Making Music

A staggering gathering of improvising masters from distinct musical backgrounds, Zakir Hussain’s Making Music arrived out of the blue on its release in 1987 and captivated listeners with its special sense of wonder and adventure. “The exchanges of flute, tabla and guitar are often breath taking” noted The Philadelphia Tribune, while describing Jan Garbarek’s playing as ”lines that bend the notes to match Indian vocal music and the sitar and elsewhere to evoke the Norwegian winters.” McLaughlin’s earthy contributions on acoustic guitar blend in with improvisational ease, tying the evocative instrumental expressions of flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia and Hussain’s seemingly omnirhythmic percussion together. It's easy to understand why the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung would draw the conclusion that, “without even one of the four, 'Making Music' would be unimaginable."