save Our Children (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Back with Bill Laswell after their ecstatically successful pan-African collaboration Message From Home, Sanders tries to capture that lightning again but this time, the ambience is mellower, the spirituality less fierce. Though the African percussive element is still present, it now takes a back seat to subtle layered electronics and influences from India and the Middle East, and the huge, passionate Pharoah sound of old is mostly toned-down and recessed, sometimes squeezed into a double-reeded instrument. The 14-minute "My Jewels of Love" captures the ethereal Sanders particularly well, his cool soprano rising over tablas, harmonium and electric piano as Laswell's production imperceptibly changes the scenery over time. On "The Ancient Song," there are some ghostly fascimiles of the exciting Pharoah of not very long ago, and Sanders attains some gentle spiritual fervor over the subtly layered electronics of "Kazuko." Then there is the anomaly of "Midnight In Berkeley Square," which is "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square" done pretty straight, with Pharoah playing sweet and almost sentimental tenor, until the dream world of pop standards slowly dissolves at the close. This record has a sleek, absorbing sound of its own, but that's mostly Laswell's triumph. Richard S. Ginell  
Tracklist :
1    Save Our Children 7:51
Voice – Abiodun Oyewole, Asante
Voice, Talking Drum – Abdou Mboup
2    Midnight In Berkeley Square    9:17
3    Jewels Of Love    14:00
4    Kazuko    10:15
5    The Ancient Sounds    10:51
6    Far-Off Sand    9:09
Credits :
Bass [Acoustic] – Alex Blake
Drums, Tabla, Percussion – Trilok Gurtu
Harmonium – Tony Cedras
Organ, Piano [Electric], Synthesizer – Bernie Worrell
Piano, Harmonium – William Henderson
Producer – Bill Laswell
Saxophone [Tenor, Soprano], Reeds [Double], Percussion, Voice – Pharoah Sanders
Synthesizer, Programmed By – Jeff Bova
Tabla, Voice – Zakir Hussain

CHARLES LLOYD - Sangam (2006) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Sangam is Charles Lloyd's 11th recording for ECM. All of these albums have been compelling in their way. They have stretched both artist and audience to varying degrees. This set, recorded live in 2004 at a theater in Santa Barbara during homage for the late Billy Higgins, was Lloyd's debut performance with Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain (Shakti), and drummer/percussionist Eric Harland (Lloyd's quartet drummer). What started as a one-off by three players brought together for one purpose has become Sangam, a going concern. This music, while rooted in the rhythms of the world, is jazz without a doubt. Lloyd plays everything from tenor and soprano to flutes, taragato, piano, and some percussion. While Lloyd is the centerpiece and is the melodic and harmonic bridge, what's on offer here is something truly unexpected, something wildly original and essential to jazz-improvisatory communication: the interplay between Harlan's trap drums and Hussain's tablas is utterly astonishing. The rhythm section sings, squawks, whispers, and cries, and Lloyd, in his grace, plays his ass off while making plenty of room for this rather miraculous interaction. There is complete freedom here between percussive voices. Lloyd's allowance for, and encouragement of that space is remarkable for any leader, but his willingness to let the music unfold and happen is compelling, magical, and gives true definition to the term "Sangam," a defintion, according to the liner notes, of "confluence and coming together." The entire soloist rhythm section idea has been tossed. It means less than nothing here, and probably didn't occur to any of the players once the music began happening. The jam opens with Lloyd on taragato for "Dancing on One Foot," digging deep in acknowledging upfront the ensemble's debt to Eastern origins. But it goes so much further. "Tales of Rumi" is pure flow. Lloyd's tenor playing through modes and tonalities from the blues to Sufi music, with Hussain setting a pulse that Harland underscores, improvises upon, and then creates another pulse where Hussain takes off and creates yet another rhythm and its mirror image, as Lloyd listens deeply and sings the song. "Sangam" is introduced by a dialogue between Harland and Hussain, setting some otherworldly space for Lloyd to enter. He falls into their folded dimensionality and begins from the heart of their dialogue on his tenor. One can hear the Coltrane of "Africa" here, as well as Eric Dolphy's bop-stretched harmonics. But most importantly, one can hear Lloyd, his voice so sure-footed, his ear so finely tuned to what is happening around him that he allows himself to be carried by that stream of percussive ideas and accents as he hears them, and speaks something deep, definite, and open in order to prod the pair on. It goes like this for the entire 65 minutes. From one place lyric and melodious that breaks through to another song form as yet unheard in this piece by anyone playing it ("Hymn to the Mother") to another full of ritual space and Indian classicism -- Hussain's "Guman," that pays homage to the discipline of his father -- the effect is the same: its mystery is revealed as it happens, and creates as many questions as it answers. There is a jazzman's sense of adventure in all of this, however, and Lloyd, Hussain, and Harland honor that spirit and, as always, knowing the music's great generosity of spirit, brings in everything that feels right while freely giving props -- sonically -- to the territories it derives that inspiration and generosity from.
|> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <|
Tracklist :
1    Dancing On One Foot    9:04
Charles Lloyd
2    Tales Of Rumi    11:58
Charles Lloyd
3    Sangam    9:20
Charles Lloyd
4    Nataraj    2:47
Charles Lloyd
5    Guman    11:40
Zakir Hussain
6    Tender Warriors    8:56
Charles Lloyd
7    Hymn To The Mother    11:49
Charles Lloyd
8    Lady In The Harbor    3:27
Charles Lloyd
9    Little Peace    5:53
Charles Lloyd
Credits :
Drums, Percussion, Piano – Eric Harland
Executive-Producer – Manfred Eicher
Photography By – Dorothy Darr
Producer – Charles Lloyd, Dorothy Darr
Tabla, Voice, Percussion – Zakir Hussain
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tárogató [Tarogato], Bass Flute, Alto Flute, Piano, Percussion – Charles Lloyd

SHANKAR - Who's to Know (1981) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Having already established himself as member of John Mclaughlin's jazz and Indian music ensemble Shakti, violinist L. Shankar set himself up as a virtuoso leader in contexts ranging from Indian classical music to modern hybrids featuring synthesizers and drum machines. Through it all, he brought the unique sound of his ten-string double violin (from an original design) to dates featuring the likes of Zakir Hussain, Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel, and Steve Vai. For this 1980 session, the violinist focuses on the traditional ragas of his native India, with two extended pieces. Joined by Hussain on tabla, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman on mridangam, and conductor V. Lakshminarayana, Shankar produces a wealth of solo climaxes while weaving myriad thematic improvisations. On the first raga (both pieces here are reconfigurations of traditional ragas), he moves from a meditative solo stretch to some frenetic interplay with Hussein, eventually ending the piece with an incredible, lightening-fast display of technique. The group opt for a more even-keeled pace on the second raga. Shankar is impressive again, while Hussein makes the best of some lengthy solo spots. An essential disc for L. Shankar fans. by Stephen Cook  
Tracklist :
1    Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi: Raga-Hemavathi 22'14
Lakshminarayana Shankar
2     Ananda Nadamadum Tillai Sankara: Ragam-Savithri/Tala-Adi 23'53
Lakshminarayana Shankar
Credits :
Conductor [Tala Keeping] – V. Lakshminarayana
Mridangam – Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman
Tabla – Zakir Hussain
Violin [Double Violin (Sympathetic Effect)], Tambura [Tamboura] by – Shankar

SHANKAR / JAN GARBAREK / ZAKIR HUSSAIN / TRILOK GURTU - Song For Everyone (1984) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Song for Everyone heralds the return of the groove in Shankar's East-West-minded music, with former Shakti colleague Zakir Hussain on tabla, Trilok Gurtu on percussion, and Shankar's own manipulation of a drum machine tending to the rhythms. The result is a brighter, more outgoing record than its predecessor Vision, veering between Western acoustic and electric grooves and the complex beats churned out by the tabla. Jan Garbarek again shines beams of light on soprano and tenor, engaging Shankar's ten-string double-necked electric violin in some complex interplay on the title track. Some tracks are driven entirely or partially by the drum machine; "Paper Nut" has a particularly infectious revolving pattern. But sometimes Shankar overdoes it; the lengthy "Watching You" has an overly mechanized feeling that can be either mesmerizing or infuriating, depending upon your mood. On another track, "I Know," the Western percussion is gradually swallowed up by the Indian tabla. Fascinating, free-thinking music, beautifully recorded as usual by ECM. by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist :
1. Paper Nut 6:02
Lakshminarayana Shankar
2. I Know 7:29
Lakshminarayana Shankar
3. Watching You 13:06
Lakshminarayana Shankar
4. Conversation 7:47
Lakshminarayana Shankar
5. Song For Everyone 6:18
Lakshminarayana Shankar
6. Let's Go Home 6:24
Lakshminarayana Shankar
7. Rest In Peace 3:24
Lakshminarayana Shankar
Credits :
Lakshminarayana Shankar - 10-string double violin, Drum Machine
Jan Garbarek - Soprano & Tenor Saxophones
Zakir Hussain - Tabla, Congas
Trilok Gurtu - Percussion

