TOKYO LIVE

The Free Spirits Trio plays live in Japan. McLaughlin plays electric guitar, fast and energetic, as in his early years. Unhappily, main music is built by Joey DeFrancesco Hammond organ. All but one compositions are written by McLaughlin. Music in total sounds as be-bop/ fusion with minimalistic sound, filled by vintage keyboards soloing.

Many compositions have a blues based structure, and even if musicianship is very competent, all album sounds very dated as for year 1994. Could attract McLaughlin collectors and searchers of vintage minimalistic jazz fusion with accent on jazzy side.

This album reminds me just how much I love good a good Hammond player in a jazz group. And Joey DeFrancesco may be one of the best. He certainly proves here that he can keep up with the amazing John McLaughlin. And all while also covering the bass lines with his left hand!

This album has a good helping of bluesy jazz, highlighted by the rockin' opener 1 Nite Stand and Miles Davis' No Blues. But the highlights are the spectacular speed playing by McLaughlin and DeFrancesco on Hijacked, Juju at the Crossroads, Vukovar and Mattinale. Whew! Although there is speed, the tone of the organ and guitar never allow the music to become bombastic, and for once, I like it that way.

The only song that doen't quite grab me is the romantic ballad, When Love Is Far Away, which features DeFrancesco on trumpet. WHile he can surely play the horn , he's much better at the keyboard.