John Mclaughlin - Electric Guitarist • CDs • Vinyl Records • LPs • Music Albums

tied to vaguely spiritual themes. His recent acoustic work with Shakti indicated a return to his best musical instincts, but Electric Guitarist is a major breakthrough. The record documents McLaughlin's reconciliation with Jerry Goodman and Billy Cobham from the old Mahvishnu Orchestra and provides the kind of stylistic self-realization characterized by Jeff Beck's landmark instrumental LP of last year, Wired.

The seven tracks on Electric Guitarist assemble five different groups of the most talented jazz-rock players in the world. "New York on My Mind" is a virtual duplication of the early Mahavishnu sound. McLaughlin's guitar and Goodman's violin re-create that classic clamor, while Cobham's drumming kicks them along, and keyboardist Stu Goldberg plays the Jan Hammer parts flawlessly. Cobham and McLaughlin catch fire on the duet, "Phenomenon: Compulsion," in an astonishing display of all-stops-out soloing–the pair pumping furiously, yet playing with cool precision.

On "Friendship," John McLaughlin is joined by Devadip Carlos Santana, another guitarist whose music has often been subservient to his religious beliefs. The two musicians improvise lyrically on a beautiful theme, exchanging leads over a Latin rhythm section led by conga master Armando Peraza. Santana's longtime musical director, Tom Coster, adds a marvelous organ accompaniment. "Every Tear from Every Eye" features David Sanborn's alto sax sharing the action with McLaughlin.

The album's high point is "Do You Hear the Voices That You Left Behind?," an ingenious restructuring of John Coltrane's monumental "Giant Steps." The song is masterfully constructed, opening with McLaughlin's restrained statement over a crisp cymbal pattern from Jack De Johnette and Chick Corea's slightly dissonant piano. McLaughlin then breaks into a lightning-fast solo with the others sailing along, and Stanley Clarke pins everything down with a double-time walking bass. Corea blocks out chords behind him, momentarily recalling the way these players interacted in the Miles Davis group. After Clarke's bass solo and a furious call and response among all four musicians (Corea on synthesizer), the number finishes with a sustained resolution from McLaughlin.

"Are You the One?