MIROSLAV VITOUS - Infinite Search (1969-1988) Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With John McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, and Jack DeJohnette, this group rivaled the best fusion bands of the day. It must have been an intimidating challenge for a young Czech bassist to lead such a group on his debut album as a frontman, especially since he composed five of the six tracks. Recorded in late 1969, roughly the same time as the historic Bitches Brew, and the year before Vitous began a stint with the innovative Weather Report, this was trend-setting fusion. It's produced by Herbie Mann, for whom Vitous played on such albums as Memphis Underground and Stone Flute.by Mark Allan

Tracklist:

1. Freedom Jazz Dance 

Eddie Harris

2. Mountain In The Clouds

Miroslav Vitous

3. Epilogue

Miroslav Vitous

4. Cérecka

Miroslav Vitous

5. Infinite Search

Miroslav Vitous

6. I Will Tell Him On You

Miroslav Vitous

7. When Face Gets Pale

Miroslav Vitous

Credits

Miroslav Vitous-bass

Joe Henderson-tenor saxophone

Mahavishnu John McLaughlin-guitar

Herbie Hancock-electric piano

Jack DeJohnette-drums

Joe Chambers: drums on 3 y 4

MIROSLAV VITOUS - Universal Syncopations (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

On his first jazz date as a leader since 1992, Czechoslovakian bassist and composer Miroslav Vitous comes out of the gate with a host of heavyweights on one of the more lyrically swinging dates in modern jazz. Vitous' engaged, pulsing, and deeply woody tone is featured in the company of John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, Chick Corea, and Jack DeJohnette. While the crystalline sound of Manfred Eicher's ECM is everywhere here, as is the open-ended speculative jazz that the label is renowned -- and ridiculed for -- Vitous offers some startlingly beautiful twists and turns with his ensemble. Vitous, who has been through every music, from jazz-rock fusion as a founding member of Weather Report to being a classical composer, decided to revisit the skeletal remains of his very first session for the label in 1969. Produced by Herbie Mann the disc was, from a musical standpoint, a contentious, utterly brilliant marriage of ideas both old and new. Bandmembers DeJohnette and McLaughlin were present on those sides as well. Universal Syncopations is by turns a return to not the old forms, but rather to the manner of illustrating harmonic concepts in a quintet setting that allows for a maximum space between ensemble players while turning notions of swing, counterpoint, and rhythmic invention on their heads. From the wooly, expressionistic "Tramp Blues," with Vitous vamping around the changes, to the wide-open legato guitar phrasing of McLauglin against the double time in Vitous' bass on "Univoyage," to the simmering undulations of Garbarek's saxophones on top of Corea's intricate melodies and right-hand runs on "Brazilan Waves," all of it propelled, not anchored, by the leader's rich tone and accented and punctuated by Garbarek's tight, loping saxophone lines. This is one of those recordings that feels familiar in tone, but is timeless in concept and execution. Universal Syncopations is one of the most gorgeous sounding and toughly played dates of the calendar year.  by Thom Jurek
Tracklist:
1     Bamboo Forest        4:37
Miroslav Vitous
2     Univoyage    10:54
Miroslav Vitous
3    Tramp Blues    5:19
Miroslav Vitous
4    Faith Run    4:58
Miroslav Vitous
5    Sun Flower    7:21
Miroslav Vitous
6    Miro Bop    4:03
Miroslav Vitous
7    Beethoven    7:18
Jan Garbarek / Miroslav Vitous
8    Medium    5:09
Jan Garbarek / Miroslav Vitous
9    Brazil Waves    4:26
Jan Garbarek / Miroslav Vitous
Credits
Double Bass, Written-By, Producer, Edited By, Mixed By – Miroslav Vitous
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Guitar – John McLaughlin
Piano – Chick Corea
Producer, Edited By, Mixed By – Manfred Eicher
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Jan Garbarek
Trombone – Isaac Smith (tracks: 2 to 4)
Trumpet – Wayne Bergeron (tracks: 2 to 4)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Valerie Ponomarev (tracks: 2 to 4)
Written-By – Jack DeJohnette (tracks: 8), Jan Garbarek (tracks: 7, 9)

