FunkFreak75 I received this album in the mail as the Columbia Record Club's "Record of the Month." I'd heard Santana's hits--even the long versions on our local album-oriented FM station, WABX--and I was already a big fan of Latin rhythms due to my dad's obsession with Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass and Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66--which he blasted on his stereo quite often in the late 60s. But I was not, by any means, prepared for what Love Devotion Surrender unleashed. Even when I saw McLaughlin and his double neck guitar with Mahavishnu Orchestra doing things that I didn't understand on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert later in the year I couldn't comprehend what I was seeing. I think this is why this album didn't quite click with me for a while. I listened to it--a lot (I didn't own many albums at this time--though I had a pretty hot Soul/R&B collection in 45s). I always thought that I was listening to two guitarists of two completely different levels of competency. I didn't know Coltrane or his works and had only begun to know some jazz and fusion but loved guitarists (Jeff Beck mostly), so I stuck with it. After the 70s, the album pretty much fell off my radar. Until a few years ago, I don't think I'd heard it for over 30 years. Now I listen to it with a sense of awe and wonder. I feel so fortunate that we have this testament to the genius and inspiration of all of these masters in their peak years of adventurosity. Larry Young. Dougie Rauch. (Both taken from us far too soon--and both among my very favorite 1970s instrumentalists.) Billy Cobham. Don Alias. Michael Shrieve. Mingo Lewis. Jan Hammer. The album (and my worship for John McLaughlin) even prompted my visit to Sri Chimnoy's vegan restaurant in Haight Ashbury the first time I ever visited SF. Now I find myself listening to it multiple times per month. It is, to my mind, to my heart, one of the peak achievements in jazz-rock fusion collaborations. Yes, I wish I had more control of the sound mix (I want so badly to listen to JUST Dougie Rauch and JUST Larry Young and JUST Billy C.) but I'm just so fortunate to have it all that I won't complain. For people in the know, Larry's organ play magically provided a bridge between the two guitarists and their individual styles--with Larry's two hands somehow representing each one of the leaders. But this is difficult for the unschooled, ignorant listener to pick up due partly to the often poor mix of the individual instrumentalists.

1. "A Love Supreme" (7:48) a masterful condensed rendition of the Coltrane classic that does a great job of capturing the essence of the original while being elevated and celebrated by these two spiritually-infused guitarists. The opening alone does an amazing job of announcing what the listener is in for: not your typical Santana album! Organist Khalid Yasim (formerly known as "Larry Young") gets the honor of playing a little while the expanded band takes their time gelling and grooving. Then it's off to the races as John and Carlos take turns of about 10-to-20 seconds each in a noncompetitive duel of ascendent transcendence. The choral chant of the title begins in the sixth minute while Khalid gets another chance to show off his amazing skills. (14/15)

2. "Naima" (3:09) acoustic guitar duets don't get much more beautiful than this. Beautiful respite between the two bookends of Side One. (9.25/10)

3. "The Life Devine" (9:30) the drumming and percussion play on this one is alone worth the price of admission, but then you get John and Carlos--and Larry! and Armando and Mingo--and "the note"! (at the end of the fourth minute). The best engineered (though still lacking) and most fully-invested feeling song of the album. The band was obviously warmed up by this point--and the soloists on firing on all cylinders. (19.5/20)

4. "Let Us Go into the House of the Lord" (15:45) John's domination of the song's first four-minutes is a bit excessive (and selfish?) but he was probably just in "the zone." After this, the song just really kicks in with everybody just smooth-groovin' beneath and with Carlos--until the second half of the sixth minute when Khalid, Billy, Shrieve, and the percussionists start to play. When John re-takes the lead at the end of the seventh minute it is tasteful and only to open the way for Khalid to take off. What a solo! (Too bad his volume is mixed beneath that of the percussion and guitarists playing rhythm chords.) With all that Afro-Latin rhythm around him he probably couldn't help being inspired. It's not until well into the 12th minute that the two guitarists start "duelling" i.e. playing off one another--both displaying incredible moments of tenderness and melodic beauty in their still-fiery play. I really like the extended/prolonged ending. Not the best song on the album--nor the best sound engineering--but still a treasure for capturing these two at this particularly numinous point in both of their lives. (28/30)

5. "Meditation" (2:45) John on gentle piano chord play while Carlos expresses his profound inspiration and gratitude with a steel-string acoustic guitar. I simply can't find a flaw with this one--nor a reason to devalue it as less than a full, completed song composition. (10/10)

Total Time 38:57

I love the beautiful two acoustic pieces--especially John's "Meditation"--and "Let Us Go Into The House of The Lord" may just be my favorite jazz-fusion jam of all-time. And give me those Santana conga and bass lines all day long! I feed off of them!