SHANKAR - M.R.C.S. (1991) WV (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     Adagio 2'03
Shankar
2     March 2'27
Jon Christensen
3     All I Care 6'23
Shankar
4     Reasons 5'32
Shankar
5     Back Again 4'40
Shankar
6     Al's Hallucinations 6'19
Shankar
7     Sally 4'31
Shankar
8     White Buffalo 3'20
Zakir Hussain / Vikku Vinayakram
9     Ocean Waves 7'47
Shankar
Credits :
Drums – Jon Christensen
Ghatam – Vikku Vinayakram
Producer [Produced By] – Manfred Eicher
Tabla – Zakir Hussain
Violin [Double Violin] – Shankar

SHANKAR - Soul Searcher (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Though rooted in the traditions of North Indian classical music, this album adds a subtle modern twist that makes it more digestible to Western ears. Soul Searcher consists of one 50-minute track that swells and recedes, evolving into an epic composition of almost otherworldly beauty. The music combines all the common elements of traditional Indian music -- syncopated tabla rhythms, droning tamboura, dazzling vocals -- with Shankar's breathtaking violin melodies, then adds keyboards courtesy of Peter Gabriel, who featured the violinist's talents prominently on Passion. Indian music has always had an influence over Western rock & roll bands, from the Beatles and Rolling Stones to Monster Magnet, and Soul Searcher is a wonderfully accessible introduction for newcomers looking to delve into the genre. by Bret Love
Tracklist :
1    Ragam, Tanam, Pallavi Ragam : Kapi Seethalakshmi Talam : 6 3/4 Beats    50:46
Credits :
Ghatam – Vikku Vinayakram
Keyboards – Peter Gabriel
Performer [Kanjira] – Shankar
Producer – Bill Laswell, Caroline, Shankar
Tabla – Zakir Hussain
Violin – Shankar, V. Lakshminarayana
Vocals – Caroline, Ganam Rao, Shankar

SHANKAR - Nobody Told Me (1989) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Chittham Irangaayo 18:40
 (Ragam: Hamsadhvani / Talam: Adi)    
2    Chodhanai Thanthu 13:20
 (Ragam: Chakravakam / Talam: Adi)    
3    Nadru Dri Dhom - Tillana 2:04
(Ragam: Hindolam / Talam: Adi)    
Credits :
Composed By – Ganam Rao, Shankar, V. Lakshminarayana
Ghatam – Vikku Vinayakram
Tabla – Zakir Hussain
Violin [Double], Vocals, Producer – Shankar
Violin, Violin [Double Violin], Vocals – V. Lakshminarayana
Vocals – Ganam Rao
Vocals, Tambura – Caroline

SHANKAR • ZAKIR HUSSAIN • T.H. VINAYAKRAM - Eternal Light (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Virtuosic brilliance smoothly melds with complimentary group interplay on Shankar's Eternal Light. A quarter of a century after their first collaboration in the East-West fusion ensemble Shakti, double violinist and vocalist Shankar, tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, and ghatam (clay pot) master T.H. Vinayakram come together on this Moment Records release. Son of the famed V. Lakshminarayana Iyer, Shankar was a precocious child violinist and singer. A five-octave vocal range and unmatched command of the ten-string double violin allow Shankar to sway from piercing high notes to rumbling bass tones with grace. Zakir Hussain's deftly played tabla patterns and T.H. Vinayakram's authoritatively articulated ghatam lines match Shankar's own exemplary performance without jeopardizing the integral success of the CD. It is the ensemble and their works that really glow, above and beyond the individual success of the musicians. An impelling CD, which marks 25 years of friendship and stands as a dedication to Zakir Hussain's late father and sister -- Ustad Allarakha and Raxia, respectively -- Eternal Light should shine brightly for generations to come. by John Vallier
Tracklist :
1    Ragamalika    14:32
Lakshminarayana Shankar
2    Ragam Kiravani    7:45
Lakshminarayana Shankar
3    Tanam Kiravani    9:49
Lakshminarayana Shankar
4    Pancha Nadai Pallavi Kiravani    15:15
Lakshminarayana Shankar
Vocals – Niranjani
5    Drum Solos/Pancha Nadai Pallavi    10:42
Lakshminarayana Shankar
Credits :
Ghatam – T.H. Vinayakram
Tabla, Executive-Producer, Photography By – Zakir Hussain
Violin [Double Violin], Vocals, Cover [Album Cover Concept], Photography By, Producer – Shankar

TRILOK GURTU - Remembrance (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Brindavan Dance    3:10
Composed By – Ronu Majumdar / Shankar Mahadevan
2    Expression Of Love    4:45
Composed By – Trilok Gurtu
3    Witness To Marriage     4:45
Composed By – Trilok Gurtu
4    Our Heritage     3:17
Composed By – Trilok Gurtu
5    Evening In India    3:14
Composed By – Trilok Gurtu
6    Sounds Of India     6:12
Composed By – Ronu Majumdar
7    Greetings     3:28
Composed By – Trilok Gurtu
8    Street Song     5:42
Composed By – Trilok Gurtu
9    Eastern Journey     3:58
Composed By – Trilok Gurtu
10    Worship     5:35
Composed By – Trilok Gurtu
11    Remembrance     7:00
Composed By – Trilok Gurtu
Credits :
Trilok Gurtu - Drums, Percussion, Tabla, Caxixi, Rattles, Vocals
Zakir Hussain - Tabla
Ravi Chary - Harmonium, Sitar
Ronu Majumdar - Flute
Sarosh Izedyar - Guitar
Indrajit Sharma - Synthesizer
Sultan Khan - Sarangi
Rajesh Bhatt - Pakhaway, Dholak
Shobha Gurtu - Vocals
Shankar Mahadevan - Vocals
Nandini Srikar - Vocals