ITHAMARA KOORAX - Love Dance : The Ballad Album (2003) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Although Ithamara Koorax is a major star in Brazil and has more than a few albums available in that country, Love Dance: The Ballad Album is only her second U.S. release (and her second album for Milestone/Fantasy). The Brazilian singer has no problem handling uptempo material, but she favors a totally romantic setting on the ballad-oriented Love Dance. The interesting thing is that Koorax manages to maintain a torchy mood while being unpredictable; in terms of material, she is impressively far-reaching. Koorax sings in three different languages (Portuguese, English, and Spanish), and her choices range from Brazilian songs (including Ivan Lins' "Love Dance" and Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Amparo") to an American standard ("April in Paris") to a well-known Spanish-language bolero (Luis Demetrio's "La Puerta"). It should be noted that Koorax's husband Arnaldo DeSouteiro produced this CD in 2000 and 2002 in five countries: Brazil, the U.S., Germany, England, and Monaco. And by doing so, he gives Koorax a chance to interact with a variety of musicians, who range from the late Brazilian icon Luiz Bonfá (acoustic guitar) on "April in Paris" to German pianist Jürgen Friedrich on Claus Ogerman's "I Loved You" to Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba on "Amparo" and "La Puerta." Meanwhile, British fusion heavyweight John McLaughlin plays electric guitar on Bonfá's "Man Alone," and his encounter with Koorax is historic because he had never backed a vocalist before. Some people will complain about the absence of uptempo performances, but then, Love Dance is exactly what it's meant to be: a torch song/mood music CD. And even though romantic albums of jazz or jazz-influenced pop can easily become predictable -- especially when the artist records overdone Tin Pan Alley standards exclusively -- Koorax and DeSouteiro manage to keep us guessing on this fine addition to her catalog. by Alex Henderson  
Tracklist:
1 Ligia  5:13
Acoustic Bass – Sergio Barroso
Arranged By – Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Clarinet – Juarez Araujo
Composed By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
Drums – João Palma
Electric Piano – José Roberto Bertrami
Percussion – Dom Um Romao
Vocals – Ithamara Koorax
2 I Loved You 2:16
Arranged By – Claus Ogerman
Composed By – Claus Ogerman, Alexander Pushkin
Concert Grand Piano – Jürgen Friedrich
Vocals – Ithamara Koorax
3 Love Dance 7:20
Arranged By – José Roberto Bertrami
Backing Band – Azymuth
Composed By – Gilson Peranzzetta, Ivan Lins, Paul Williams 
Drums – Ivan Conti
Electric Bass – Alex Malheiros
Electric Piano – José Roberto Bertrami
Percussion – Sidinho Moreira
Vocals – Ithamara Koorax
4 La Puerta 4:15
Composed By – Luis Demetrio
Concert Grand Piano – Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Vocals – Ithamara Koorax
5 Man Alone 9:52
Acoustic Guitar – Luiz Bonfá
Arranged By, Concert Grand Piano – Nelson Angelo
Composed By – Luiz Bonfá, Stanley J. Gelber
Concert Flute – José Carlos 
Drums – João Palma
Electric Bass – Jorjão Carvalho
Electric Guitar – John McLaughlin
Flute – José Carlos Machado Ramos
Percussion – Sidinho Moreira
Soprano Saxophone – Jose Carlos Bigorna
Vocals – Ithamara Koorax
6 Amparo 5:38
Composed By – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Chico Buarque, Vinicius De Moraes
Concert Grand Piano – Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Vocals – Ithamara Koorax
7 Someday 4:20
Acoustic Bass – Manuel Gusmao
Composed By, Arranged By, Keyboards – Mario Castro Neves
Drums – Cesar Machado
Electric Bass, Chapman Stick – Jorge Pescara
Percussion – Sidinho Moreira
Vocals – Ithamara Koorax
8 Flame 4:58
Composed By – Paulo Sérgio Valle
Composed By, Arranged By, Keyboards – Marcos Valle
Vocals – Ithamara Koorax
9 April In Paris 2:11
Acoustic Guitar – Luiz Bonfá
Composed By – E.Y. Harburg, Vernon Duke
Vocals – Ithamara Koorax
10 Blauauge 7:29
Composed By – Almut Kresse
Composed By, Concert Grand Piano – Jürgen Friedrich
Vocals – Ithamara Koorax

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - Extrapolation (1969-1991) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

John McLaughlin's first recording as a leader features the future innovator playing guitar in an English quartet. Although McLaughlin contributed all ten pieces, baritonist John Surman actually dominates this music, often swinging quite hard. The historically significant set, although a lesser-known item in McLaughlin's discography, is quite musical and enjoyable in its own right. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Extrapolation 2:57
2 It's Funny 4:25
3 Arjen's Bag 4:25
4 Pete The Poet 5:00
5 This Is For Us To Share 3:30
6 Spectrum 2:45
7 Binky's Beam 7:05
8 Really You Know 4:25
9 Two For Two 3:35
10 Peace Piece 1:50
Credits:
Baritone Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – John Surman
Bass – Brian Odges
Drums – Tony Oxley
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Composed By – John McLaughlin

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - Devotion (1970-2000) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This album is from a pivotal moment in McLaughlin's history. This was just after he left Miles' group, but before Mahavishnu Orchestra started, and the music captures this moment perfectly. McLaughlin's technique had not progressed to "Mahavishnu" perfection yet, but the music has the in-your-face rock drive of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. This recording date grew out of sessions Alan Douglas put together, featuring McLaughlin and Larry Young jamming with Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Miles (Billy Rich was the bass player). McLaughlin sounded timid next to Hendrix (none of the material with Hendrix has been officially released), but really comes to life on Devotion. This is arguably one of the finest acid rock albums of all time. McLaughlin is on fire, using fuzzboxes and phasers, over Larry Young's swirling Hammond B-3, with Billy Rich and Buddy Miles as the rock-solid rhythm section. If you think that McLaughlin's solo at the end of "Right Off" (from A Tribute to Jack Johnson) is one of the high points of his career, then this is the album for you. Soon after this album was recorded, McLaughlin holed up, practiced like crazy, and re-emerged as "Mahavishnu" John McLaughlin, with both a new sound and a new band. Documenting the period just before that transition, Devotion is a complete anomaly in his catalog, as well as one of his finest achievements. by Sean Westergaard  
Tracklist:
1 Marbles 4:11
2 Siren 5:40
3 Don't Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother 5:14
4 Purpose Of When 4:41
5 Dragon Song 4:11
6 Devotion 11:23
Credits:
Bass – Billy Rich
Composed By – John McLaughlin
Drums – Buddy Miles
Electric Piano – Larry Young
Guitar – John McLaughlin
Organ – Larry Young
Percussion – Buddy Miles
Written-By – John McLaughlin

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - Where Fortune Smiles (1971-1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Where Fortune Smiles is really a John Surman recording, but subsequent re-releases have passed the credit on to John McLaughlin (for obvious reasons). The music is similar to but more dense than Extrapolation. McLaughlin's raw sound was starting to take shape by this time and his impeccable chops are on full display. So too are those of the underrated vibraphonist Karl Berger and, of course, soprano saxophonist Surman. The foundation is held loosely in place by bassist Dave Holland and drummer Stu Martin. It's a challenging but interesting listen, especially given McLaughlin's later success and popularity. Although his creativity would peak with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti, he never sounded more free and exploratory than he does here. Highly recommended for its historical significance as well as some excellent playing. by Robert Taylor
Tracklist:
1 Glancing Backwards 8:54
2 Earth Bound Hearts 4:15
3 Where Fortune Smiles 4:01
4 New Place,Old Place 10:24
5 Hope 7:19
Credits:
Bass – Dave Holland
Drums – Stu Martin
Guitar – John McLaughlin
Saxophone – John Surman
Vibraphone – Karl Berger

CARLOS SANTANA / MAHAVISHNU JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - Love Devotion Surrender (1973) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Love Devotion Surrender is an album released in 1973 by guitarists Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin, with the backing of their respective bands, Santana and The Mahavishnu Orchestra. The album was inspired by the teachings of Sri Chinmoy and intended as a tribute to John Coltrane. It contains two Coltrane compositions, two McLaughlin songs, and a traditional gospel song arranged by Santana and McLaughlin. It was certified Gold in 1973. In 2003, Love Devotion Surrender was released on CD with alternative versions as bonus tracks.

Both men were recent disciples of the guru Sri Chinmoy, and the title of the album echoes basic concepts of Chinmoy's philosophy, which focused on "love, devotion and surrender." Sri Chinmoy spoke about the album and the concept of surrender:

 Unfortunately, in the West surrender is misunderstood. We feel that if we surrender to someone, he will then lord it over us....But from the spiritual point of view...when the finite enters in the Infinite, it becomes the Infinite all at once. When a tiny drop enters into the ocean, we cannot trace the drop. It becomes the mighty ocean.

For both men the album came at a transitional moment spiritually and musically: Love Devotion Surrender was a "very public pursuit of their spiritual selves." Carlos Santana was moving from rock toward jazz and fusion, experiencing a "spiritual awakening," while McLaughlin was about to experience the break-up of the Mahavishnu Orchestra after being criticized by other band members. Santana had been a fan of McLaughlin, and McLaughlin had introduced Santana to Sri Chinmoy in 1971, at which time the guru bestowed the name "Devadip" on him, and the two had started playing and recording together in 1972. According to his biographer Marc Shapiro, Santana had much to learn from McLaughlin: "He would sit for hours, enthralled at the new ways to play that McLaughlin was teaching him," and his new spirituality had its effect on the music: "the feeling was that Carlos's newfound faith was present in every groove.

A hopelessly misunderstood record in its time by Santana fans -- they were still reeling from the radical direction shift toward jazz on Caravanserai and praying it was an aberration -- it was greeted by Santana devotees with hostility, contrasted with kindness from major-league critics like Robert Palmer. To hear this recording in the context of not only Carlos Santana's development as a guitarist, but as the logical extension of the music of John Coltrane and Miles Davis influencing rock musicians -- McLaughlin, of course, was a former Davis sideman -- this extension makes perfect sense in the post-Sonic Youth, post-rock era. With the exception of Coltrane's "Naima" and McLaughlin's "Meditation," this album consists of merely three extended guitar jams played on the spiritual ecstasy tip -- both men were devotees of guru Shri Chinmoy at the time. The assembled band included members of Santana's band and the Mahavishnu Orchestra in Michael Shrieve, Billy Cobham, Doug Rauch, Armando Peraza, Jan Hammer (playing drums!), and Don Alias. But it is the presence of the revolutionary jazz organist Larry Young -- a colleague of McLaughlin's in Tony Williams' Lifetime band -- that makes the entire project gel. He stands as the great communicator harmonically between the two very different guitarists whose ideas contrasted enough to complement one another in the context of Young's aggressive approach to keep the entire proceeding in the air. In the acknowledgement section of Coltrane's "A Love Supreme," which opens the album, Young creates a channel between Santana's riotous, transcendent, melodic runs and McLaughlin's rapid-fire machine-gun riffing. Young' double-handed striated chord voicings offered enough for both men to chew on, leaving free-ranging territory for percussive effects to drive the tracks from underneath. Check "Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord," which was musically inspired by Bobby Womack's "Breezing" and dynamically foreshadowed by Pharoah Sanders' read of it, or the insanely knotty yet intervallically transcendent "The Life Divine," for the manner in which Young's organ actually speaks both languages simultaneously. Young is the person who makes the room for the deep spirituality inherent in these sessions to be grasped for what it is: the interplay of two men who were not merely paying tribute to Coltrane, but trying to take his ideas about going beyond the realm of Western music to communicate with the language of the heart as it united with the cosmos. After three decades, Love Devotion Surrender still sounds completely radical and stunningly, movingly beautiful.

