Originally issued in 1996 when he was 54,
The Promise
offers a summation of all the places
John McLaughlin
has been in his career, and points directly toward his future. Featuring a wide range of musicians including appearances by
the Free Spirits
,
the Guitar Trio
, and an electric version of
Shakti
the Promise
is easily the most wide-ranging and diverse offering of
McLaughlin
's long career. Its contents encompass everything from straight post-bop and swinging soul-jazz to fusion to modern takes on East Indian music as it meets the West. As if this weren't enough, there are even moments with spoken word laced throughout, such as a verse of
Dante
read by
Stefania Bombi
toward the end of his scorching, funky, soul-jazz number
"Thelonius Melodius"
with B-3 organist
Joey DeFrancesco
and drummer
Dennis Chambers
. The set kicks off with one of its finest moments, a guitar-to-guitar reading of
John Lewis
'
"Django"
with
Jeff Beck
(bassist
Pino Palladino
, drummer
Mark Mondesir
, and drummer
Tony Hymas
round it out).
Beck
's solo is first; it is expansive as it moves from a gorgeous restating of the melody through slinky harmonic extrapolations.
's answer is ambitious and intuitive. They then move toward one another and the melody, complementing each other perfectly.
"El Ciego"
is a complex, flamenco-tinged jazz number with
trading knotty lines and soulful solos with
Al di Meola
and
Paco de Lucia
.
"Jazz Jungle"
is late 20th century fusion at its blazing best with
Michael Brecker
Chambers
Don Alias
James Genus
, and
Jim Beard
beginning almost nebulously before ratcheting the tempo and idea palettes to dizzying heights (
Brecker
is particularly brilliant).
"The Wish,"
Zakir Hussein
Nishat Khan
Trilok Gurtu
, looks deeply into Indian classical music balanced by a European gaze.
's engagement with
Khan
's sitar creates nearly rapturous expression, all the while contained inside a texture that is as atmospheric as it is exotic.
"Shin Jin Rui"
employs the same band as
"Jazz Jungle,"
with the exception of the saxophone, played by
David Sanborn
. His playing is riskier than on his own records, his alto juxtaposed with
's guitar, a study in funky, electric jazz modernism. The set closes with a lovely all-acoustic reading of
Jimmy Rowles
"The Peacocks"
with guitarist
Phillipe Loi
and bassist
Yan Maresz
, and a verse by
Lorca
Susana Beatrix
as an end cap. Ultimately,
stands as one of
's towering achievements as a guitarist and leader. ~ Thom Jurek