John McLaughlin - Lead Sheet on "Zakir"

This is one of my all time favorite McLaughlin compositions. Written for tabla virtuoso and Shakti co-founder Zakir Hussain, it's so simple that it's hard to say what makes it so compelling. Just the way John voices these simple chords must be part of the reason. This transcription is a mixture of two versions of this song, the intro is the one played by John on the "Remember Shakti" album. I tried to make a lead sheet type transcription rather than an exact transcription of their version so that it can be played on a gig or in a group. On the CD they listen and phrase each section a different way each time and other sections are on queue. This is a simplified arrangement so to speak.

To purchase a copy of "Remember Shakti" from Amazon.com click here: