Jazz

John Mclaughlin - Devotion (1970)

2011-03-19T20:22:47Z

John Mclaughlin - Devotion (1970)


1 - Devotion 11:26 
2 - Dragon Song 4:14         play
3 - Marbles 4:05             play
4 - Siren 5:55 
5 - Don't Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother 5:18 
6 - Purpose Of When 4:45 

Musicians:
John Mclaughlin - Guitar 
Buddy Miles - Drums, Percussion 
Larry Young - Organ, Electric Piano 
Billy Rich – Bass

This album is from a pivotal moment in McLaughlin's history. This was just after he left Miles' group, but before Mahavishnu Orchestra started, and the music captures this moment perfectly. McLaughlin's technique had not progressed to "Mahavishnu" perfection yet, but the music has the in-your-face rock drive of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. This recording date grew out of sessions Alan Douglas put together, featuring McLaughlin and Larry Young jamming with Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Miles (Billy Rich was the bass player). McLaughlin sounded timid next to Hendrix (none of the material with Hendrix has been officially released), but really comes to life on Devotion. This is arguably one of the finest acid rock albums of all time. McLaughlin is on fire, using fuzzboxes and phasers, over Larry Young's swirling Hammond B-3, with Billy Rich and Buddy Miles as the rock-solid rhythm section. If you think that McLaughlin's solo at the end of "Right Off" (from A Tribute to Jack Johnson) is one of the high points of his career, then this is the album for you. Soon after this album was recorded, McLaughlin holed up, practiced like crazy, and re-emerged as "Mahavishnu" John McLaughlin, with both a new sound and a new band. Documenting the period just before that transition, Devotion is a complete anomaly in his catalog, as well as one of his finest achievements. ---Sean Westergaard, Rovi

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

uploaded yandex 4shared mega solidfiles zalivalka cloudmailru filecloudio oboom

back

John McLaughlin Plays Bill Evans – Time Remembered (1993)

2009-10-18T19:28:32Z

John McLaughlin Plays Bill Evans – Time Remembered (1993)


1.Prologue; 
2.Very Early; 
3.Only Child; 
4.Waltz for Debby; 
5.Homage; 
6.My Bells; 
7.Time Remembered; 
8.Song fo Helen; 
9.Turn Out the Stars; 
10.We Will Meet Again; 
11.Epilogue

Personnel: 
John McLaughlin- guitar
Jan Maresz- bass
Aighetta Quartet- classical guitars

John McLaughlin has always been a huge fan of the late jazz pianist Bill Evans. He tells fondly of attending a show with Dave Liebman in which Evans went beyond brilliant. He also sadly relates the story that Evans had invited him to his house to play, but the pianist died before it could happen.

Evans brought a classical touch to the keys. He created a sound that was pure and strong, but delicate as well. Although he went on to work in solo and trio formats, he remains best known for his collaborations with Miles Davis. He co-wrote, although this is often in dispute, the classic "Blue in Green" from Davis’ classic quintet recording Kind of Blue. But he also composed, without dispute, two of the most beautiful melodies ever written, “Very Early” and “Waltz for Debby”. Evans remains one of the most influential jazz piano players of the last 50 years. (Be sure to check out pianist Mitchel Forman’s Then and Now: A Tribute to Bill Evans for a pianist’s take on the master's music.)

John McLaughlin recorded this tribute to Bill Evans in 1993, with his acoustic guitar backed by the acoustic guitars of the Aighetta Quartet and the acoustic bass of Yan Maresz. McLaughlin plays the head arrangements of Evans’ tunes, adding his own improvisational approach during solos. He wrote out the pieces for the Quartet and Marasz, and the highly reverberant results sound more like a European classical lullaby than jazz. But, as always, it's impossible to box McLaughlin’s music in with an oversimplification. No ordinary lullabies can contain the energy of some of these guitar runs. But the overall effect of the music is gentle and soothing, no matter how intricate or powerful it may be at times. Time Remembered is by far McLaughlin’s most romantic record.

Many critics did not like McLaughlin's choice to honor Evans in this way. They expressed dissatisfaction with the high reverb he used on the recording. On another front, some were disappointed simply with his style of playing. There was the question of whether the guitar was an appropriate instrument with which to honor Evans. Others believed McLaughlin had strayed too far from the jazz world in interpreting Bill Evans, an unorthodox jazz player who fashioned a style that contained a somewhat fragile classicism.

