I think the magic really happened when the music was conceived. ‘This Moment’ is an exquisite album and it deserves all the glory and more. It’s a historic album, not just because of the award, but also because it is Shakti’s first album in 46 years. They are veteran musicians who have dedicated their entire lives to their art. I’m not in the least surprised that they won the Grammy,” says Mrinalini Sen, an artist and illustrator who worked on the album art for Shakti’s newest record.
Shakti, the pioneering jazz fusion band formed in 1973, has recently been honoured with a Grammy Award in 2024 for Global Music Album, marking a milestone in their illustrious career. Their album, ‘This Moment’ stands as their first studio release in 46 years, showcasing their enduring relevance and musical prowess.
The band’s inception saw the collaboration of Indian virtuosos: violinist L Shankar, percussionists Zakir Hussain and Vikku Vinayakram, along with the renowned English guitarist John McLaughlin, known for his groundbreaking work with jazz legend Miles Davis.
Shakti’s distinctive sound emerged from a fusion of jazz with traditional Indian music, drawing from both Hindustani and Carnatic traditions. Their early albums, ‘A Handful of Beauty’ and ‘Natural Elements,’ released in 1976 and 1977 respectively, solidified their reputation as innovators in the realm of world music.
During the mid-1970s, Shakti embarked on worldwide tours, captivating audiences with their mesmerising performances. However, the band underwent changes in lineup and subsequently made only sporadic appearances. In 1997, McLaughlin and Hussain revived the spirit of Shakti with a new project called ‘Remember Shakti’, which carried forward their fusion legacy. The reformation of the original Shakti lineup in 2020 marked a highly anticipated return to
the spotlight, culminating in the release of ‘This Moment,’ an album that captivated both critics and fans alike.
In a fascinating twist, there is a unique connection between Shakti’s Grammy-winning album and Goa. Mrinalini Sen, one of the designers behind the captivating album cover, resides in Goa, adding a local touch to the global recognition received by the band.
As for the album art, Mrinalini Sen is moved that something she, with her friends Urmi Bhanja and Orko Basu, made is inextricably tied to such resplendent music. She mentioned she would have liked to celebrate the news by hanging out and listening to music with her close friends but unfortunately they are all over the place. For them, celebrations are due until a plan is hatched!
It’s not every day that one is asked to create art that complements the music of virtuosos. Even rarer is the opportunity to do so with one’s closest friends. They, Mrinalini, Urmi and Orko, indeed began working on the album art in 2022, and it took them a whole year to complete it. The brief at hand was to craft an artwork that resonated with the music of Shakti. Orko, the founder of ‘Togetherly’, thought of a concept featuring a natural landscape with a rising moon and a night sky adorned with countless eyes. After the band gave their approval, Mrinalini began bringing the concept to life, with Urmi and Orko by her side throughout the entire process.
The first thing they decided on was the style. They share a common appreciation of surreal and psychedelic art which they felt would lend itself to Shakti’s sound. To incorporate a more eastern aesthetic they spent time looking at symmetry in Islamic art as well as Buddhist ‘thangkas’. Next, they began working on the motifs – the moon, the lotuses, the creatures within the lotus pool, the slopes and the eyes in the sky. They experimented with multiple versions of the same element. “I think we spent two months perfecting just the eyes.” Mrinalini said, that was the level of detailing. Given that ‘This Moment’ album would be released on the band’s 50th anniversary tour, they chose a purple and gold palette. Urmi, who runs her own creative agency Spade, was the team expert on design sensibilities. She along with Abhijit Bhattacharya, who works at Spade, elevated the drawing and took them to the finish line.
Continuous feedback flowed not only among them but also from the band, who wholeheartedly endorsed the project. Souvik Dutta, the CEO of AbstractLogix, the label managing Shakti, granted them creative freedom without concerns about production costs. This trust and belief in their abilities provided them the luxury to experiment with various ideas and persist until they were thoroughly content with the final result. Moved to Goa, like many others to embrace a slower pace of life, Mrinalini identifies as a homebody with a preference for solitude, reading, drawing, and long walks. Her decision to relocate stemmed from a desire to establish a base offering quality downtime alongside a hint of adventure, especially after enduring weeks of constant work-related travel.
The immediate surroundings play a significant role in shaping mood, thoughts, and ideas for drawings and paintings, she mentioned. During the lockdown, Mrinalini started studying Goa’s wildflowers across seasons, often incorporating wildlife spotted into her artwork. Olaulim, a smaller hamlet in comparison to most Goan villages, stands out for its lack of fancy bars and restaurants and its distance from the beach, which she holds dear. Mrinalini values the tranquility of this quiet Goa that provides ample headspace for reflection.
As a teacher, Mrinalini aspires to instil an appreciation for peace, integrity, and empathy in students. Despite working within the formal education system, she believe mastering the school curriculum is only a small part of a fulfilling life. True learning, in her view, transcends scores, competition, and predefined success. “The Goa I choose to live in, is a daily reminder that one can actualise without having to worry about what the rest of the world thinks you should do. Living here frees the mind, if you allow yourself that.”
Mrinalini believes that the ‘us and them’ mindset is inherent to human nature and not specific to any particular place. Despite this general observation, Goa experienced a nationwide exodus during the pandemic, significantly impacting the predominantly agrarian state’s equilibrium. She acknowledges and understands local sentiments regarding ecological damage resulting from sudden and rapid gentrification. She highlights emerging concerns such as waste management and depletion of groundwater.
In response to these changes, she emphasises on the collective responsibility to preserve the quality of Goan life. Mrinalini advocates for a lifestyle characterised by living quietly, consuming less, actively participating in community issues, opting for seasonal produce grown in the village, and caring for the stray cats and dogs in the vicinity. She observed that adopting these practices has proven effective for her.
