Jazz Articles about John McLaughlin

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John McLaughlin: Devotion

by Walter Kolosky
November 17, 2002

Originally released in 1970 but re-released regularly since, Devotion is a hard driving, spaced-out, distorted hard-jazz-rock album featuring organist Larry Young, drummer Buddy Miles, and the little known bassist Billy Rich. This album was recorded close to the period when McLaughlin had been jamming with Jimi Hendrix, Young, Miles and Dave Holland. Terrible bootlegs exist of some of their jams, but bad sound quality and McLaughlin's guitar on the fritz make the bootlegs a ripoff.Devotion was also sort ...

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John McLaughlin: Belo Horizonte

by Walter Kolosky
November 15, 2002

Shame, shame, shame on Warner Brothers for not releasing 1981's Belo Horizonte on CD until more than 18 years after it went out of print! Belo's original claim to fame was that McLaughlin played acoustic and the rest of the band played electric--apparently a new technological breakthrough! (The fact was announced loudly by a big sticker on the outside of the record cover). Ironically, this claim remains actually quite dubious, as throughout much of the album everyone plays acoustic anyway!

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John McLaughlin: After the Rain

by Walter Kolosky
November 15, 2002

After the Rain received much praise in 1994 from many critics who usually consider McLaughlin's approach to music a bit too cosmic. The feelings among McLaughlin devotees were more mixed, however--there was some talk that McLaughlin may be running out of ideas. After all, this was the second tribute album he had released in the last couple of years. There were even some complaints about his guitar tone. To be sure, it is a bit too warm. But when all ...

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John McLaughlin and Mahavishnu: Adventures in Radioland

by Walter Kolosky
November 14, 2002

Yet another revamped Mahavishnu emerged in 1986 and released Adventures In Radioland. McLaughlin was having a hard time in the 1980's obtaining a decent record contract. He eventually found a home at Relativity. Relativity, being a minor label, did not do a good job of distributing Adventures in Radioland. Due to this fact, it is one of the least known albums of McLaughlin’s career. At any rate, although now dated a bit because of the use of electronic drums from ...

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John McLaughlin: Extrapolation

by Walter Kolosky
November 13, 2002

If you were looking for one John McLaughlin record you might play for a curious friend, this would be the one. Extrapolation was McLaughlin's first album release as a leader, and it sounds as fresh today as it did way back in 1969. From the opening strains of “Extrapolation" to the closing softness of “Peace Piece," this album presents a fine modern European jazz quartet in full charge of the sounds of their time.

Extrapolation features the under-appreciated ...

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Miles Davis: The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions

by Michael Fortuna
December 1, 2001

Miles Davis was an innovator from the moment he first picked up the trumpet. But for years, the public didn't have a clear enough picture of Davis' journey from jazz into the rock/funk sounds of James Brown and Jimi Hendrix as well as his use of electric instruments.At the time, all the public knew of was the funk groove and electric piano sounds of “Stuff" from Miles in the Sky, followed by more electric sounds on Filles de ...

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Miles Davis: The Complete In A Silent Way Sessions

by Jim Santella
August 1, 2001

Three previously unissued performances and six months of Miles Davis' recording activity mark this 3-CD set as something special. This was a transitional time for the bandleader. It marked the beginning of a fusion. The package documents this period very well. Davis wanted a new sound. With several keyboards and significant changes in personnel, he got it. The trumpeter introduced his musical changes gradually. The more radical shift would come later. These sessions are pleasant and full of intrigue. In ...