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While it would be utterly foolish to consider a two-disc set by guitarist John McLaughlin as anything other than a sample of the wildly diverse career he's enjoyed since the early '60s, it should be noted and underscored that what Legacy does with this set is to provide a solid look at not only the man's gifts but at the way he's employed them, exploited them, and let them get the best of him for the past 40-plus years. There are 23 cuts spread across these discs, and they are cross-licensed from a number of different labels -- this should always be done, and it seems that Legacy is the only shop that does this consistently well. The collection begins at the beginning: way back in 1963 when McLaughlin and his musical partners in crime, bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker, played Sonny Rollins' "Doxy" in the Graham Bond Organisation. The tune swings, even if it is a little stiff, but these were very young cats who were as dedicated to "getting it right" as possible. This gives way to the rather startling contrast of "Spectrum," played as a member of Tony Williams Lifetime with organist Larry Young as well as Williams (and predating McLaughlin's tenure with Miles Davis); there's "Marbles," from his Devotion album where the guitarist and Young played with drummer Buddy Miles. It's an interesting piece where it occurs here because it exists in the gap between McLaughlin's leaving Miles Davis and before playing with the Mahavishnu Orchestra. It's a great cut, but it shines more for Young's work than the leader's. "Right Off," from Davis' Jack Johnson album, is here -- at least a 17-plus-minute edit of it -- and it walks the same basic terrain that "Marbles" does, though it is far funkier and knottier. Rather than just jump into the Mahavishnu territory, McLaughlin's work with saxophonist Joe Farrell and then with Carla Bley is highlighted here as well, spreading the color and texture to the corners a bit more. Already, he was a ten-year veteran of the scene and had become a very diverse member of it. Disc one closes with three tunes from the various early incarnations of Mahavishnu, from the debut Inner Mounting Flame, Birds of Fire, and then on to an excerpt of John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" with Carlos Santana.But disc one tells the familiar story, despite its ornament and diversity. The place where it begins to stray across many paths seemingly simultaneously is on disc two. While the second incarnation of Mahavishnu is where it begins -- with the cut "Wings of Karma," from Apocalypse -- where the voice and timbre of McLaughlin's insistent muse is making itself heard. The track "India," from 1975 and performed with the Indian trio Shakti (Zakir Hussain, Lakshminarayana Shankar, and T.H. Vinayakram), marks the beginning of an entirely new mode of exploration for the guitarist. And so it goes, through the new technologically savvy, fused-out jazz on Electric Dreams in 1978, the more restrained but no less mechanical Electric Guitarist in 1979 (two tunes including a reading of the standard "My Foolish Heart," which is drenched in it), and the mess that was Trio of Doom with Jaco Pastorius and Tony Williams. This is easily the best cut from that collaboration. There is a track from the Guitar Trio album with Al Di Meola and Paco De Lucia, one from Palle Mikkelborg's Aura experiment with Miles once more, and cuts from Belo Horizonte, recorded for Warner in 1981, and "Wayne's Way," from Industrial Zen in 2006. In other words, the strange back and forth and continuously divergent paths McLaughlin has taken -- for good or ill -- is represented here by many of his finest performances. Even if that assertion is arguable, the one that isn't is that he is one of the most celebrated, widely regarded guitarists in jazz history, and one that helped to change the music forever in the same way that Wes Montgomery and Jim Hall did before him. This may be a smattering, but it is one that will get you on your way to discovering what you want to of his work, while leaving behind the rest.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
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Herbie Hancock, Organ - M. Davis, Lyricist - M. Davis, Composer - Billy Cobham, Drums - John McLaughlin, Electric Guitar - John McLaughlin, Performer - Teo Macero & His Orchestra, Producer - Michael Henderson, Bass - Miles Davis, Trumpet
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
Chick Corea, Piano - Creed Taylor, Producer - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - John McLaughlin, Electric Guitar - J. McLaughlin, Composer - J. McLaughlin, Lyricist - Joe Farrell, Performer - Joe Farrell, Tenor Saxophone - Dave Holland, Bass
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Jan Hammer, Piano - Jerry Goodman, Violin - Rick Laird, Bass - Mahavishnu Orchestra, Performer - Bill Cobham, Drums - John McLaughlin, Producer - John McLaughlin, Guitar - John McLaughlin, Performer - J. McLaughlin, Composer - J. McLaughlin, Lyricist
