Shakti was really the world’s first World Music super group. The only problem was that no one knew it yet! The group’s live performances were mesmerising, but Columbia records couldn’t give the albums away. Natural Elements, from 1977, was the third and last Shakti album. The group attempted to make the music more accessible but there was no chance that this music would ever gain mass popularity in the Western world. Natural Elements includes some mind-altering playing. This is especially true of McLaughlin's guitar on "Face to Face". His solo quite literally tears apart the elements of every scale, seamlessly dipping in and out of flowing lines and time changes with speed and clarity.

This video features Arabic calligraphy artist Maomeii Be.

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