One of
John McLaughlin's guiding principles is based on an aphorism from composer
Igor Stravinsky: "It's through restraints that I will find my freedom." In a career entering its seventh decade,
McLaughlin has applied his understanding of conventional rhythm and harmony to find his path toward musical freedom.
Liberation Time was (mostly) recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic, when human interaction was governed by new rules. He felt his only response -- and he considers
Liberation Time exactly that -- was to make music with friends through headphones. With seven tracks recorded in Monaco, Paris, London, Cairo, and Los Angeles, and three different ensembles,
McLaughlin and his collaborators solidly engage electric jazz as their engine of creativity.
"As the Spirit Sings" weds post-bop and fusion. A downward moving head stated by
McLaughlin expands almost immediately atop
Vinnie Colaiuta's superb drumming. That theme evolves into a spiky, at times ferocious guitar solo.
Sam Burgess' furious upright pizzicato playing bridges the guitarist and drummer as pianist
Gary Husband expands the tune's harmonic foundation with deft chords and fills before delivering a labyrinthine solo. This group offers an entirely different approach on "Singing Our Secrets." It commences as a ballad full of canny interplay between pianist and guitarist.
Burgess utters an airy vamp that
Colaiuta syncopates, encircles, and extends, allowing for fine solos from the frontline as it changes tempo and dynamic. "Lockdown Blues" is performed by
Fourth Dimension --
McLaughlin's 21st century band -- with
Husband on piano/keys, electric bassist
Etienne MBappe, and drummer/vocalist
Ranjit Barot. It's a joyous, aggressive, and often angular refraction of blues tropes and themes woven through knotty fusion and post-bop. A funky interlude finds
Barot's rhythmic singing in a punchy duet with his drum kit before the band carries the tune out. There are two brief graceful, airy solo piano pieces here -- "Mila Repa" and "Shade of Blue," both recorded 40 years ago. They serve as deliberate pauses, moments of distilled music-making. "Right Here, Right Now, Right On," featuring drummer
Nicolas Viccaro, upright bassist
Jerome Regard, tenor saxophonist
Julian Siegel, and pianist
Oz Ezzeldin, is a consummate exposition of 21st century post-bop. Full of tight twists and turns, its knotty head, fingerpopping rhythmic palette, and dazzling solo work from the pianist, saxophonist, and guitarist offers swinging sophistication as well as excitement. The title-track closer is a jazz fusion sprint with
McLaughlin stating the theme in staccato style, propelled by
Colaiuta's virtuosic drumming and
Burgess' elastic circular bassline.
Husband comps with expanded chords and the guitarist evolves his theme into a complex solo criss-crossing bop, post-bop, blues, and prog rock. The rhythm section forces him onto a ledge and he responds with incendiary verve. At under 40 minutes,
Liberation Time is relatively brief but free of excess. Despite employing three very different ensembles,
McLaughlin delivers a focused album that is as dazzling as it is thought provoking. ~ Thom Jurek