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Jerry Goodman, Violin - Rick Laird, Bass - Mahavishnu Orchestra, Producer - Mahavishnu Orchestra, Performer - Billy Cobham, Drums - John McLaughlin, Electric Guitar - John McLaughlin, Composer - John McLaughlin, Producer - John McLaughlin, Lyricist - Jan Kammer, Keyboards
(P) 1973 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Cobham, Drums - Don Alias, Drums - Carlos Santana, Producer - Carlos Santana, Guitar - Carlos Santana, Performer - J. Coltrane, Composer - J. Coltrane, Lyricist - Khalid Yasin, Organ - Doug Rauch, Bass - Armando Peraza, Congas - Mike Shrieve, Drums - Jan Hammer, Drums - John McLaughlin With The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Piano - John McLaughlin With The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Guitar - John McLaughlin With The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Producer - John McLaughlin With The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Performer
(P) 1973 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
DISC 2
Mahavishnu Orchestra, Performer - Michael Tilson Thomas, Conductor - J. McLaughlin, Composer - J. McLaughlin, Lyricist - Carol Shive, Vocal - Carol Shive, Violin - MAHAVISHNU, Guitar - Ralphe Armstrong, Vocal - Ralphe Armstrong, Acoustic Bass - Ralphe Armstrong, Bass - Jean-Luc Ponty, Violin - Gayle Moran, Vocal - Gayle Moran, Keyboards - Philip Hirschi, Vocal - Philip Hirschi, Acoustic Cello - George Martin, Producer - Michael Walden, Vocal - Michael Walden, Percussion - Michael Walden, Drums - Marsha Westbrook, Viola
(P) 1974 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
L. Shankar, Composer - L. Shankar, Lyricist - L. Shankar, Violin - Zakir Hussein, Tabla - Shakti, Performer - John McLaughlin, Producer - John McLaughlin, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John McLaughlin, Performer - J. McLaughlin, Composer - J. McLaughlin, Lyricist - T.H. Vinayakram, Percussion
(P) 1977 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
Chick Corea, Piano - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - John McLaughlin, Producer - John McLaughlin, Performer - J. McLaughlin, Composer - J. McLaughlin, Lyricist - Dennis McKay, Producer - Stanley Clarke, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1978 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
Mike Berniker, Producer - John McLoughlin, Producer - John McLoughlin, Electric Guitar - N. Washington, Composer - N. Washington, Lyricist - V. Young, Composer - V. Young, Lyricist - John McLaughlin, Performer - Dennis McKay, Producer
(P) 1978 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
John McLaughlin, Producer - John McLaughlin, Guitar - John McLaughlin, Banjo - John McLaughlin, Performer - J. McLaughlin, Composer - J. McLaughlin, Lyricist
(P) 1978 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
Jaco Pastorius, Bass - Mike Berniker, Producer - Bert DeCoteaux, Producer - John McLaughlin, Electric Guitar - John McLaughlin, Performer - J. McLaughlin, Composer - J. McLaughlin, Lyricist - Tony Williams, Drums
(P) 1978 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Philip Roberge, Producer - John McLaughlin, Producer - John McLaughlin, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John McLaughlin, Performer - J. McLaughlin, Composer - J. McLaughlin, Lyricist - Barrie Marshall, Producer - Paco De Lucia, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Paco De Lucia, Producer - Paco De Lucia, Performer - Al DiMeola, Producer - Al DiMeola, Performer - Al DiMeola, Acoustic Baritone Guitar
(P) 1983 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Benny Rosenfeld, Trombone - Benny Rosenfeld, Flugelhorn - John McLaughlin, Guitar - Vince Wilburn, Drums - Bo Stief, Fretless Bass - Bo Stief, Bass - Vicent Nilsson, Trombone - Kenneth Knuden, Keyboards - Flemming Madison, Woodwinds - Flemming Madison, Saxophone - Lillian Tbernqvist, Harp - P. Mikkelborg, Composer - P. Mikkelborg, Lyricist - Lennart Gruvstedt, Drums - Eva Thaysen, Vocal - Niels Eji, Oboe - Thomas Clausen, Keyboards - Palle Bolvig, Trumpet - Palle Bolvig, Flugelhorn - Niels Henning Oersted Weisgaard, Acoustic Bass - Per Carsten, Woodwinds - Per Carsten, Saxophone - Jens Engel, Trombone - Jens Winther, Trumpet - Jens Winther, Flugelhorn - Miles Davis, Performer - Miles Davis, Trumpet - Uffe Karskov, Woodwinds - Uffe Karskov, Saxophone - Ture Larsen, Trombone - Ethan Weisgaard, Percussion - Jesper Thilo, Woodwinds - Jesper Thilo, Saxophone - Bent Jaedig, Woodwinds - Bent Jaedig, Saxophone - Perry Knuden, Trumpet - Perry Knuden, Flugelhorn - Marilyn Mazur, Percussion - Ole Koch-Hansen, Keyboards - PALLE MIKKELBORG, Producer - PALLE MIKKELBORG, Trumpet - Bjarne Roupé, Guitar
(P) 1989 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