But as we all know, the critics sometimes miss the point. A bit of time spent reading the liner notes might have helped out. McLaughlin did see Evans' compositions as classical. He approached them in that manner and had every intention of making a truly romantic album. McLaughlin has always defied labels. He does fit most comfortably in the jazz idiom, but that placement is only out of convenience. You would think by now that most people would understand that he plays what he wants to play, when he wants to play it.

Time Remembered is a beautiful and fully realized tribute. The sound is full and rich, and the playing is strong and forthright all around. McLaughlin’s soloing is fluid, occasionally too dense, but never misdirected. All of the pieces are worthwhile, but two tunes are especially memorable. “Very Early,” also covered by McLaughlin using overdubs on Belo Horizonte , is simply timeless. I do favor the Time Remembered version. The most outstanding performance on the album is “Waltz for Debby,” which deserves repeated play. It is a wondrous composition, and McLaughlin and crew squeeze every little bit of emotion from it. This performance belongs in a very expensive music box. (Yes, I know. You can't put McLaughlin's music in a box.)

So what if your mother or girlfriend likes this album. That doesn’t diminish the complexity of the music or the skill of the musicians interpreting it. It was a challenge and a great risk for McLaughlin to tackle Evans' music in this way. In the process, he created a testament that will stand the test of time and changing fancies. This same group is slated to appear on McLaughlin's next release, which is being recorded as I speak. I assume that once again the group will do justice to jazz standards. Sometimes beauty just for beauty’s sake is all that's needed to sate the appetite. ---Walter Kolosky, allaboutjazz.com

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

uploaded yandex 4shared mega solidfiles zalivalka cloudmailru filecloudio oboom

back

John McLaughlin – Floating Point (2008)

2009-10-18T16:03:10Z

John McLaughlin – Floating Point (2008)


1. Abbaji (for Ustad Alla Rakha); 
2. Raju; 
3. Maharina; 
4. Off the One; 
5. The Voice;  
6. Inside Out; 
7. 1 4 U; 
8. Five Peace Band.

* John McLaughlin: guitar, guitar synthesizer;
* Hadrien Feraud: electric bass;
* Louiz Banks: keyboards;
* Ranjit Barot: drums;
* Niladri Kumar: electric sitar;
* Sivamani: percussion;
* Shankar Mahavedan: vocals;
* U Rajesh: electric mandolin;
* Debashish Bhattacharya: Hindustani slide guitar;
* Naveen Kumar: bamboo flute;
* Shashank: bamboo flute;
* George Brooks: soprano saxophone.

John McLaughlin's greatest strength, other than being the quickest ever electric guitarist in jazz, has been the ability to reinvent himself. With Floating Point, he has vastly improved the concept he originally fomented on the CD Industrial Zen, where he used a variety of different groupings. This ensemble has a relatively finite lineup, modified from the previous combo in that they play to McLaughlin's strong willed ideal of fusing his guitar synthesizer to a more contemporary sound. Where Industrial Zen was more about jamming, the band here is focused and cohesive, playing deft melodies and busy, rhythmic funk that allows the music to breathe considerably deeper. McLaughlin's impressive core sidemen include the formidable electric bass guitarist Hadrien Feraud who is retained from the prior band, and drummer Ranjit Barot. They are active players whose concentrated styles and techniques fit well with the naturally fleet guitar work of McLaughlin. What makes this recording listenable over time is the consistency of the music while avoiding being homogeneous. "Raju" has that distinctive McLaughlin signature quality, with blurring unison lines and an Eastern Indian flavor so important to the spirit of the guitarist. The darting and dancing melody of "Off the One" is also pure McLaughlin, as stated over the years. He has forged bonds of steel with this band via the busy drumming of Barot to match the pronounced zig-zag patterns, and a bamboo flute on top of it all. Scat singing during "The Voice" with gliding guitar synth from the leader sounds like musical velvet, while the Indian scat of "Inside Out," complemented by the electric mandolin of U. Rajesh, reflects McLaughlin's days with Shakti merging with Mahavishnu-type sixteenth notes in brave counterpoint. A funkier side comes out during "Abbaji (For Alla Rakha)" in the reconstructed style McLaughlin has favored since the album Belo Horizonte, with soprano sax from George Brooks, and the Hundustani slide guitar of Debashish Bhattacharya in the midst of the melody, while a slower, soulful, contemporary beat identifies the lotus flower-sweet "Maharina." Unexpected sounds are on the tail-end of this CD, as a happy samba with bamboo flute identifies the brightest track, "1 4 U." The closer "Five Peace Band" is a fast tick-tock organ-based jam with a straighter, less processed electric guitar, and is a prelude to the all-star ensemble of the same name that McLaughlin was forming with Chick Corea. This is a surprisingly fine effort, ebbing and flowing from track to track, with McLaughlin's high-level musicianship shining through, same as it ever was. ---Michael G. Nastos, Rovi

