John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension's "Now Here This"
It's been two years since John McLaughlin released the highly acclaimed To the One (Abstract Logix, 2010) - his first studio recording with The 4th Dimension, the veteran guitar innovator's second longest-standing group since the east-meets-west fusion of Shakti. Comments like "…listening to his improvisations…leaves no doubt that [McLaughlin] is in inspired creative form," (Ian Patterson, AllAboutJazz.com), and "…this tight 40-minute document hums with a collaborative energy." (John Fordham, The Guardian) left little doubt that McLaughlin's return to the electrified fusion he first innovated more than 40 years ago in groups led by trumpet icon Miles Davis and drum legend Tony Williams - and, of course, with his own earth-shattering Mahavishnu Orchestra - was as inimitably electrifying and exhilarating as ever. While Now Here This reflects a slightly (but significantly) altered 4th Dimension - specifically the recruitment of powerhouse India