"It’s That Time, the new album from the super-caffeinated power trio Diamond Dust, is an energy-packed exposition of high-end chops carried by a strong current of forward motion.

Diamond Dust is drummer Marco Anderson, guitarist Mark Lawrence and organist John Paul Gard. The trio models itself after the late 60‘s seminal jazz rock group Tony Williams Lifetime that featured drummer Tony Williams, guitarist John McLaughlin and organist Larry Young. Diamond Dust is the most effective of the TWL tribute outfits around these days at presenting the throbbing energy and pioneering spirit of that band. Lifetime’s music was an assault on the senses. It didn’t help- or maybe it did- that the band was infamously recorded in such shoddy fashion that it sounded like distorted punk rock even before punk rock did. In contrast, superlative recording techniques were used for It’s That Time. Several cuts associated with Lifetime are presented along with five John McLaughlin compositions from over the years. The one original tune, in addition to some preludes, is the album’s often spatial title cut.

To be truthful, as indicated by the album’s repertoire, Diamond Dust isn’t really one of those tribute bands I compared it to. This is not some nostalgia trip. This is not retro. This is contemporary hard-driving instrumental music sporting its own id.

Anderson and Lawrence and their abundant talents have been known to me for many years. Their understanding of this genre is bone-deep. They are students of this school-turned teachers. The revelation is organist John Paul Gard.. However large a bonfire Anderson and Lawrence create, its temperature rises greatly because Gard is a chemical accelerant.

Now, imagine yourself strapped to the front of a speeding locomotive. (For those of you counting, that’s three different metaphors used to describe this music.) The bottom line? Diamond Dust is how a 21st century power trio should sound."


Walter Kolosky- Author of the books Power, Passion and Beauty: The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra and Follow Your Heart- John McLaughlin song by song.