In 1970 Devotion was released. Devotion is a hard-driving, spaced-out, distorted hard-jazz-rock album which featured the organist Larry Young, drummer Buddy Miles and from the "where is he now files?", bassist Billy Rich. This album was recorded close to the time period that McLaughlin was jamming with Jimi Hendrix, Young, Miles and Dave Holland. Terrible bootlegs exist of some of the jamming, but, bad sound quality and McLaughlin's guitar on the fritz make the bootlegs a rip-off. Do not buy any!

          Devotion is also sort of a rip-off. But, BUY IT ! McLaughlin has always been angered by the way the producer Alan Douglas mixed this record. Apparently, Douglas spliced bits of music together here and there that were not supposed to be connected. Despite this obvious problem, Devotion is chock full of wonderfully ominous riffs and sounds. Devotion is a block-buster of an album.

          "Marbles" opens up the album and is truly an early fusion masterpiece. (Some CD reissues of Devotion have changed song orders...don't ask me why). Santana and Buddy Miles covered this piece on their live recording.

          McLaughlin focuses more on tension and dynamics than on speed and Larry Young plays mysterious and other-worldly chords. Miles keeps a constant thud-thud-thud churning throughout. No slow ballads. No pretty melodies. It is just pure unadulterated jazz-grunge. Devotion is messy at times, but you won't mind cleaning up afterwards.



          Walter Kolosky
          smsi@attbi.com


          Walter Kolosky is a businessman and jazz fan who lives in South Natick, MA, USA