Quick! Name an album on which John McLaughlin plays piano and Jan Hammer plays drums. Give up? The answer: the much loved but often maligned 1973 collaboration between Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin, Love, Devotion and Surrender. (At this time John was still MAHAVISHNU and Carlos was not quite yet DEVADIP.) Now if anyone out there in musicland can determine on which cuts John McLaughlin played the piano and Hammer played the drums - you win a prize! 

In 1973, Carlos Santana had become mesmerized by the music of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. His interest became so strong that he literally followed the band on tour across America. He and McLaughlin became friendly. One night John McLaughlin had a dream that the two should record an album together. He took that dream to Clive Davis, the head of Columbia Records, and Love, Devotion and Surrender was born.

LDS delivers some of the hottest playing you are ever going to hear. John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana play their respective butts off, especially on the inspirational "Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord". The rapid-fire machine gun bursts and call and responses make for an electric guitar Nirvana. Other musicians assembled for the recording included Santana compatriots Armando Peraza, Don Alias, Doug Rauch and Mike Shrieve. John McLaughlin brought along Jan Hammer, Billy Cobham and the legendary organist Larry Young. Imagine a Latin Mahavishnu Orchestra! 

At the time of this recording’s release, the patience and reverence afforded gurus was waning. This could help explain the relatively poor sales of Love, Devotion and Surrender relative to expectations. After all a smiling Sri Chinmoy, in all of his splendid grandeur, was pictured on the album cover. It may also help explain the many negative reviews. In hindsight, you will probably find that most of these reviews came from Santana fans that just couldn’t figure out what was going on with their hero. 

Despite all outward appearances, the fact of the matter was that this album pointed much more in the direction of John Coltrane than it did any guru or religious movement. Santana is, like McLaughlin, a devoted Coltrane admirer. McLaughlin and Santana even make the effort of trying to pull off “A Love Supreme,” and it works very well. (Even the vocals are effective). An acoustic treatment of “Naima” does the master proud, too. The other players are strong on all tunes. Cobham, in particular, is a powerhouse. 

In recent years, Love, Devotion and Surrender has begun receiving the praise it so richly deserves. (Bill Laswell has even released a well-received remix.) LDS remains a milestone in the history of fusion music. We can only hope that McLaughlin and Santana will find an opportunity to record together again soon, something both men have hinted at.

Tracklist:

1. A Love Supreme (7:48)

2. Naima (3:09)

3. The Life Devine (9:30)

4. Let's Go Into The House of the Lord (15:45)

5. Meditation (2:45)

Total time - 38:57

Line-up / Musicians

- Carlos Santana / guitars, vocals

- John McLaughlin / Guitar, piano

- Larry Young / organ

- Doug Rauch / bass

- Billy Cobham / drums

- Don Alias / drums

- Jan Hammer / drums

- Mike Shrieve / drums

- Armando Peraza / Congas, Bongos

SHAKTI - Shakti with John McLaughlin (1976-1991) RM / APE (image+.cue), lossless

For his next act, the decibel champion of electric jazz shocked the world by unplugging and returning to South Indian music before an excitable audience at South Hampton College. Yet the alert John McLaughlin follower will note that beyond the reliance upon South Indian instruments and scales, there are unbroken links to records like My Goal's Beyond and the high-speed electric music that McLaughlin was casting aside at the moment. McLaughlin called his new quintet Shakti, which means "creative intelligence and beauty and power" and the music here has all of that and something else, a ferocious streak inherited from the Mahavishnu days. McLaughlin ignites "Joy" by playing at a blazing speed, his cohorts Lakshminarayana Shankar (violin), Ramnad V. Raghavan and T.H. Vinayakram (mridangam), and Zakir Hussain (tabla) keeping up with the furious unison tempos with great dexterity and discipline, while a reworking of "Lotus Feet" forms a meditative interlude. Side two is taken up by a single, lengthy raga-like track in which McLaughlin combines his rapid-fire Western manner with note-bending techniques clearly emulating a sitar, and the Indians get plenty of dueling room. In its way, this fire-eating acoustic music is just as energizing as the most electrified Mahavishnu flights. by Richard S. Ginell  
Tracklist:
1 Joy 18:15
John McLaughlin / Lakshminarayana Shankar
2 Lotus Feet 4:46
John McLaughlin
3 What Need Have I for This/What Need Have I for That/I Am D ... 29:03
John McLaughlin / Lakshminarayana Shankar
Credits:
Ghatam, Mridangam – Vikku Vinayakram
Guitar – John McLaughlin
Mridangam – Ramnad Raghavan
Tabla – Zakir Hussain
Violin – Shankar

SHAKTI WITH JOHN McLAUGHLIN - A Handful of Beauty (1977-2005) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Shakti headed for the safer confines of a London recording studio on its second album, minus R. Raghavan and minus some of the volatile energy that they generated on their debut record. They were, however, a more integrated, more subtle ensemble now, exploring quieter, more lyrical corners of their East-West fusion, with L. Shankar's spectacular violin and Zakir Hussain's tabla taking the solo foreground as much as, if not more than, McLaughlin's acoustic guitar. With the exception of an arrangement of a traditional South Indian piece "Kriti," McLaughlin and Shankar contribute all of the compositions, which lean even more heavily toward South Indian music with reminders of McLaughlin's Western roots. As a whole, this is less accessible to McLaughlin's jazz-rock flock than the first Shakti album, but still fascinating for contemporary listeners with a yen for world music, as well as curious stragglers from the classical Indian world dominated by Ravi Shankar (another indefatigable champion of East-West fusions). by Richard S. Ginell

Tracklist:

1. La Dance Du Bonheur 4:48

 (J.McLaughlin-L.Shankar)

2. Lady L 7:23

 (L.Shankar)

3. India 13:31

 (J.McLaughlin-L.Shankar)

4. Kriti 2:58

 (Traditional South Indian Composition arr. by J.McLaughlin-L.Shankar)

5. Isis 15:11

 (J.McLaughlin-L.Shankar)

6. Two Sisters 4:41

 (J.McLaughlin)

Credits

Acoustic Guitar, Producer – John McLaughlin

Ghatam, Mridangam – T. H. Vinayakram

Tabla – Zakir Hussain

Violin – L. Shankar

SHAKTI WITH JOHN McLAUGHLIN - Natural Elements (1977-1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The third and final Shakti recording from the '70s. The songs here are shorter than those on Shakti and Handful of Beauty, but no less impressive. The novelty of combining Eastern and Western musical styles had worn off and McLaughlin sounds comfortable. This allows for memorable compositions and interchanges, rather than the blistering virtuosity that characterized the first two releases. From the intense ("Daffodil and the Eagle") to the joyful ("Happiness Is Being Together"), Natural Elements stands as a milestone in McLaughlin's illustrious career. by Robert Taylor

Tracklist:

1 Mind Ecology 5:47

2 Face To Face 5:57

3 Come On Baby Dance With Me 1:56

4 The Daffodil And The Eagle 7:00

5 Happiness Is Being Together 4:27

6 Bridge Of Sighs 3:52

7 Get Down And Sruti 7:00

8 Peace Of Mind 3:22

Credits

Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – John McLaughlin

Ghatam, Percussion [Nal], Kanjira [Kanjeera], Jew's Harp

 [Moorsing (Juice Harp)], Vocals – T.H. Vinayakram

Tabla, Timbales, Bongos, Dholak, Percussion [Nal], Triangle, Vocals – Zakir Hussain

Violin, Viola, Vocals – L. Shankar

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN WITH THE ONE TRUTH BAND - Electric Dreams (1978-1992) RM / FLAC (tracks), lossless

