Santana & McLaughlin: Live at Montreux 2011—Invitation to Illumination

Four decades after they released Love Devotion Surrender (1973), guitarists Carlos Santana and John MacLauglin joined forces at the 2011 Montreux Jazz Festival for a fusion-filled set, backed by a band that features guitar (Tommy Anthony), bass (Benny Rietveld and Etienne M'Bappé), keyboards (David K. Matthews), percussion (Raul Rekow), and drums (Dennis Chambers and Cindy Blackman Santana, Carlos's wife). After an introduction from fest founder Claude Nobs, the white-clad players launch into McLaughlin's "The Life Divine," with chant-like vocals from John and backup singer Andy Vargas (Nobs returns to play harmonica during the encore). The chanting brings Pharoah Sanders to mind, so it seems entirely fitting when they later cover Sanders's "The Creator Has a Master Plan" with vocals from Tony Lindsay. The band also performs a familiar number, although it doesn't reveal itself right away: a stately jazz take on Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," which is part of a five-song medley. Other selections in the 16-song set include Elvin Jones's "Downstairs" and Tony Williams's "Vuelta Abajo," which provides a showcase for Matthews and Blackman Santana. Towards the end of the concert, the band slows things down for some flamenco-flavored acoustic selections, before picking up the pace again for rousing renditions of Miles Davis's "Black Satin" and John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme." Presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, this is recommended. (K. Fennessy)