download (mp3 @210 kbs):

uploaded yandex 4shared mega solidfiles zalivalka cloudmailru filecloudio oboom

back

John McLaughlin – Hearts Of Things – Live In Paris (2000)

2009-10-18T16:14:40Z

John McLaughlin – Hearts Of Things – Live In Paris (2000)


1.Seven Sisters 
2.Mother Tongues 
3.Fallen Angels 
4.The Divide 
5.Tony 
6.Acid Jazz

Lineup:
John McLaughlin, guitar 
Gary Thomas, sax 
Dennis Chambers, drums 
Matthew Garrison, bass 
Otmaro Ruiz, keyboards 
Victor Williams, percussion

On the self-titled 1997 studio record from his electric fusion bandThe Heart of Things, John McLaughlin's songwriting ranged from pensive ebb to wild clamor, played with melody and passion by the five piece band, while McLaughlin assumed the background role of a mentor. Some McLaughlin fans maligned the music as sterile and dry, lacking the spark found in his classic electric work like Mahavishnu Orchestra. However, The Heart of Things - Live in Paris shows this band with considerable creativity and interaction as they reinterpret some of the studio record songs and other material on stage. The live lineup includes McLaughlin on guitar, Gary Thomas on sax, Dennis Chambers on drums, Matthew Garrison on bass, Otmaro Ruiz replacing Jim Beard on keyboards, and Victor Williams on percussion.

McLaughlin's songwriting shifts through smooth odd meter grooves with angular melodic lines, not unlike the basic framework of early Mahavishnu, but the smoother instrumentation and execution of The Heart of Things band gives the music a wider dynamic range and a seasoned maturity. Guitar and sax play most of the melody lines in unison, further reinforcing the group approach. In "Tony," a moving and musically ideal tribute to Tony Williams, Chambers perfectly and appropriately executes the drum solo. Dynamics range skillfully in "Seven Sisters," despite a truncated feel at under 9 minutes. "Acid Jazz" triumphantly closes the live set and the album, surging from a quiet opening to a raucous guitar and drum duet.

Matthew Garrison's snappy yet supportive bass work impresses, perhaps highlighted by the strong low sound of the mix. Chambers as always is a master on the drums, from barely audible cymbal work to pounding double bass, and William's percussion thankfully does not drown out Chambers' subtleties. Ruiz's minimalist solo in "The Divide" grows tiresome quickly, but McLaughlin's playing shows supreme maturity and restraint as he cedes center stage to the younger players. But when he does take the spotlight, like the frantic guitar and drum duet in "Acid Jazz," he shows that the fire of his previous electric days remains.

The track selection highlights songs that were played live but aren't on The Heart of Things studio record, such as "Mother Tongues," "Tony," and the Gary Thomas tune "The Divide." Live in Paris clocks in over 77 minutes, so they couldn't have added anything more, but still a few omissions are noticeable, including "Mr. D.C.," a live powerhouse, and "Jazz Jungle," a staple of the Heart of Things European set.

Live in Paris is an excellent, single CD excerpt of the Heart of Things live European show that captures almost all of the live magic of this band, including subtleties and extremes beyond their studio recording. This CD has not been released in the US yet, but it has been released in Canada and the UK and is available mail order through various Internet retailers. ---Scott Andrews, allaboutjazz.com

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

uploaded yandex 4shared mega solidfiles zalivalka cloudmailru filecloudio oboom

back

John McLaughlin – Industrial Zen (2006)

2009-10-18T16:20:55Z

John McLaughlin – Industrial Zen (2006)


1. For Jaco; 
2. New Blues Old Bruise; 
3. Wayne's Way; 
4. Just So Only More So; 
5. To Bop or Not to Be; 
6. Dear Dalai Lama; 
7. Senor C.S.; 
8. Mother Nature.