At this point, it is easy to see that the John McLaughlin story has become a peripatetic journey of electric-acoustic switchbacks, with the formation of the One Truth Band that plays on this LP being just another short chapter in the saga. And this time, McLaughlin is thoroughly in charge: there is little of the competitive dueling or tightly drilled, high-volume unison lines of the past; it's the guitarist and his sidemen, although sometimes keyboardist Stu Goldberg steps out with some wicked chops. McLaughlin returns Miles Davis' favor of naming a piece on Bitches Brew after him by turning the tables, and indeed, "Miles Davis" often has the loose, jamming feeling (and a quote of "It's About That Time") of the maestro's own jazz-rock sessions. There are also some aftershocks from the Shakti experience on "Love and Understanding." For the most part, though, McLaughlin conforms to the controlled funk and electronic sounds of the times, with generally more restraint and a considerable musical payoff. by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist:
1 Guardian Angels 0:52
Written-By – J. McLaughlin
2 Miles Davis 4:54
Written-By – J. McLaughlin
3 Electric Dreams, Electric Sighs 6:27
Written-By – J. McLaughlin
4 Desire And The Comforter 7:35
Written-By – J. McLaughlin
5 Love And Understanding 6:39
Acoustic Bass, Bass [Fender] – Fernando Saunders
Written-By – J. McLaughlin
6 Singing Earth 0:38
Written-By – S. Goldberg
7 The Dark Prince 5:17
Written-By – J. McLaughlin
8 The Unknown Dissident 6:18
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Written-By – J. McLaughlin
Credits:
Drums, Vocals – Tony Smith
Electric Piano, Synthesizer [Moog With Steiner Parker Modifications & Prophet], Organ [Hammond] – Stu Goldberg
Guitar [6 +12 + 13 Strings], Acoustic Guitar, Banjo – John McLaughlin
Percussion, Cymbal [Amplified Chinese] – Alyrio Lima
Producer – John McLaughlin
Violin [Acoustic & Electric] – L. Shankar

REMEMBER SHAKTI - Remember Shakti (1999) 2CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

On Remember Shakti, jazz guitarist John McLaughlin returns to one of his chief inspirations -- classical Indian music -- by re-forming his '70s group Shakti. Original members Zakir Hussain (tabla) and Vikku Vinayakram (ghatam) return, joined by Hariprasad Chaurasia on the bansuri (Indian flute). Remember Shakti has a more meditative, fluid feel than the percussive work of the original group, but McLaughlin's subtle, hypnotic guitar work bridges Shakti's past and present. Remember Shakti's double-disc length gives the group ample time to explore the intricacies of compositions like "The Wish," "Chandrakauns," and the hour-plus "Mukti." An emotionally rich, musically accomplished album, Remember Shakti reunites a unique group of players. by Heather Phares
Tracklist:
1-1 Chandrakauns 33:35
1-2 The Wish 18:40
1-3 Lotus Feet 7:33
2-1 Mukti 63:30
2-2 Zakir 9:10
Credits:
Bansuri – Hariprasad Chaurasia (tracks: 1-1, 1-3 to 2-2)
Ghatam – T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram (tracks: 1-2 to 2-1)
Guitar – John McLaughlin (tracks: 1-2 to 2-2)
Tabla – Zakir Hussain (tracks: 1-1 to 2-1)
Tambura [Tanpura] – Uma Metha (tracks: 1-1, 1-3)
Written-By – Hariprasad Chaurasia (tracks: 1-1, 2-1), John McLaughlin (tracks: 1-2, 1-3, 2-2)

REMEMBER SHAKTI - Saturday Night In Bombay (2001) APE (image+.cue), lossless

John McLaughlin brought his revived Indo-jazz project Shakti to Bombay (Mumbai) in late 2000, and the result is this live disc, which features only four compositions but runs over an hour in length. (The title is a deliberate play on 1980's Friday Night in San Francisco.) McLaughlin's electric guitar and Zakir Hussain's tabla remain at the core of the group's sound. U. Shrinivas (on mandolin) and V. Selvaganesh (on kanjira, ghatam, and mridangam, all Indian percussion instruments) remain from the previous album, but there are also a number of Indian guest musicians, giving the music many added dimensions. The most remarkable guests are Debashish Bhattacharya on Hindustani slide guitar, Shankar Mahadevan on vocals, and Shiv Kumar Sharma on santur, an Indian hammered dulcimer. Sharma composed the second track, "Shringar"; nearly half an hour long, it consists almost entirely of a hypnotic dialogue between santur and guitar. Mahadevan's vocal performance on the opening "Luki" resounds with spiritual power, while Shrinivas's "Giriraj Sudha" gives a sunny, optimistic lift to the somewhat mournful set. by David R. Adler
Tracklist:
1 Luki 5:39
2 Shringar 26:38
3 Giriraj Sudha 10:45
4 Bell'Alla 18:48
Personnel:

