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.
McLaughlin'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
McLaughlin 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," with
Zakir Hussein,
Nishat Khan, and
Trilok Gurtu, looks deeply into Indian classical music balanced by a European gaze.
McLaughlin'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
McLaughlin'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 read by
Susana Beatrix as an end cap. Ultimately,
The Promise stands as one of
McLaughlin's towering achievements as a guitarist and leader. ~ Thom Jurek
