• Source:JND
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66th Grammys: Sunday night (February 5, IST) when the 66th Grammys started at Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles, Indian music enthusiasts had no idea of just how big a day it will prove to be. Zakir Hussain bagged three Grammys in the same night and one of his Grammys is shared by a fusion band called ‘Shakti’ which won the award for Global Music Album for ‘The Moment’. 

The fusion band consists of five members of which vocals are by Shankar Mahadevan, Ustad Zakir Hussain, John McLaughlin, percussionist V Selvaganesh, and violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan. 

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In 1973, John McLaughlin collaborated with Zakir Hussain, L. Shankar, and T. H. 'Vikku' Vinayakram (father of Selvaganesh Vinayakram) to form a band called Shakti. The band also featured mridangam player Ramnad V. Raghavan, and they released their first album titled 'Shakti with John McLaughlin' in 1975. The band's original lineup disbanded in 1978 and then got active again in the late 90s with vocals by Shankar Mahadevan and U. Shrinivas on Mandolin. After Shrinivas died in 2014, the group activities were put on a halt until 2020. 

In 2020, the band was reformed and after three years, it released its first album under the name Shakti after 46 long years. Titled "This Moment", the album features eight new songs, including "Shrini's Dream", "Bending the Rules", "Karuna", "Giriraj Sudha", "Mohanam", and "Las Palmas". The album was released on June 23, 2023, and showcases the band's exceptional compositions and performances.

Academy award-winning Indian music maestro A. R. Rahman also extended his heartfelt wishes to the group on its big win. 

The group’s official website describes the band as an “unprecedented transcontinental collaboration”. It successfully provides global exposure to Indian music through the fusion of Indian classical music with jazz. The official website further describes the band's music as "An unprecedented transcontinental collaboration, Shakti united Eastern and Western musicians, and in the process forged the template for what is now called World Music. Their dynamic musical hybrid immediately enthralled audiences around the globe – and inspired generations of musicians, artists, and thinkers from all walks of life to embark on their own cross-cultural odysseys."