If it is true that this concert represents John McLaughlin’s last US tour, you’ve got to admit that he went out in style, both rocking and swinging. Recorded at San Francisco’s The Warfield back in Dec 8, 2017, McLaughlin and his 4th Dimension (Ranjit Barot/dr-knokol, Gary Husband/key, Etienne M’Bappe/b) joins forces with Jimmy Herring’s Invisible Whip (Jason Crosby/vi-key, Kevin Scott/b, Jeff Sipe/dr and Matt Slocum/B3-key) for a testosterone filled evening of the best that jazz-rock has to offer.
Thankfully, McLaughlin gives the fans the red meat that it begs for, emphasizing material from the first two Mahavishnu albums. Thus, you get a 1-2 BAM & POW punch and the aggressive “Meeting of the Spirits”, a searing “and driving “A Lotus on Irish Strems” and ominously trudging “Dance of Maya” from the first album and a gloriously frantic “Birds of Fire” on the followup. Dramatic thunder from the keyboards dominate on “Eternity’s Breath” with the band rockingly exhaling and inhaling on “Earth Shop.” After a breather on the softer “Earth Ship,” the closing “Be Happy” includes festive Konokol vocals by Barot. All throughout McLaughlin sounds electrifyingly both at peace and inspired, and while he may not have all of the chops he once had (and who else EVER DID?), he still has the vision.
We can only hope that McLaughlin said he would never tour the US again in an electric setting. Maybe there’s hope for some Shakti!!