Spark and Luminance

Like Some Awesome Lost 70's Classic

     

I checked this out cause I got McCarthy's other record, the one with Bob Moses on it. This one's way different -- not so frenetic and psychedelic -- but the tunes and the ensemble playing are way more interesting. It's like Electric Distant Surfacing was a high-octane jam and this is more a rehearsed album. It's pretty cool, too. Reminds me of Miroslav Vitous' "Mountain in the Clouds" from 1969, which had Hancock, DeJohnette, Joe Henderson and John McLaughlin. McCarthy sounds almost a little too much influenced by McLaughlin on a couple tunes, but on one he's more like Lotus-era Santana. The Fender Rhodes guy is great, kinda freaky and the drummer is really smokin'. I don't recognize these guys' names -- the liner notes say they're all Chicago guys, but they're definitely more Return to Forever than AACM. Have to give it 5 stars -- seems like it was made to be heard on vinyl, though.