Revolutionary world music ensemble Shakti, formed by pioneering jazz fusion guitarist John McLaughlin and pre-eminent classical tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, announce their return to the UK at the Hammersmith Eventim Apollo in London. These two special concerts on June 27, 28, 2023 marks the return of the band to this seminal venue after 47 years, following their last appearance in 1976.
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For all 2023 Shakti dates, alongside McLaughlin and Hussain, today’s Shakti features one of India’s most famous musical stars as Shankar Mahadevan provides vocals alongside violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan and percussionist Selvaganesh Vinayakram (son of original Shakti ghatam player T.H. “Vikku”Vinayakram). With the recording of their new studio album now complete, the members of Shakti now await the opportunity to continue their pan-global dialogue.
Zakir Hussain on the band’s evolution: ‘In our initial incarnation, we did not always have the time nor the means to explore. Now, with the decades of individual musical experiences we allhave poured into this, the result reveals an extraordinary depth and level of interaction within this band.’
Shakti emerged in the mid-1970s out of the deep artistic and spiritual connection between guitarist John McLaughlin and Indian tabla player Zakir Hussain. Shakti’s cross-cultural musical conversation dissolved boundaries with uncommon passion, grace, and dexterity – awakening subsequent generations of musicians to the possibilities of such hybrids in the process.
Shakti 2023 European Dates:
June 27- Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, London, England Purchase tickets
June 28 – Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, London, England Purchase tickets
June 30 – Timisoara Jazz Festival, Timisoara, Romania Purchase tickets
July 2 – Erkel Theatre, Budapest, Hungary Purchase tickets
July 5 – Kongsberg Jazz Festival Kongsberg, Norway Purchase tickets
July 7 – Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, Germany Purchase tickets
July 9 – North Sea Jazz Festival, Rotterdam, Netherlands Purchase tickets