London Symphony Orchestra, Performer - John McLaughlin, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John McLaughlin, Performer - J. McLaughlin, Composer - J. McLaughlin, Lyricist - Steven Epstein, Producer
(P) 1990 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
Katia Labeque, Piano - John McLaughlin, Producer - John McLaughlin, Guitar - John McLaughlin, Performer - J. McLaughlin, Composer - J. McLaughlin, Lyricist - Steven Epstein, Producer
(P) 1990 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Album review
While it would be utterly foolish to consider a two-disc set by guitarist John McLaughlin as anything other than a sample of the wildly diverse career he's enjoyed since the early '60s, it should be noted and underscored that what Legacy does with this set is to provide a solid look at not only the man's gifts but at the way he's employed them, exploited them, and let them get the best of him for the past 40-plus years. There are 23 cuts spread across these discs, and they are cross-licensed from a number of different labels -- this should always be done, and it seems that Legacy is the only shop that does this consistently well. The collection begins at the beginning: way back in 1963 when McLaughlin and his musical partners in crime, bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker, played Sonny Rollins' "Doxy" in the Graham Bond Organisation. The tune swings, even if it is a little stiff, but these were very young cats who were as dedicated to "getting it right" as possible. This gives way to the rather startling contrast of "Spectrum," played as a member of Tony Williams Lifetime with organist Larry Young as well as Williams (and predating McLaughlin's tenure with Miles Davis); there's "Marbles," from his Devotion album where the guitarist and Young played with drummer Buddy Miles. It's an interesting piece where it occurs here because it exists in the gap between McLaughlin's leaving Miles Davis and before playing with the Mahavishnu Orchestra. It's a great cut, but it shines more for Young's work than the leader's. "Right Off," from Davis' Jack Johnson album, is here -- at least a 17-plus-minute edit of it -- and it walks the same basic terrain that "Marbles" does, though it is far funkier and knottier. Rather than just jump into the Mahavishnu territory, McLaughlin's work with saxophonist Joe Farrell and then with Carla Bley is highlighted here as well, spreading the color and texture to the corners a bit more. Already, he was a ten-year veteran of the scene and had become a very diverse member of it. Disc one closes with three tunes from the various early incarnations of Mahavishnu, from the debut Inner Mounting Flame, Birds of Fire, and then on to an excerpt of John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" with Carlos Santana.But disc one tells the familiar story, despite its ornament and diversity. The place where it begins to stray across many paths seemingly simultaneously is on disc two. While the second incarnation of Mahavishnu is where it begins -- with the cut "Wings of Karma," from Apocalypse -- where the voice and timbre of McLaughlin's insistent muse is making itself heard. The track "India," from 1975 and performed with the Indian trio Shakti (Zakir Hussain, Lakshminarayana Shankar, and T.H. Vinayakram), marks the beginning of an entirely new mode of exploration for the guitarist. And so it goes, through the new technologically savvy, fused-out jazz on Electric Dreams in 1978, the more restrained but no less mechanical Electric Guitarist in 1979 (two tunes including a reading of the standard "My Foolish Heart," which is drenched in it), and the mess that was Trio of Doom with Jaco Pastorius and Tony Williams. This is easily the best cut from that collaboration. There is a track from the Guitar Trio album with Al Di Meola and Paco De Lucia, one from Palle Mikkelborg's Aura experiment with Miles once more, and cuts from Belo Horizonte, recorded for Warner in 1981, and "Wayne's Way," from Industrial Zen in 2006. In other words, the strange back and forth and continuously divergent paths McLaughlin has taken -- for good or ill -- is represented here by many of his finest performances. Even if that assertion is arguable, the one that isn't is that he is one of the most celebrated, widely regarded guitarists in jazz history, and one that helped to change the music forever in the same way that Wes Montgomery and Jim Hall did before him. This may be a smattering, but it is one that will get you on your way to discovering what you want to of his work, while leaving behind the rest.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 23 track(s)
- Total length: 02:35:33
- Main artists: John McLaughlin
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Columbia - Legacy
- Genre: Jazz Jazz Fusion & Jazz Rock
(P) 2007 Sony Music Entertainment
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