Absolute Beauty and Perfection
Jeff Grimm | New Jersey | 03/20/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The name John McLaughlin alone sends chills up my spine.Being a serious jazz guitarist myself,I find that John's music,from "Extrapolation" on has been a great journey.One in which he continues to grow and transform himself from album to album.The group Shakti,could be the greatest fusion combination ever.Their technical ability is unmatched,their communication with one another is telepathic,and their passion is nirvanic.They wrote some of the most absolutely beautiful and spiritual music that has ever graced this planet.This album is the sum of all parts of Shakti.The explosive melodies of The Daffodil & The Eagle,the rhythmic punch of Get Down and Sruti,The passion of Face to Face,and the poise and eloquence of Peace of Mind.This is the type of recording that seems to come out of a dream.A magical dream.And McLaughlin it seems,never loses touch with the spiritual and human side of music,whereas some of his peers who have the theoretical and technical abilities tend to give way to more glossy,flashy compositions with lots of notes but no real voice or message.McLaughlin remains the zenith of musical expression in my eyes.I recommend this album to any musician and non-musician alike who wishes to hear what heavenly ethereal beauty sounds like."
This will be my fourth purchase
john doh | 11/17/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is my fourth purchase of this phenomenal album. Originally, I bought a cassette of it when it was relegated to the bargain bin many years ago. When I first played the album, I thought "oh no, another waste of money. No wonder it was so cheap" However, after listening to it again, the album got better. Each time I listened to it, it got better, and better, until I was taking it to workouts, and playing it during my spirited drives up mountainous roads. The power, grace and beauty of this music is something to behold. It is so inspiring, and stimulating, that I wore out two cassettes, and a vinyl album. Hopefully, this CD with last a bit longer. In this particular album, I think Shakti reached its zenith. The sound is unlike any other, and the quality is consistent throughout. Each player is a virtuoso in his own right, and the combination of them playing in feverish harmony is just mindboggling. It's very hard to describe, but if you can image four virtuosos playing at the limits of their instuments, and in perfect unison, then you get some idea. Truly and important work of art."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1