Personnel: John McLaughlin (acoustic & electric guitars); Kai Eckhardt (electric bass); Trilok Gurtu (percussion).
Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall, London, England on November 27, 1989.
John McLaughlin, known for his successful experiments with rock fusion, Indian modal music, orchestral music, and Spanish guitar stylings, here plays virtuoso jazz on acoustic guitar, accompanied by the brilliant electric bass player Kai Eckhardt and Trilok Gurtu's unique, spellbinding percussion. They perform mostly original tunes, at once complex, rhythmically diverse, harmonically advanced, and beautifully melodic.
The group really burns on "Florianapolis" and "Mother Tongues," the latter of which features blazing solos by all three players. The concert ends with a moving blues for the then- Polish Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, where McLaughlin's haunting, melancholy playing soars with passion. The tune climaxes with a wonderful vocal duet between the guitarist and Gurtu.
Professional Reviews
Q - 3 Stars - Good
Down Beat (8/90) - 3 Stars - Good - "...places McLaughlin in a jazz/ethnic/ fusion environment."