AIRTO MOREIRA - The Other Side of This (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Using voice, drum, whistle, chimes, shakers, rattle, tambourine, and didgeridoo, Airto and company make music that comes from all regions and belongs to none. These are songs for ritual and healing, based on many cultures. The mood is ethereal, yet because of the predominance of percussion, also powerful. New age music with punch. by Steven McDonald
Tracklist :
1     Endless Cycle 4:00
Airto Moreira
Vocals, Drums [The 'Beast' - Suspended Steel Cylinder Drums], Bells, Whistle [Air Whistle] – Airto Moreira   
2     Tumbleweed 5:20
Airto Moreira
Ghatam – T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram
Tabla, Wood Block [Wood] – Zakir Hussain
Wood Block [Wood] – Babatunde Olatunji, Kitaro, Mickey Hart
Wood Block [Wood], Vocals, Rattle, Shaker, Flute [Wooden], Flute [Charming] – Airto Moreira   
3     Back Streets of Havana 2:44
Bata, Cowbell, Shekere, Vocals – Giovanni Hidalgo
Bata, Shekere, Lead Vocals – Frank Colon
Bata, Vocals, Handclaps – Airto Moreira
Vocals, Handclaps – Diana Moreira   
4     Healing Sounds 2:42
Verna Yater
Vocals – Dr Verna Yater   
5     The Underwater People 8:30
Airto Moreira
Ghatam – T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram
Tabla – Zakir Hussain
Vocals – Diana Moreira
Vocals, Percussion [Water Bottle], Flute [Wooden], Caxixi, Ganzá, Whistle [Air Whistle] – Airto Moreira
6     Old Man's Song 2:04
Airto Moreira
Vocals, Tambourine [Brazillian], Djembe, Caxixi – Airto Moreira
7     Hey Ya 4:06
Airto Moreira
Percussion [Stomping, Tree Branches], Vocals, Surdo, Shaker, Cowbell, Rattle, Bullroarer – Airto Moreira
Percussion [Stomping], Vocals – Caryl Ohrbach, Cheryl McEnaney, Diana Moreira, Flora Purim, Kitaro, Rose Solomon
Percussion [Stomping], Vocals, Shaker, Rattle – Mickey Hart
8     When Angels Cry 4:17
Flora Purim
Chimes, Performer [Bird Calls] – Airto Moreira
Vocals – Flora Purim
9     Dom-Um (A Good Friend) 5:58
Zakir Hussain / Airto Moreira
Berimbau, Caxixi, Triangle, Nose Flute, Vocals, Performer [Bird Calls] – Airto Moreira
Tabla – Zakir Hussain
10     Street Reunion 2:57
Bata, Lead Vocals, Shekere – Frank Colon
Bata, Vocals, Handclaps – Airto Moreira
Bata, Vocals, Shekere, Cowbell – Giovanni Hidalgo
Vocals, Handclaps – Diana Moreira   
11     Mirror of the Past 6:12
Airto Moreira
Didgeridoo, Vocals, Flute [African Black], Rattle [African Rattles], Bells [Chinese], Wind [Hollow Bamboo Blown On Water] – Airto Moreira
12     Sedonia's Circle 3:31
Stanley Clarke
Frame Drum, Vocals – Amrita Blain, Caryl Ohrbach, Jana Holmer, Justine Toms, KC Ross, Leah Martino, Sedonia Cahill
Rattle, Vocals – Margie Clark
Tar (Drum), Vocals – Margaret Barkley
Vocals – Diana Moreira, Flora Purim
13     Terra E Mar 6:03
Airto Moreira
Singing Bowls [Tibetan Bowl] – Mickey Hart
Vocals – Diana Moreira
Vocals, Rainstick [Brazilian], Conch, Performer [Bird Calls], Nose Flute, Sounds [Water Sounds] – Airto Moreira

USTAD MOHAMMAD OMAR - Virtuoso from Afghanistan (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The late Ustad Mohammad Omar was, perhaps, Afghanistan's greatest musician, a virtuoso on the rabab (a plucked lute that's the ancestor of India's sarod) who was largely responsible for making the folk instrument into something classical. This album -- from the only concert he played in the U.S. while teaching at the University of Washington in 1974 -- is a remarkable endeavor. Not only does it showcase his superb playing on a selection of Afghani classical pieces, but it teams him with Indian percussion master Zakir Hussain, the pair playing together with virtually no rehearsal, although it's impossible to tell that much of this was moved by spirit rather than practice (and most will never even notice that Omar breaks a sympathetic string on the rabab during the first track). The five pieces are extended, wonderful meditations that follow a standard formula of improvisation followed by the composition in a fixed melodic mode and rhythmic cycle. It's Omar's improvisations that truly startle, even more than the beauty of the compositions themselves. His fingers are fleet and the complex patterns he makes are entrancing -- to try and follow them becomes an almost impossible task. To be fair, the album's far from easy listening; it demands a great deal of concentration, but rewards it magnificently (and kudos to Hussain, who inserts himself into the music as if born to it). Things do lighten up with the relatively short final cut, "Keliwali," a popular Pashtun folk melody, exquisitely performed. As a reminder that Afghanistan is a country with a proud cultural heritage -- and its own wonderful musicians -- this is vital. by Chris Nickson
Tracklist:
1    Emen / Tintal    21:40
2    Bopali / Jhaptal    10:14
3    Tabla Solo    7:56
4    Pelo / Tintal    16:02
5    Keliwali    6:57
Credits:
Rabab – Ustad Mohammad Omar (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5)
Tabla – Zakir Hussain

