NATURAL ELEMENTS

This album was my introduction to 1) Indian music, 2) tabla/percussion master, Zakir Hussein, 3) the (then) young violin virtuoso who styled himself as simply "Shankar," and, believe it or not, 4) John McLaughlin. Just hearing the combination of all these amazing, exotic instruments (including/especially John's custom-made guitar) was (and still is) a mind-blowing experience, but hearing them play such complicated music with such tightness, and such melodic beauty has landed this album permanently in my all-time top 20. I still get goose bumps every time I hear "Mind Ecology," "Face to Face," or "Peace of Mind"--they are that good, that powerful.

1. "Mind Ecology" (5:48) blasts you away with its amazing sonic onslaught--which seems to beckon one to take up Sufi trance dancing (the whirling dervish). (10/10)

2. "Face to Face" (5:56) is without question one of the most beautiful and technically stunning songs I've ever heard. McLaughlin's strumming, alone, takes one to another dimension! Music in absolute perfection! (11/10)

3. "Come on Baby, Dance with Me" (1:57) is a lot like a brief jazz rondo piece where each of the instruments takes turns carrying the main melody line before gelling to repeat it as an ensemble. Amazing technical feat! (4.5/5)

4. "The Daffodil and the Eagle" (7:01) feels as if some Indian musicians are laying around in the shade on a scaldingly hot day playing some lazy blues, then getting revved up, they take each other to task, first picking up the pace, then really sitting up and trying to out do one another. That fourth minute is so exhilarating to hear! Very bluesy, very McLaughlin-like. Shankar really blazes on this one. Really fun! (13.33333/15)

5. "Happiness Is Being Together" (4:27) begins like something out of a Santana or South American song catalogue--a mariachi, perhaps? I get so mesmerized when John McLaughlin is strumming! Another Shankar showpiece. (Or is that Itzhak Pehrlman? Wow!) John, in turn, is so cool and at ease--and so Spanish! (8.875/10)

6. "Bridge of Sighs" (3:52) slows it down to a very emotional pace with a very JONI MITCHELL feel. The space in this song is its most beautiful part--where its emotion really presents itself. The musicians get to show off the subtle dynamics they are able to coax out of their instruments on this one. (9/10)

7. "Get Down and Sruti" (7:01) is the showpiece for Zakir Hussein--one of the preeminent percussionists of the past 50 years. John's obtuse and unpredictable chord choices in the second minute are as mesmerizing as ever. This is followed in the third minute by Shankar's turn to seduce some incredibly slippery notes and runs out of his violin. Next Zakir takes his turn, filling the fourth minute and more with what sounds like herds of scurrying marmots or mongooses. Even Vikku Vinayakram gets a turn on his ceramic and metallic hand percussives (the traditional Carnatic instrument called the ghatam) before the konnakol voice chatter begins. Konnakol is the Carnatic Indian traditional vocalese call-and-response and vocal rhythmic repetitions that are more prominent in future SHAKTI albums and concerts. After this album, John McLaughlin even began working konnakol chatter into his concerts even when it wasn't in a Shakti format! (I have had good fortune and privilege of seeing a few of John's concerts). A song of unearthly musicianship. (13.5/15)

8. "Peace of Mind" (3:21) is an absolutely gorgeous song which seems to truly capture the astounding Beauty of true Peace. (10/10)

Total Time: 39:39

Bravo, Mr. McLaughlin and company. Thank you for this album.

It is hard and beautiful to remember that this is an all-acoustic album and could, therefore, be repeated in concert without the aid of electricity. Something I can't help but think about in these dangerous times: What will my favorite musics sound like in a post-petroleum world? The musicians of India and artists like John McLaughlin, Mickey Hart, Ry Cooder have already provided us with some clues to what that might be like. But rarely with the combination of beauty, joy, and astounding virtuosity of SHAKTI.

A/five stars; a masterpiece of both Jazz-Rock Fusion and East-Meets-West world music and one of my Top 10 Jazz-Rock Fusion Albums of All-time.