The Ups and Downs of Carlos Santana
Part Two: Love Devotion Surrender
First Appeared at The Music Box, January 2004, Volume 11, #1
Written by John Metzger
Carlos Santana / John McLaughlin
Love Devotion Surrender
(Columbia/Legacy)
In 1971, John McLaughlin, fresh from an association with Miles Davis, founded
the Mahavishnu Orchestra, which also featured keyboard player Jan Hammer (though
here he adds percussion instead of piano) and drummer Billy Cobham (who also is
an alumnus of Davis’ band). Just as Caravanserai was being released,
Santana further cemented his place within the realm of jazz-fusion by settling
into the studio with this trio of members from the Mahavishnu Orchestra in order
to craft what became Love Devotion Surrender. If there was any doubt that
Santana had come under the influence of John Coltrane, this set dispelled it.
The ensemble reinvents two of Coltrane's classics — Naima and A Love
Supreme. The former is just as lovely as the original, featuring acoustic
guitars instead of saxophone, while the latter is shaped into an edgy rock
instrumental that wouldn’t have sounded out of place if tucked inside a Grateful
Dead rendition of Dark Star, circa 1970. The other notable track on Love Devotion Surrender is Let Us Go into the House of the Lord, a
traditional tune that mirrors an arrangement performed by Pharoah Sanders.
Regardless of this, it’s still an exceptional performance that is infused with
transcendent spirituality. The two bonus tracks reprise each of Coltrane's compositions, and, perhaps, one of Santana’s many concert jams featuring A
Love Supreme would have served the reissue a little better. 
½
Of Further Interest...
Love Devotion Surrender is available
from Barnes & Noble. To order, Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2003 The Music Box