Santana & McLaughlin – Invitation to Illumination
Eagle Rock Entertainment
www.eaglerockent.com

Rating: A

On July 1, 2011, two of the most talented guitar soloists reunited on stage, backed by a band of some of the most talented musicians on the planet to revisit their critically acclaimed 1973 album Love Devotion Surrender.  What happened that night onstage was something special.  The concert dripped with purity of purpose.  The music stopped time and the band and audience became one. 

This classic concert occurred at The Montreaux Jazz Festival, and the magic of the evening was luckily captured forever.  This is not so much a rock concert as it is a celebration of music and the human spirit.  The two guitarists perform breathless electric lead passages throughout most of the night, but there are also poignant acoustic passages. 

While the concert mainly features the songs the pair made in 1973, the music is so alive and fresh that it could have come out yesterday.  There is new breath breathed into every musical passage. 

This is a music lover’s paradise and a guitar player’s wet dream.

By Jeb Wright