Guitar – John McLaughlin

Kanjira – V. Selvaganesh

Mandolin – U. Shrinivas (tracks: 1, 3, 4)

Tabla – Zakir Hussain

Vocals – Shankar Mahadevan (tracks: 1, 3, 4)

JOHN McLAUGHLIN / SHANKAR MAHADEVAN / ZAKIR HUSSAIN - Is That So? (2020) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Is That So? is a six-years-in-the-making collaborative album by guitarist John McLaughlin (who turned 78 a week before its release), Indian composer and singer Shankar Mahadevan, and tabla master Zakir Hussain. In 2013, McLaughlin was touring with Mahadevan in the revamped Shakti lineup. Completely blown away by the singer's voice, writing, and performance style, McLaughlin was eager to collaborate on something new. He'd had a career-long ambition to wed classical Indian raga to Western harmony. With Hussain in the original 1974 Shakti lineup, the band's music was acoustic and free of Western harmonic concepts, wrapped instead around Indo-jazz fusion.
This group experiments with form and function: They regard musicality as an expression of the sacred. McLaughlin's guitars sound like synthesizers throughout; they are not really solo instruments but harmonic companions for Mahadevan's singing. Hussain's tablas are completely improvised. Opener "Zakir," with its wafting string-and-synth-like sounds, is given heft via Mahadevan's amazing voice, phrasing, and control; it's at once spiritual, soulful, and free of earthly constraints. The integration of East and West is seamless and immediate, and it sounds like the trio has been recording this way for decades. "Tara" is an entreaty and paean to the deity Radha. It's a request to grant the supplicant musical ability for sacred reasons. It comes across as a long cue in a film score, but as McLaughlin constructs the sonic backdrop for Mahadevan's lyric as a sensual petition that not only extends but expands, and becomes entwined with, the musical backing. "The Search" is an Alap lyrical improvisation in a Raag Todi. An alap is the opening section typical in North Indian classical music performances; it's a melodic improv form that serves to create a foundation for the emergent raga. At nearly 11 minutes, it offers a long, moody intro before wafting guitar synth, droning tanpura, and Hussain's tablas establish a complex, slowly unfurling groove. It's alternately moody, earthy, and painfully tender. Closer "The Beloved," at over nine minutes, sounds -- at least initially -- like film music, with lush, harmonic guitar presented on the frontline alongside Mahadevan's almost unbearably beautiful singing. As erotic and sensory as it sounds to those who don't understand Hindi, it's actually a gorgeous prayer. The lyrics offer a fountain of emotionally free yet disciplined praise, affirmation, and petition; the ghostly guitars and rumbling tablas erect a lush harmonic floor that moves the tune in the direction of jazz, though it never fully arrives. McLaughlin's guitar synth peppers the tablas with quick, deft lines and tonal angles. Is That So? is a lovely yet radical and provocative departure for McLaughlin, and one he freely acknowledges longtime fans may not enjoy. It's easy to see his point, but an honest approach to this quietly astonishing music should result in delight for most open-minded listeners. by Thom Jurek  
Tracklist:
1 Kabir 7:27
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
2 Sakhi 8:26
Zakir Hussain / Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
3 Tara 8:32
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
4 The Search 10:49
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
5 The Guru 7:08
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
6 The Beloved 9:25
Shankar Mahadevan / John McLaughlin
Credits:

Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer [Guitar Synth], Orchestrated By [Orchestrations] – John McLaughlin

Tabla – Zakir Hussain

Voice – Shankar Mahadevan

Written-By – John McLaughlin (tracks: 1, 3 to 6), Shankar Mahadevan (tracks: 1, 3 to 6)