John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension

In the liner notes for To the One, guitarist John McLaughlin writes a brief essay about the profound inspiration John Coltrane's A Love Supreme had on him musically and spiritually. In the Mahavishnu Orchestra, that debt was obvious; on Love Devotion Surrender, with Carlos Santana, the pair covered its title theme.

McLaughlin even paid direct homage to the saxophonist on 1995’s After the Rain, which featured not only Coltrane’s material, but drummer Elvin Jones as well. With his group the 4th Dimension -- Gary Husband on keyboards and occasional drums; Mark Mondesir on drums; and Cameroonian bassist Etienne M'Bappé --McLaughlin explores an electric jazz that is deeply and directly indebted to Coltrane’s modal music and lyric interplay, and also to the emotional and spiritual aspects of the saxophonist’s expressions.