Power of Peace

Supergroup pairings rarely work. Either there are too many egos involved or the magic promised on paper doesn't materialize because there are too many cooks in the kitchen, or record label and managerial bluster get in the way of actual spontaneity. That's not the case with , delivered by the and families in a Las Vegas studio without prior rehearsal. The material on this 13-song set is comprised mostly of iconic soul, funk, blues, and R&B covers. are joined by drummer , the road band, and a backing chorus of as well as . "Are You Ready," the first of two tunes, opens the set with a conga workout followed by a funky bassline and on manic wah-wah guitar. 's breaks and ' leads push to overdriven rock intensity with the backing chorus supports. It's a hard groover that introduces a rocking soul rave-up on 's "Total Destruction to Your Mind." The pairing of here is fantastic. If it doesn't get you on your feet, you're already dead. Things get more intense on 's "Higher Ground" with evoking 's spirit in his fills and solo, while 's drumming and 's whomping congas push it into the red. ' burner "Body Talk" gets the same treatment. There are some ballads here, too. delivers a beautiful adaptation of 's "God Bless the Child" with on backing vocals. 's melodic presentation is matched by 's tough blues phrasing. The lone original, "I Remember," is a gorgeous, bittersweet samba written and sung by ; it's the only tune here that retains its restraint throughout (though is tempted to shred near the end). On 's "Gypsy Woman," offers his sweetest falsetto amid a humid, atmospheric, Latin soul backdrop. Blues, hard rock, and funk collide in 's "I Just Want to Make Love to You," with shining in a burning solo. Only the - standard "What the Worlds Needs Now" and ' post-bop "Let the Rain Fall on Me" falter due to overly reverent presentations. That said, the gospelized Latin soul in 's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" is a monster. The set closes with a complete reinvention of "Let There Be Peace on Earth," offering a stellar portrait of what the band does well (especially with an ace guitarist like aboard). , whose voice is undiminished by time, soars above the band and chorus to end it all on a spiritual tip. is loose, but everybody brought their chops to the party. This is what happens when great musicians gather simply to see what happens and enjoy one another's company. ~ Thom Jurek