John McLaughlin: guitar, synth programming, drum programming, , fretless guitar, chants; 
Bill Evans: soprano sax (1), soprano and tenor sax (4); 
Gary Husband: keyboards (1-3,5,7), drums (1,7); 
Hadrien Feraud : bass guitar (1, 7); 
Mark Mondesir: drums (1, 7); 
Eric Johnson: guitar (2); 
Vinnie Colaiuta: drums (2); 
Ada Rovatti: soprano sax (3), tenor sax (6); 
Dennis Chambers: drums (3,5,6); 
Zakir Hussain: tabla (3,5,6); 
Tony Grey: bass guitar (3,8); 
Matthew Garrison: bass guitar (4,5); 
Marcus Wippersberg: additional drum programming (4); 
Otmaro Ruiz: synthesizer (5); 
Shankar Mahadevan: vocal (6,8).

It's been six years since John McLaughlin released a flat-out fusion record, but the guitar icon has been talking about Industrial Zen for some time, generating considerable buzz in the process. And it's been worth the wait. The Promise (Verve, 1995), McLaughlin's last recording with a large cast, rather than a fixed ensemble, was an inconsistent effort. While it revealed his diverse musical interests, it was more a collection of disparate pieces than a unified statement. The thrilling and altogether more cohesive Industrial Zen combines McLaughlin's high-octane playing with the Indian influences that have pervaded much of his career.

Rather than drawing a strict line between Indo-fusion projects like Remember Shakti and powerhouse bands like The Heart of Things, McLaughlin brings them together here. Tabla player Zakir Hussain, a long-time collaborator, joins Heart of Things drummer Dennis Chambers, bassist Matthew Garrison and keyboardist Otmaro Ruiz on "To Bop or Not to Be." McLaughlin's Indian-informed melody is layered on top of hypnotic synthesizer programming that, as a fundamental complexion of the entire record, lends credence to its paradoxical title. But once the band kicks in, McLaughlin demonstrates his encyclopaedic command of a broader musical language. By combining jazz-centric harmonic complexity with Eastern linear depth, his solo transcends both and becomes both unique and universal.

McLaughlin brings '80s Mahavishnu alumnus/saxophonist Bill Evans, together with relative newcomers/drummers Mark Mondesir and Gary Husband for the upbeat "For Jaco." Bassist Hadrien Feraud—who also appears on the equally energetic homage to Carlos Santana, "Senor C.S."—pays fitting tribute to the late Pastorius, even quoting "Continuum" on the tune's outro. Husband, who built his reputation through early association with another fusion legend, guitarist Allan Holdsworth, proves he's equally imaginative, whether on the keyboards or the kit. Appearing in one or both capacities on five of the eight tunes on Industrial Zen, he's the closest thing to a constant companion as McLaughlin has on the disc.

Given the combination of drum programming throughout and two percussionists on five tracks, this is McLaughlin's most rhythm-heavy release to date, but there's never a clash of purpose. "Dear Dalai Lama," the first of two guest spots for vocalist Shankar Mahadevan, begins with spiritual ambience until Chambers and Hussain enter nearly four minutes later. The two create a complex but integrated rhythmic foundation for an extended series of trade-offs between McLaughlin and saxophonist Ada Rovatti that gradually build to breathtaking intensity.

