Knowing that most of America is hunkering down in their homes to avoid the transmission of coronavirus, guitarist John McLaughlin has released his newest album for free to help mellow these strange times.

“In view of the current situation world wide with Corona Virus [sic] and the fact that we are obliged to spend more time at home we would like to offer our friends the free download of the new album ‘Is That So?’,” McLaughlin writes in an official statement.

The album – which was released in January 2020 – is a three-part effort with McLaughlin, tablas master Zakir Hussain and vocalist Shankar Mahadevan, skillfully melding Eastern rhythms and melodies with Western harmonies.

“From the outset in the early 1970’s, I constantly researched the possibilities of integrating harmony into the traditions of North and South India while at the same time keeping as close as possible to the melodic rules of the Raga [Indian scales] system,” McLaughlin previously told Relix. “[The idea] was to abandon the rules of the Raga system completely and apply my own Western harmonic liberty to the amazing voice of Shankar Mahadevan.”

The free download can be redeemed here.

Read McLaughlin’s message below: