INTERVIEW : Shades of Shakti (NZ International Festival of the Arts)

Tristan Carter (violin), Chetan Ramlu (tabla), Justin Firefly Clarke (guitar)
- and sārangī maestro Sangeet Mishra (via Skype)

Coming to the  International Festival this year is the music project 'Shades of Shakti' which combines intricate fast melodies, virtuosic rhythms of the tabla and percussion, and the hypnotic tones of the sārangī, a highly resonant, ancient bowed instrument of India.

 Shakti were a fusion band formed by English guitarist John McLaughlin, Indian violin player L. Shankar, percussionists Zakir Hussain (on tabla) and T. H. "Vikku" Vinayakram (on Ghatam) in 1974. The band played acoustic fusion music which combined Indian music with elements of jazz.
They came together after the dissolution of the first incarnation of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and toured fairly extensively during the period 1975-1977; it made only sporadic appearances (with personnel changes) thereafter.

'Shades of Shakti' will bring together some of Wellington’s finest musicians, Justin Firefly Clarke (guitar), Tristan Carter (violin), Chetan Ramlu (tabla), Thomas Friggens (percussion), joined by special guest sārangī maestro Sangeet Mishra direct from India’s holiest city, Varanasi.

The show is a rich collaboration bringing communities together and celebrating human diversity through music.

Just before Xmas the Tim Gruar akaCoffeebar Kid went along to the Sai Bab Centre in Newtown and to sit in on one of the group’s rehearsals and talk to the group, one of which, Sangeet, was dialing in over skype especially for this interview from Mumbai.  Tim says "That the experience was so gratifying.  The vibe in the room was so peaceful and generous.  They also played some music for me and I was honored to be able to record a short segment of it as a taster to what their show will be like.  I'm really looking forward to seeing this one."

Shades of Shakti - 13 March 2020 - 9.30PM at Shed 6 

For more details go to https://www.festival.nz/events/all/shades-of-shakti/