John McLaughlin is sometimes criticized for grandiose and occasionally unsuccessful aspirations, but in Industrial Zen he has created a perfect confluence of his divergent interests. And by placing a greater emphasis on technology than ever before, McLaughlin shows that his eyes and ears remain fully open, even though he's approaching 65. ---John Kelman, allaboutjazz.com

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

uploaded yandex 4shared mega solidfiles zalivalka cloudmailru filecloudio oboom

back

John McLaughlin – The Hearts Of Things (1997)

2009-10-18T16:33:18Z

John McLaughlin – The Hearts Of Things (1997)


1.Acid Jazz; 
2.Seven Sisters; 
3.Mr. D.C.; 
4.Fallen Angels; 
5.Healing Hands; 
6.When Love is Far Away  

Personnel: 
John McLaughlin- guitars; 
Dennis Chambers; drums; 
Matthew Garrison- bass; 
Gary Thomas- saxophones, flute; 
Jim Beard- synthesizers and piano

The Heart of Things allows John McLaughlin to surround himself with some young monsters. A strong line-up on this 1997 record includes McLaughlin alumni Jim Beard on keyboards and Dennis Chambers on drums, as well as electric bassist Matthew Garrison and saxophonist Gary Thomas. The youthful newcomers, Garrison and Thomas, front bands of their own and have their own musical ideas. They have integrated some of these concepts, offering solid support for The Heart of Things. Garrison supplies a strong foundation without being too busy and Thomas has that smooth, strong control which either indicates he is a consummate musician or that he doesn't take risks. The jury is still out on that one. Nonetheless, he plays a strong role in this music.

McLaughlin's writing and mixing of the album clearly reflect his desire for an ensemble feel. Solos appear here and there but none of them are extended. Some listeners may not care for this. Chambers' drumming, which has always had a tendency to overwhelm, is much more integrated as part of the whole. The drummer's force has become an issue in several of John's latest recordings and especially in concert. Chambers shows much more control on The Heart of Things and exhibits moments of subtlety.

McLaughlin's guitar tone has more of a bite than in many previous outings. This is very welcome. Still, despite his beautiful playing on this album, a more limited use of his ring-modulator would have been beneficial.

Listeners familiar with Jim Beard's appearances with Mahavishnu IV will no doubt recognize his layered synthesizer approach and appreciate it for what it is—a textural background for others to soar over. Beard does make a strong appearance on piano, and he and Gary Thomas open several tunes with themes that can best be described as "Spyro Gyra on Speed".

The opening tune starts rather lazily but the album as a whole has a "take no prisoners\" attitude. It is clear fusion. The best tune on the album , "Fallen Angels", is a sullen, slow dirge of joy and an ode to Coltrane. He's always being accused of just being a speed demon, but some of McLaughlin's best compositions have been slow pieces. Tunes in this vein that require listening are "Mila Repa" from Que Alegria and "The Translators" from Music Spoken Here.

"Mr. DC", the Dennis Chambers showpiece, is an excuse for a duel in concert. It is much more restrained on the album, but does feature quotes from McLaughlin's classic "The Dance of Maya."

On another highlight, "Healing Hands," McLaughlin brings out his old midi-guitar and lays down a big fat statement. This tune is also a direct descendant, if not a bastard child, of Belo Horizonte's "One Melody".

The Heart of Things ends on a solo acoustic note as McLaughlin revisits "When Love is Far Away" from his album Tokyo Live. Though the tune was unimpressive on that album, its treatment here is much more fulfilling.

The Heart of Things is the most exciting band John has had in some time and bodes well for the future of his music. This album catches the band at a moment in time but does not capture its spark in live performance. ---Walter Kolosky, allaboutjazz.com

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

uploaded yandex 4shared mega solidfiles zalivalka cloudmailru filecloudio oboom

back

John McLaughlin – Thieves & Poets (2003)

2009-10-18T18:33:26Z

John McLaughlin – Thieves & Poets (2003)


1. Thieves And Poets - Part One 
2. Thieves And Poets - Part Two 
3. Thieves And Poets - Part Three 
4. My Foolish Heart 
5. The Dolphin 
6. Stella by Starlight 
7. My Romance  

Personnel: 
John McLaughlin- Acoustic Guitar 
I Pommeriggi Musicali di Milano- Symphony Orchestra 
The Aighetta Quartet- guitars 
Soloists: Viktoria Mullova- violin; Matt Haimovitz- cello; Paul Meyer- clarinet; Philippe Loli- guitar; Bruno Frumento- timpani

Thieves and Poets is the latest offering from guitarist John McLaughlin. Similar in concept to two of his previous albums, The Mediterranean Concerto and Time Remembered, but different in execution, Thieves and Poets is well worth the ten year wait McLaughlin fans have endured to hear the piece recorded.

