There's a difference between using the sound of another's culture's instrument in your music because you think it's cool, and those same instruments being used as equal partners in the creative process that brings a piece of music to life.

In the first instance you usually end up ignoring the structure of the music that the instrument was designed to play and using it like you would any other instrument at your disposal. In the second instance it is played as it's meant to be played - drawing upon the traditions that govern the instruments usage.

In the case of Western popular music and its relationship with the instruments of Indian Classical music, the sitar and tablas predominately, it was more often than not the first instance, with the sitar being used more like a "neat" sounding guitar than anything else. The time signatures and structure of Indian Classical music precluded pop musicians from doing more as the differences between the two were seemingly insurmountable. It wasn't until musicians like Harry Manx took the trouble to properly study Indian music - a minimum of a twelve year commitment - that the two have began to be blended successfully.

On the other hand, Western jazz music has had more of a successful history when it comes to the incorporation of Indian instruments. With its openness to experimentation in time signatures, and musician's improvisation skills, there have been successful attempts at integrating the two styles of music for some time now. Notable examples of this were John Mclaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra's first releaseThe Inner Mounting Flame in 1971. Subsequent McLaughlin releases, Shakti in 1975 and Remember Shakti in 1999 only confirmed his abilities when it came to fusing the two styles of music.

Therefore, McLaughlin was the obvious choice to create an original work for a unique collaborative project between American jazz and Indian classical musicians honouring the music of Miles Davis; Miles... From India, released on Times Square Records. Where else were the producers going to find someone who not only played with Miles at one time (1969 - 72) but also had his history of experience with Indian music? "Miles...From India", the title track of this new two disc set, is a perfect example of what the producers hoped to create with this release in that it brings together the two traditions to create a unique work inspired by the music of Miles Davis.