Editorial: India shines at Grammy

The greatest contribution of ‘Shakti’ is that it is still bringing diverse cultures and musical traditions together

Music is timeless. Its power to heal is boundless. A music band, formed five decades ago in the pre-digital era, winning the best global music album is testimony to the power of music that transcends generations. Shakti, an Indo-Western fusion band formed in 1973, has won the 2024 Grammy for Best Global Music Album. It’s a moment of immense pride for Indians. It was a memorable evening for the Indian musical industry at the 66th Grammy Awards when percussionist Zakir Hussain’s supergroup ‘Shakti’ won the Grammys in the Best Global Music Album category for ‘This Moment’. The grouping includes McLaughlin (guitar), Zakir Hussain (tabla), Shankar Mahadevan (vocals), Ganesh Rajagopalan (violin) and Selvaganesh Vinayakram (mridangam). This award is not about the nostalgic hold of music but about its quality that is timeless. It is an extraordinary feat that a band, launched in an era defined by cassette players and vinyl records, still retains the power to grab the attention and appreciation of music lovers in the digital era. It only means that pure passion, innovation and the enduring impact of music on one’s life have not changed, though the technology aspect of the music world has undergone a transformation. Fifty years ago, its soulful intermingling of Eastern and Western musical traditions was seen as something bold and experimentative, and its impact still finds resonance in the world of connoisseurs. The team at ‘Shakti’ epitomises ageless creativity that is as transcendent at the sunset as at the sunrise. The greatest contribution of ‘Shakti’ is that it is still bringing diverse cultures and musical traditions together.

Its long innings have only added to the warmth, humanity and universality it gifts listeners, both young and old. The jazz fusion band was formed as a collaboration between Indian violinist L Shankar, percussionists Zakir Hussain and Vikku Vinayakram, as well as English guitarist John McLaughlin. The group was celebrated for their idiosyncratic blend of jazz and Indian music, namely Hindustani and Carnatic traditions. The band released the albums ‘A Handful of Beauty’ and ‘Natural Elements’ in 1976 and 1977. ‘Shakti’ toured extensively in the mid-1970s, and only made a handful of appearances afterwards, changing their line-up. In 1997, McLaughlin and Hussain formed a similar band under the name ‘Remember Shakti’ but it wasn’t until 2020 that ‘Shakti’ regrouped. Released in June, ‘This Moment’ marks the band’s first studio album since 1977. The record features founding members McLaughlin and Hussain, as well as Shankar Mahadevan, Ganesh Rajagopalan and Selvaganesh Vinayakram. Last year, ‘Shakti’ marked its 50th anniversary with a global tour that kicked off in India on January 20. The Global Music Album award win came against stiff and eclectic competition. It’s a pinnacle of achievement for ‘Shakti’ which honours the legacy of the original band by acknowledging their tradition while continuing to push beyond existing boundaries into new musical landscapes.