In one form or another, McLaughlin's three-part acoustic guitar and symphony suite has been in existence since the early nineties. Originally known as Europa, it has received some rewriting over the years and in particular was updated to cater to the skills of some of McLaughlin's highly touted guest soloists.

McLaughlin's liner notes talk of the Old World, the New World and the unification of these worlds as the thematic motifs of each part of the suite. Clearly, he borrows ideas from his own creations such as Shakti, his first concerto and tunes such as his standby "Blues for L.W." to paint a wonderfully textured canvas. In addition to self-quoting, McLaughlin manages to find some room for Charles Mingus and allows the influence of others to cast some shadows as well. Part 3 has a very distinct Bernstein feel that McLaughlin acknowledges but says was not done on purpose. It would make an impressive movie score.

Also appearing on the album are four jazz standards dedicated to pianists Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Bill Evans and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. McLaughlin recorded these tunes with the same acoustic guitar Aighetta Quartet he used on the Bill Evans tribute album. This time around the tunes are less dense and recorded with much lower reverb levels. These changes are very welcome as each tune is provocative without sounding cavernous.

McLaughlin's acoustic guitar is much higher in the mix than on the Mediterranean Concerto. As much as I liked the Concerto, sometimes you could not hear the guitar because of the overwhelming presence of the orchestra. The symphony orchestra I Pommeriggi Musicali di Milano performed this suite and attained the natural sounds that McLaughlin's Belo Horizonte band had formed with electronics. The guest soloists play with energy and purpose.

Thieves and Poets is a very pleasing outing on several fronts. The melodies linger, McLaughlin and his fellow musicians play beautifully and the presence of a sympathetic symphony orchestra will have you hoping for more. ---Walter Kolosky, allaboutjazz.com

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

uploaded yandex 4shared mega solidfiles zalivalka cloudmailru filecloudio oboom

back

John McLaughlin – To The One (2010)

2010-04-12T12:53:06Z

John McLaughlin and The 4th Dimension – To The One (2010)


1. Discovery
2. Special Beings
3. The Fine Line
4. Lost and Found
5. Recovery
6. To the One

John McLaughlin: guitar (1-3, 5), guitar synthesizer (4, 6); 
Gary Husband: keyboards, drums (5, 6), additional drums (1, 3), additional percussion (1); 
Etienne M'Bappé: bass guitar; 
Mark Mondesir: drums (1-4), additional percussion (5).

As it says on the sleeve, as opposed to the tin: file under jazz/rock. These words, as well as the crackling electrified sounds that they invariably conjure up, are the devil itself for those who see jazz as a purely acoustic, swing-based art. But even they would have to concede that British guitarist McLaughlin is one musician who has brought grace as well as aggression to the vexed sub-genre.

If one accepts that jazz-rock was Miles Davis’ early 70s bombshell baby then he, along with Joe Zawinul and Herbie Hancock, among others, was an invaluable midwife. Four decades on, McLaughlin is still playing with fire and finesse and his elder statesman status means that he can cherry pick talent when he assembles a band. The four-piece he leads here is notable for the presence of two powerhouse drummers, Mark Mondesir and Gary Husband (the latter also plays keys), though the real jewel of the sidemen is arguably Cameroonian bass guitarist Etienne Mbappé. His bubbling, percussive lines, seamless slides into double time and razor-sharp sub-divisions of the beat bring forth the sophisticated ruckus that is not so much jazz-rock as jazz that rocks.

McLaughlin is highly effective when playing unison lines with Mbappé, no more so than the spiralling bebop-like melody of Recovery, which is squeezed into a few action-packed bars. These tactics are smartly deployed, but as flawless as the technique is on this set, what is missing is the one thing that has elevated McLaughlin above many of his peers – his lyricism or, as Zawinul’s co-conspirator Wayne Shorter would put it, “the need to tell a story”. Some of the arrangements are also a touch on the rigid side, with one too many songs breaking up their pulse just as a groove starts to cook.