A/five stars; I have absolutely no reservations about proclaiming this album, flawed as it may be, a masterpiece of progressive jazz-rock fusion music, a pinnacle and landmark of the jazz-rock fusion "movement."

js Love Devotion and Surrender” is an odd one in the Carlos Santana discography. Released in 1973 when jazz fusion had hit a popularity peak and had enticed rockers like Carlos and Jeff Beck to take part in the genre, this will be one of a few full fusion albums that Carlos will release during this time. Santana is joined on here by the flamboyant John McLaughlin as they pay tribute to both John Coltrane and Sri Chimnoy. The spiritual jazz of Coltrane and Pharoh Sanders is a big influence on here, but so is the macho rockin jazz fusion of the day, making for a sometimes clumsy hybrid.

The album opens with Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme”, which is given a huge electric mystical 70s hippie sound that is attractive at first, but as McLaughlin and Santana flail at each other with ill-advised lick trading exercises, the track becomes more of an athletic workout than something more musical. Fortunately this is the only song on which they ‘battle’ each other in this fashion. “Naima” is played acoustically and in very good taste, but their performance doesn’t offer anything new to this often recorded ballad. Side one closes out with “The Life Divine”, on which the two guitarists get to stretch out without the annoying frantic lick trading of the opening cut. Many great drummers are credited on this album, but there is no doubt that it is Billy Cobham on “Life Divine”, his distinctive drum roll makes it obvious.

Side two is taken up mostly with “Let Us Go into the House of the Lord”, possibly the best track on the album and one in which the two guitarists are allowed to stretch out unfettered and finally organist Larry Young is allowed to take a ride. Larry eschews the more rockin style of his band mates and turns in the most interesting solo on the album. Unfortunately, the last part of his solo is almost buried by McLaughlin’s insistent rhythm playing. The album closes with another short ballad featuring McLaughlin’s rather pedestrian piano playing.

The opening of this album promises good things to come with its big open psychedelic sound and spirited energy, but as things develop, many of the solos are not that interesting as they lean heavily on repeating rock riffs delivered with the subtlety of a sledge hammer. All of the performers could have done well to pay attention to Larry Young’s approach as he swells in and out of the mix adding tamboura like colors that blend well with the electric guitars and the multitude of percussion. Very much a product of its time, “Love, Devotion and Surrender” is for those who like the excesses that marked what was both good and bad musically in the 70s.

seyo After disastrous "Shango", Carlos Santana recorded "Havana Moon" as a solo album, with many celebrated guests. It is slightly better than "Shango", if nothing then for the sheer change of style, leaning more towards blues and R'n'B. This album is, again, nothing special but it is pleasant to listen, especially the joyful covers of "Who Do You Love" or the title track. Inclusion of a different, live version of "Tales of Kilimanjaro" (originally appeared on "Zebop!" by Santana band in 1981) makes this record gain an affirmative mark, but you won't miss a thing if you avoid it. For fans only.

seyo Essential fusion record which is a must for any decent jazz rock/fusion collection, "Love, Devotion, Surrender" is not an easy listen. It takes more than a few spins to appreciate. However, I will not rate it with full 5 stars due to somewhat overdone vocals and here and there typically unneeded McLaughlin's guitar extravagant soloing. But, everything else, meaning: the invocation of John Coltrane spirit, compositions, performances and overall sound and feel are perfect and it is highly recommended. This album is also a testament to the time when both artists adopted their famous second names Devadip and Mahavishnu respectively, under the influence of their guru Sri Chinmoy.

Warthur The combination of Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin, together with members of both men's respective bands, producing an album revisiting the music of John Coltrane proves to be less than the sum of its parts. The fusion treatment of Coltrane's works is interesting, but can hardly stand up to Coltrane's original performances - I personally find that, perhaps because they were composed long before the fusion revolution, the songs fit much better in an older tradition of experimental jazz and don't translate well to a fusion treatment. As for the original pieces, you're left with the impression that both men were keeping the best material back for their day jobs. An interesting collaboration, but not an essential one.

Slartibartfast Lots of good music happens at the Montreaux Jazz Festivals. I'm a little envious of those who can attend regularly. According to the DVD cover blurb for this one:

"It began almost as a lark when Carlos Santana encountered his longtime friend and hero Wayne Shorter on the concert trail in Atlanta, GA, in 1987. Carlos said, "Let's start a rumor that we're putting a band together."

Wayne's eyes got bigger and brighter as he smiled and then responded: "Yeah, Carlos, let's start a rumor."

A few months later the Carlos Santana/Wayne Shorter Band performed its debut concert at The Fillmore in San Francisco, the beginning of a 26-concert tour throughout the U.S. and Europe. The performance of this magnificent band was recorded at Montreux, Switzerland, on July 14, 1988, and includes interviews with Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter and festival creator Claude Nobs."

Excuse me if I quoted that too extensively.

Hard to figure out whether to place this one under Carlos Santana or Santana. Most of the musicians are from the Santana band at the time. Wayne Shorter and Patrice Rushen are special guests. Leon "Ndugu" Chancellor replaces Graham Lear on drums.

This is a lot jazzier than the studio albums Santana was releasing at the time. It's something special to see this one time collaboration between Santana and Shorter. The quality of the video and audio are top notch.