The British guitarist really made himself a world-wide reputation with his work with Miles Davis on In A| Silent Way and Bitches Brew and then with the Mahavishnu Orchestra so that he became for many the fusion guitarist. He then surprised these very same people in the mid-70s by forming Shakti, an acoustic group playing Indian music. Here in this double album he reunites with Zakir Hussain (tabla) and T.H. "Viku" Vinayakram (ghatam, a percussion instrument) who were in the group and is joined by special guest Hariprasad Chaurasia (bansuri, a flute-type instrument). They were brought together for a UK tour in 1997 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the independence of India and Pakistan. Recorded live, this is a feast of music, which unlike some attempts by pop groups who grab Indian music and jam it into their music shows just how exciting a meeting of Eastern and Western musicians can be. The playing is as breathtaking as you would expect from musicians of this calibre. Jazz and traditional Indian music combine to make a truly remarkable musical statement. --Phil Brett