CARLOS SANTANA & JOHN MCLAUGHLIN: LOVE DEVOTION SURRENDER

Two virtuoso guitarists with a common spiritual lean collaborate to pay tribute to their spiritual leader. Devadip and the Mahavishnu were together at last. The album they created was ambitious, and they certianly didn't disappoint with Love, Devotion, and Surrender.

The powerful opening of "A Love Supreme" showed that McLaughlin's presence clearly pushed Santana into playing much more technically. The same could be said of Santana's presence pushing the Mahavishnu into playing more passionately. That is the beauty of such a collaboration. They also managed to capture some real tender magic on "Naima" as well. John Coltrane would have been proud of those performances.

"The Life Devine" and "Let's Go Into the House of the Lord" show the guitarists warmed up and ready to go. Their styles compliment each other beautifully and show us why they are among the very best ever on 6 strings with tons of fire and passion. "Meditation" ends the album with another tender moment and some beautiful Spanish guitar. It gives the listener a chance to catch to relax after all the breathtaking electric guitar that preceded it.

Love, Devotion, and Surrender is much more than an album for guitarists. There are some magical moments on this album that showed the true potential of music as a powerful and spiritual force. It is highly recommended for progressive music fans.