AFTER THE RAIN

This is McLaughlin on electric guitar; the playing is absolutely 1st class, Mclaughlin being joined by Elvin Jones - no introduction necessary - and Joey DeFrancesco, previously unknown to me, but here giving an absolute 5 star performance on Hammond (listen to "Take the Coltrane"). This is musicianship of the very highest level as the trio re-work a number of old standards, including a great rendition of "My Favourite Things". You need to be aware though this really is a jazz album, it's not "fusion" or in any noticeable way reminiscent of Mahavishnu. For that reason I give it 4 stars here on PA - you can't really call it a prog masterpeice - but on every other level it's an absolute 5 star, gold plated gem.

Ace guitarist John McLaughlin gave his nimble fingers a well-earned rest for this session, recorded live in the studio over two days in October 1994. Joining him were Joey DeFrancesco on Hammond organ and the legendary Elvin Jones behind the drumkit: not exactly your typical power trio (note the lack of a bass player).

The performances, as you would expect, are above criticism: McLaughlin has rarely played a wrong note over his long and varied career, and his skills are evenly matched here against two seasoned veterans. But the music itself is hardly what anyone would call challenging, and likely wasn't meant to be. At its best the album offers little more than a reliably polite reading of various cocktail-lounge instrumentals, hard to appreciate without a tested jazz palate.

And the production isn't exactly ideal. The smooth-as-silk style of Elvin Jones' drumming favors a ride cymbal that tends to smother other frequencies in a steady hiss of white noise. And McLaughlin's electric guitar is often pushed into the background mix by his own somewhat muted audio settings.

In the end there isn't much to be said about a collection featuring a tune ("My Favorite Things") lifted from "The Sound of Music", maybe the high water mark of wide-screen Hollywood schmaltz. Fans who share McLaughlin's passion for pure jazz will find much to admire here, but anyone looking for something a little more cutting-edge is aiming for disappointment.

There's something about the jazz organ that just pulls me in. And after Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco is one of the coolest. So teaming him with John Mclaughlin and the great Elvin Jones should produce a winner. And it has.

Bear in mind that this is by no means a prog or fusion album. This is pure be-bop. In fact, the majority of the album seems to be something of a tribute to John Coltrane. Three of the nine songs were written by Coltrane, plus they do a fine version of My Favorite Things, a Coltrane favorite.

McLaughlin sounds like he is enjoying himself immensely on the album, playing beautiful melodies and amazingly fast solos effortlessly. And Elvin Jones is just Elvin Jones. 'Nuff said.

As a jazz album, this would rate five stars to me. But here...

I seem to be hopelessly addicted to hear and evaluate just about any release that crosses my path - usually on others' recommendation. It's rather time consuming and only occasionally a fully satisfying experience. This in turn may lead to a degree of prolonged frustration. My birthday was coming up and I decided to treat myself to something sinfully enjoyable, for a change. You know, a bottle of decent red, a decadent pig-out at dinner time and this album to top it up with in place of dessert.

Recorded nearly 20 years ago, I consider "After The Rain" as McLaughlin's finest work since the Mahavishnu, Shakti period. Dedicated to the memory of John Coltrane, the album is a brave deviation from just playing Coltrane tunes the way the man did. No, this album is totally different and it works miracles. For starters, there is no sax featured in a tribute to the great sax player!

Undoubtedly, a most unexpected star of this trio is Joey DeFrancesco on Hammond B3. Actually, it's not a Hammond, but a Yamaha B3, built to fill the gap after Hammond stopped production and it's a superb machine with a rich sound that any purist would take to without reservations. In the hands of DeFrancesco it practically steals the show. Not that it would leave McLaughlin idle, who plays in a tastefully modest and elegant manner. Add Coltrane's former drummer Elvin Jones to the mix and you have a sensational album. From the first note to the last, it is pure delight, short of nectar to the ears.

Highly recommended.