Abstract Logix ABLX 027 | John McLaughlin (g), Gary Husband (kys, d), Etienne M’Bappe (b) and Mark Mondesir (d). Rec. 2009

From the opening track ‘Discovery’ this album means business and provides ample evidence that good ld j k ti old jazz-rock still has the power to reach parts other genres of jazz are unable to reach. Perhaps it is the power electric instruments can generate and the drama they create when harnessed to rhythmic energy that stirs something primal within. But whatever the reason, there are no shortage of exciting moments here. Much of that is down to McLaughlin himself who simply refuses to coast, surrounding himself with young musicians who he expects to challenge him.

Taking as his starting point the inspiration he has derived over the years from the spiritual intensity of John Coltrane, the album is an odyssey through McLaughlin’s spiritual awakening and the meaning it has had in his music. From the raunchy jam of ‘The Fine Line’ to more complex pieces such as ‘Recovery’ and the title track, McLaughlin is at front and centre of an album where he may be looking into the future but often ends up playing his past, such as bluesey phrases that sometimes mutate into Indian-inspired melodies that reflect his love and mastery of Indian music or the blistering technique he brought to jazz which made him one of the most imitated guitarists in jazz (and rock). Stuart Nicholson