Search - John McLaughlin :: Electric Guitarist

Very Rare Artistry!

D. J. Zabriskie | Park Ridge, NJ USA | 06/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John McLaughlin remains one of the more fascinating Miles Davis
alumni because, like John Coltrane before him, his growth as a
musician, band-leader, innovator and artist (believe me, they
are all separate things!) can easily be traced on record. Also,
like Coltrane, his advancement along those lines is steady and
phenomenal. This particular CD is a landmark because it is here
where all of these qualities first fuse as a complete, satisfying
and prodigious whole.
From his original, startling early work with Miles, to Tony Williams' Lifetime (an overlooked power-trio if ever there was one!) to Mahavishnu Orchestra, to his forays into Eastern music
and mysticism, this is where it all comes together for McLaughlin. It marks the first time that his astounding technical mastery emerges at the service of a highly ordered
musical intelligence, and not the other way around.
With the help of such friends as Billy Cobham, Jean-Luc Ponty,
Carlos Santana, Jack Bruce, Tony Williams, Patrice Rushin, David
Sanborn and others, McLaughlin weaves a program of personal,
astounding and beautiful music. Every tune represents a different marker along McLaughlin's personal musical journey, and each and every one of them is a gem. From the swaggering edge of "New York On My Mind," to the Latin-soul of "Friendship,"
to the exquisite beauty of "Every Tear From Every Eye," each tune
just gets better and better, just as McLaughlin did over the course of his career to this point. This is where we bid adieu
to McLaughlin, the enfant-terrible of jazz guitar and say hello
to McLauhlin the mature artist for the first time. And what an
artist he emerges as!!! This is one of the very few PERFECT jazz
albums ever made! There is no filler, no dead-weight, nothing on it anywhere that isn't of the first and highest order.
Get it!"

Plug In, Turn On, Rejoice

El Lagarto | Sandown, NH | 04/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The title and cover of this CD are hilarious. To call John McLaughlin an Electric Guitarist is to call James Brown funky and the Atlantic Ocean wet. With Hendrix pressed firmly into the pages of history and Clapton nodding off in complacency, McLaughlin has ascended to preeminence with little debate. He has been prolific and mercurial, a constantly restless, evolving prodigy. From the onset he blurred the barrier between rock and jazz, and played a major role in the birth of fusion. Although Miles Davis may have "booked the room," McLaughlin and Tony Williams probably influenced Davis as much as he influenced them. If you are not already familiar with The Tony Williams Lifetime recordings, featuring McLaughlin, do yourself a favor. McLaughlin is simply on fire.



The manic intensity of The Mahavishnu Orchestra, which followed, was at times more technical than musical, but revelatory all the same. My Goal's Beyond, (if you can find it), shows McLaughlin drifting into a love affair with Indian music. As with other virtuoso performers, one is occasionally transfixed by the skill level, losing sight of content in the process. This is always a mistake with McLaughlin, almost equivalent to punishing him for being brilliant. McLaughlin is a soulful artist, never frivolous, always striving to find meaning and share it.



Recording this CD must have been like a college reunion for him, an opportunity to reunite with dear friends. The line-up includes major league hitters like Billy Cobham, Jerry Goodman, Carlos Santana, David Sanborn, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Jack DeJohnette, Jack Bruce, and Tony Williams. Wow. Are You The One? Are You The One? features the dream-team trio of McLaughlin, Bruce, and Williams, a true kicker. Friendship showcases the familiar and pleasing "space patrol" jam phrasing of Carlos Santana. They're all great, but the track that instantly snuck inside me is Do You Hear The Voices That You Left Behind? This tribute to John Coltrane, built on his celebrated composition Giant Steps, evokes a "top-down convertible sound" that might be described as "smooth-jazz" if that wretched term weren't an oxymoron.



In John McLaughlin - Electric Guitarist, you find a master artist in complete control of his instrument and his vision - pure joy."

Ship it!

Kenny b Natural | 10/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're a fan of John McLaughlin you should have this disc in your collection. "Friendship" features a fired up Carlos Santana. "Do you hear the voices you left behind" sounds like a homage to John Coltrane. "Are you the one?" features ex-bandmates Tony Williams and Jack Bruce and there's much more! For a chance to look into the minds of these geniuses at this price? McLaughlin shows his more refined side on this goldmine. SHIP IT!!"