Shrinivas was the spirit of Shakti, who can replace him: John McLaughlin

Legendary jazz guitarist John McLaughlin revived his 1970s' cult fusion band Shakti in 1997 as Remembering Shakti. Among the fresh faces that came in was mandolin prodigy U Shrinivas who was already a star by then. For the 17 years they played together, McLaughlin tells Malini Nair, they were like a musical match made in heaven.
Shrinivas's going must have come as shocking news for the entire Shakti family.
We are devastated. We were following his treatment over the week and hoping that he would pull through. He was conscious for a while so we thought he would pull through. When I got the news at 7am it came as a big shock. I had my family around but I was just...it is unthinkable. Selvaganesh, Zakir (Husain), Shankar (Mahadevan), I are all part of a Shakti chat group and we were falling apart. Selva kept saying: he isn't ever going to write or read us again here.
But you know he was like an angel, like these special beings who come to earth to mingle with us humans and then leave us in a short time with a gift from beyond. What a great legacy he left. Collaborating with him was one of the greatest experiences of my life and I have played with the greatest.
Shankar Mahadevan says that Remembering Shakti will become a memory with him gone.
That it is over. I would agree. I don't know what to think any more. We've been touring for 14 years as a family with him. I don't know how Shakti can be without him. To start looking for a replacement, who can replace him? He was the spirit of Shakti. I know there are marvellous young musicians in India but where will I find a spirit like him? But I don't know...we will have to grieve first.
What was it like hearing him play the mandolin for the first time?
Vikku Vinayakram had sent me a tape of him playing at Berlin Jazz Day when he was 14.This young, beautiful boy playing the most fantastic Carnatic music on an electronic instrument that was neither Carnatic nor Hindustani. He was a prodigy, his music was elegant, eloquent and mature at 14 years of age! Normally you have to be 50 to get that soul experience in your music. His electric mandolin and my electric guitar seemed the perfect combination. I had to play with him but it was not until violinist L Shankar left and Hariji (Hari Prasad Chaurasia) became very busy that I got to meet him. I waited 12 years to play with him. But when we met it was like we had always played together. He had this unbelievable intuition about music so we were like a made-in-heaven match.
He was criticized by Carnatic purists for playing fusion music with Shakti...
And I was criticized by jazz purists for playing fusion! And Ravi Shankar was criticized for playing with Yehudi Menuhin. Purists talk rubbish. He was the purest musician you could find. Ravi Shankar used to say that music is about the meeting of cultures and minds and we don't have to compromise our own music for that. Shrinivas had a mind that was wide open but his music had purity and integrity. I grew from my experience of playing with him.
It is said that he composed with great ease in the most unlikely setting. How was it working with him?
He lived and breathed music. Bus or plane, he could sit with his instrument and write. We had a tiny 10cm amp so we would just sit anyplace and go through the phrasings. How do you do this gamaka? I would ask him simply to hear him explain. `It is vairy eeeasy. Just do this...' And then he would ask me for ideas and say, `Okay-ji, okay-ji. It is easy-ji, don't worry
As many people recall him for his humility and warmth as his genius.
He was a giant of a musician since he was 7 but he would always be this ordinary chap, he played that role very well! He was a wonderful human being and you could see this in his eyes, they were transparent, open books. I don't think he had a single negative thought in his life. My life is blessed because he was in it.
This despite many personal setbacks.
He was clear about who he was. He knew the prowess of his music but he was completely unpretentious. He knew the more you know, the less you realize you know. He was showered with honours but he was very shy and retiring. He didn't seek glory. When we asked him to step up for a press conference he would say: `No-ji, you go, I play, I play.' We would tease him: `But you are the star.' He just wanted you to sit there and listen to him play his instrument.
When did you play with him last?
We had a concert in Monte Carlo last year. He was particularly fond of spaghetti aglio e olio and I cooked it for him many times. He was a simple soul and we spent a lot of time laughing, talking.