SHAKTI — Shakti with John McLaughlin (1976-1991) RM | Serie Columbia Jazz Contemporary Masters | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For his next act, the decibel champion of electric jazz shocked the world by unplugging and returning to South Indian music before an excitable audience at South Hampton College. Yet the alert John McLaughlin follower will note that beyond the reliance upon South Indian instruments and scales, there are unbroken links to records like My Goal's Beyond and the high-speed electric music that McLaughlin was casting aside at the moment. McLaughlin called his new quintet Shakti, which means "creative intelligence and beauty and power" and the music here has all of that and something else, a ferocious streak inherited from the Mahavishnu days. McLaughlin ignites "Joy" by playing at a blazing speed, his cohorts Lakshminarayana Shankar (violin), Ramnad V. Raghavan and T.H. Vinayakram (mridangam), and Zakir Hussain (tabla) keeping up with the furious unison tempos with great dexterity and discipline, while a reworking of "Lotus Feet" forms a meditative interlude. Side two is taken up by a single, lengthy raga-like track in which McLaughlin combines his rapid-fire Western manner with note-bending techniques clearly emulating a sitar, and the Indians get plenty of dueling room. In its way, this fire-eating acoustic music is just as energizing as the most electrified Mahavishnu flights. Richard S. Ginell  
Tracklist :
1 Joy 18:15
John McLaughlin / Lakshminarayana Shankar
2 Lotus Feet 4:46
John McLaughlin
3 What Need Have I for This/What Need Have I for That/I Am D ... 29:03
John McLaughlin / Lakshminarayana Shankar
Credits:
Ghatam, Mridangam – Vikku Vinayakram
Guitar – John McLaughlin
Mridangam – Ramnad Raghavan
Tabla – Zakir Hussain
Violin – Shankar

JOHN McLAUGHLIN / SHANKAR MAHADEVAN / ZAKIR HUSSAIN - Is That So? (2020) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Is That So? is a six-years-in-the-making collaborative album by guitarist John McLaughlin (who turned 78 a week before its release), Indian composer and singer Shankar Mahadevan, and tabla master Zakir Hussain. In 2013, McLaughlin was touring with Mahadevan in the revamped Shakti lineup. Completely blown away by the singer's voice, writing, and performance style, McLaughlin was eager to collaborate on something new. He'd had a career-long ambition to wed classical Indian raga to Western harmony. With Hussain in the original 1974 Shakti lineup, the band's music was acoustic and free of Western harmonic concepts, wrapped instead around Indo-jazz fusion.
This group experiments with form and function: They regard musicality as an expression of the sacred. McLaughlin's guitars sound like synthesizers throughout; they are not really solo instruments but harmonic companions for Mahadevan's singing. Hussain's tablas are completely improvised. Opener "Zakir," with its wafting string-and-synth-like sounds, is given heft via Mahadevan's amazing voice, phrasing, and control; it's at once spiritual, soulful, and free of earthly constraints. The integration of East and West is seamless and immediate, and it sounds like the trio has been recording this way for decades. "Tara" is an entreaty and paean to the deity Radha. It's a request to grant the supplicant musical ability for sacred reasons. It comes across as a long cue in a film score, but as McLaughlin constructs the sonic backdrop for Mahadevan's lyric as a sensual petition that not only extends but expands, and becomes entwined with, the musical backing. "The Search" is an Alap lyrical improvisation in a Raag Todi. An alap is the opening section typical in North Indian classical music performances; it's a melodic improv form that serves to create a foundation for the emergent raga. At nearly 11 minutes, it offers a long, moody intro before wafting guitar synth, droning tanpura, and Hussain's tablas establish a complex, slowly unfurling groove. It's alternately moody, earthy, and painfully tender. Closer "The Beloved," at over nine minutes, sounds -- at least initially -- like film music, with lush, harmonic guitar presented on the frontline alongside Mahadevan's almost unbearably beautiful singing. As erotic and sensory as it sounds to those who don't understand Hindi, it's actually a gorgeous prayer. The lyrics offer a fountain of emotionally free yet disciplined praise, affirmation, and petition; the ghostly guitars and rumbling tablas erect a lush harmonic floor that moves the tune in the direction of jazz, though it never fully arrives. McLaughlin's guitar synth peppers the tablas with quick, deft lines and tonal angles. Is That So? is a lovely yet radical and provocative departure for McLaughlin, and one he freely acknowledges longtime fans may not enjoy. It's easy to see his point, but an honest approach to this quietly astonishing music should result in delight for most open-minded listeners. by Thom Jurek  
Tracklist:
1 Kabir 7:27
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
2 Sakhi 8:26
Zakir Hussain / Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
3 Tara 8:32
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
4 The Search 10:49
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
5 The Guru 7:08
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
6 The Beloved 9:25
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
Credits:

Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer [Guitar Synth], Orchestrated By [Orchestrations] – John McLaughlin

Tabla – Zakir Hussain

Voice – Shankar Mahadevan

Written-By – John McLaughlin (tracks: 1, 3 to 6), Shankar Mahadevan (tracks: 1, 3 to 6)

SHAKTI WITH JOHN McLAUGHLIN - A Handful of Beauty (1977-2005) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Shakti headed for the safer confines of a London recording studio on its second album, minus R. Raghavan and minus some of the volatile energy that they generated on their debut record. They were, however, a more integrated, more subtle ensemble now, exploring quieter, more lyrical corners of their East-West fusion, with L. Shankar's spectacular violin and Zakir Hussain's tabla taking the solo foreground as much as, if not more than, McLaughlin's acoustic guitar. With the exception of an arrangement of a traditional South Indian piece "Kriti," McLaughlin and Shankar contribute all of the compositions, which lean even more heavily toward South Indian music with reminders of McLaughlin's Western roots. As a whole, this is less accessible to McLaughlin's jazz-rock flock than the first Shakti album, but still fascinating for contemporary listeners with a yen for world music, as well as curious stragglers from the classical Indian world dominated by Ravi Shankar (another indefatigable champion of East-West fusions). by Richard S. Ginell

Tracklist:

1. La Dance Du Bonheur 4:48

 (J.McLaughlin-L.Shankar)

2. Lady L 7:23

 (L.Shankar)

3. India 13:31

 (J.McLaughlin-L.Shankar)

4. Kriti 2:58

 (Traditional South Indian Composition arr. by J.McLaughlin-L.Shankar)

5. Isis 15:11

 (J.McLaughlin-L.Shankar)

6. Two Sisters 4:41

 (J.McLaughlin)

Credits

Acoustic Guitar, Producer – John McLaughlin

Ghatam, Mridangam – T. H. Vinayakram

Tabla – Zakir Hussain

Violin – L. Shankar

SHAKTI WITH JOHN McLAUGHLIN - Natural Elements (1977-1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The third and final Shakti recording from the '70s. The songs here are shorter than those on Shakti and Handful of Beauty, but no less impressive. The novelty of combining Eastern and Western musical styles had worn off and McLaughlin sounds comfortable. This allows for memorable compositions and interchanges, rather than the blistering virtuosity that characterized the first two releases. From the intense ("Daffodil and the Eagle") to the joyful ("Happiness Is Being Together"), Natural Elements stands as a milestone in McLaughlin's illustrious career. by Robert Taylor

Tracklist:

1 Mind Ecology 5:47

2 Face To Face 5:57

3 Come On Baby Dance With Me 1:56

4 The Daffodil And The Eagle 7:00

5 Happiness Is Being Together 4:27

6 Bridge Of Sighs 3:52

7 Get Down And Sruti 7:00

8 Peace Of Mind 3:22

Credits

Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – John McLaughlin

Ghatam, Percussion [Nal], Kanjira [Kanjeera], Jew's Harp

 [Moorsing (Juice Harp)], Vocals – T.H. Vinayakram

Tabla, Timbales, Bongos, Dholak, Percussion [Nal], Triangle, Vocals – Zakir Hussain

Violin, Viola, Vocals – L. Shankar

REMEMBER SHAKTI - Remember Shakti (1999) 2CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

On Remember Shakti, jazz guitarist John McLaughlin returns to one of his chief inspirations -- classical Indian music -- by re-forming his '70s group Shakti. Original members Zakir Hussain (tabla) and Vikku Vinayakram (ghatam) return, joined by Hariprasad Chaurasia on the bansuri (Indian flute). Remember Shakti has a more meditative, fluid feel than the percussive work of the original group, but McLaughlin's subtle, hypnotic guitar work bridges Shakti's past and present. Remember Shakti's double-disc length gives the group ample time to explore the intricacies of compositions like "The Wish," "Chandrakauns," and the hour-plus "Mukti." An emotionally rich, musically accomplished album, Remember Shakti reunites a unique group of players. by Heather Phares
Tracklist:
1-1 Chandrakauns 33:35
1-2 The Wish 18:40
1-3 Lotus Feet 7:33
2-1 Mukti 63:30
2-2 Zakir 9:10
Credits:

Bansuri – Hariprasad Chaurasia (tracks: 1-1, 1-3 to 2-2)

Ghatam – T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram (tracks: 1-2 to 2-1)
Guitar – John McLaughlin (tracks: 1-2 to 2-2)
Tabla – Zakir Hussain (tracks: 1-1 to 2-1)
Tambura [Tanpura] – Uma Metha (tracks: 1-1, 1-3)
Written-By – Hariprasad Chaurasia (tracks: 1-1, 2-1), John McLaughlin (tracks: 1-2, 1-3, 2-2)

REMEMBER SHAKTI - The Believer (2000) APE (image+.cue), lossless

When Eastern classical musicians and Western jazz or pop musicians get together to jam, the result are always heartwarming; two wildly disparate traditions coming together to make music is such an irresistible gesture of human unity and cross-cultural cooperation. What's not to love? Frankly, what's not to love is often the music itself, which all too frequently is long on multicultural good intentions and short on things like coherence, interest, and hooks. The intermittently mystical jazz guitarist John McLaughlin, who has been nursing an India jones for decades now, is hardly innocent of such offenses. But on The Believer, a live set featuring McLaughlin, electric mandolinist U. Shrinivas, kanjira and ghatam player V. Slevaganesh, and legendary tabla player Zakir Hussain, he delivers a gloriously tight, rhythmically thrilling program of original compositions (as well as one contribution each from Shrinivas and Hussain). The group is called Remember Shakti in reference to Shakti, the similarly configured band that McLaughlin co-led in the mid-'70s. If anything, his playing has grown more exciting than it was then; listening to him negotiate the thorny rhythmic changes of this music in unison with Shrinivas and to both of them bouncing off the complexly woven rhythmic patterns laid out by Hussain and Slevaganesh is not only impressive, but uplifting as well. Highlights include the downright funky "Anna" and Shrinivas' composition "Maya.". by Rick Anderson  
Tracklist:
1 5 In The Morning, 6 In The Afternoon 18:13
Written-By – John McLaughlin
2 Ma No Pa 14:56
Written-By – Zakir Hussain
3 Lotus Feet 7:06
Written-By – John McLaughlin
4 Maya 13:40
Written-By – U. Shrinivas
5 Anna 10:34
Written-By – John McLaughlin
6 Finding The Way 12:40
Written-By – John McLaughlin

REMEMBER SHAKTI - Saturday Night In Bombay (2001) APE (image+.cue), lossless

John McLaughlin brought his revived Indo-jazz project Shakti to Bombay (Mumbai) in late 2000, and the result is this live disc, which features only four compositions but runs over an hour in length. (The title is a deliberate play on 1980's Friday Night in San Francisco.) McLaughlin's electric guitar and Zakir Hussain's tabla remain at the core of the group's sound. U. Shrinivas (on mandolin) and V. Selvaganesh (on kanjira, ghatam, and mridangam, all Indian percussion instruments) remain from the previous album, but there are also a number of Indian guest musicians, giving the music many added dimensions. The most remarkable guests are Debashish Bhattacharya on Hindustani slide guitar, Shankar Mahadevan on vocals, and Shiv Kumar Sharma on santur, an Indian hammered dulcimer. Sharma composed the second track, "Shringar"; nearly half an hour long, it consists almost entirely of a hypnotic dialogue between santur and guitar. Mahadevan's vocal performance on the opening "Luki" resounds with spiritual power, while Shrinivas's "Giriraj Sudha" gives a sunny, optimistic lift to the somewhat mournful set. by David R. Adler
Tracklist:
1 Luki 5:39
2 Shringar 26:38
3 Giriraj Sudha 10:45
4 Bell'Alla 18:48
Personnel:

Guitar – John McLaughlin

Kanjira – V. Selvaganesh

Mandolin – U. Shrinivas (tracks: 1, 3, 4)

Tabla – Zakir Hussain

Vocals – Shankar Mahadevan (tracks: 1, 3, 4)