On the plus side, the Pat Metheny-ish title-track uses a guitar-synthesiser deftly against Husband’s intricate comping, but it’s still hard to shake the feeling that this is a group that might have a great record in it rather than a group that will make a great record simply because it’s a great group. ---Kevin le Gendre, BBC Review

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

uploaded yandex 4shared mega solidfiles zalivalka cloudmailru filecloudio oboom

back

John McLaughlin – Trio Of Doom (2007)

2009-10-18T19:18:08Z

John McLaughlin – Trio Of Doom (2007)


1. Drum Improvisation (Live); 
2. Dark Prince (Live); 
3. Continuum (Live); 
4. Para Oriente (Live); 
5. Are You the One, Are You the One? (Live); 
6. Dark Prince (Studio); 
7. Continuum (Studio); 
8. Para Oriente (Alternate Take One/Studio); 
9. Para Oriente (Alternate Take Two/Studio); 
10. Para Oriente (Studio).  

Personnel: 
John McLaughlin: electric guitar; 
Jaco Pastorius: electric bass; 
Tony Williams: drums.

Trio of Doom was eminently qualified as a supergroup at the time of their formation. In 1969, drummer Tony Williams formed the prototype of jazz-rock fusion groups with his trio, Lifetime. Having entered and exited those ranks, guitarist John McLaughlin had gone on to form The Mahavishnu Orchestra, thus taking the mainstream acceptance of such music to another level altogether. Bassist Jaco Pastorius was vital in elevating Weather Report to rock band prominence when he joined that group.

It's no doubt intentional that the takes from the Trio's live performance at the Havana Jam in 1979 come first on the CD. The interplay is better defined than during their studio counterparts (recorded in New York a few days later). More importantly, the introductory drum solo by Tony Williams illustrates the intrinsic musicality in his playing.

In his liner notes McLaughlin, who oversaw the project, makes note of the decibel level during the performance, but it's the pastoral quietude of the late bassist's "Continuum" that is perhaps more noteworthy—it defines the dynamics of the Pastorius personality, as well as the collaborative effort that went into subsuming each member's identity to the whole.

Although, in the liner notes, jazz critic and journalist Bill Milkowski's essay initially refers to rock power trios as the template for the Trio of Doom (who's influencing who here?), the staccato frenzy and lightning quick turnarounds in the live "Prince of Darkness find their counterpart today in the likes of prog-rock influenced jammers Umphrey's McGee and nouveau-traditionalists Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey.

Trio of Doom (named by Pastorius with customary eccentricity and humor) display a recognition of the simplicity of the blues in the easy shuffle of Williams' original "Para Oriente, which might serve the new generation well.

The general brevity of the tracks is perhaps inevitable given the multi-act concept of the label-sponsored concert from whence come these eighteen year-old recordings. Nevertheless, McLaughlin, Pastorius, and Williams didn't just jam for a half-hour, an approach they might well have been capable of given their collective wealth of technique. In both its live and studio renditions, "Are You the One, Are You The One? is indicative of each man's loyalty to composition as well as the spirit of truly working together to make this project a success.

Trio of Doom, the CD, may seem more insubstantial than it really is precisely because, as it stands, the music contained herein would barely seem to scratch the surface potential of this personnel alignment. Nevertheless, whether you find this package satisfying for its very existence or disappointing for its less-than-expansive results, Trio of Doom, the band, remains an exhibition of fundamental musical values in contemporary jazz. It will no doubt continue to be the launch point for fusion music (and beyond) that carries on for some time to come. ---Doug Colette, allaboutjazz.com

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

uploaded yandex 4shared mega solidfiles zalivalka cloudmailru filecloudio oboom

back

John McLaughlin's Free Spiritus – Lugano 1995

2010-01-03T15:30:22Z

John McLaughlin's Free Spiritus – Lugano 1995


1. Tones for Elvin 9:05 
2. Limehouse Blues 5:34 
3. Sing me softly the blues 7:44 
4. Ju Ju at crossroads 13:04 
5. Nostalgia 4:48 
6. Mother tongues 13:16 
7. Round' midnight 9:19 


Lineup : 

John McLaughlin - guitar 
Joey De Francesco - hammond organ 
Dennis Chambers - drums 

+
Stanley Jordan – guitar
? - trumpet on "Round` midnight" 

John McLaughlin's Free Spirits 
Estival Jazz 
Piazza Della Riforma, Lugano, Switzerland 
29. June 1995

download (mp3 @160 kbs):

uploaded yandex 4shared mega solidfiles zalivalka cloudmailru filecloudio oboom

back