This week we feature one of the towering jazz guitar influences of our time, John McLaughlin.

Online Bio (courtesy Europe Jazz Network)

One of the most versatile and influential guitarists of our time, John McLaughlin is known as an extraordinary solo artist, as the leader of both the group breaking Mahavishnu Orchestra and the revolutionary indo-jazz group Shakti and as the composer of some of the most stunning classical Jazz-fusion pieces ever written.

Born in Yorkshire, England, John McLaughlin first began to receive public attention as a member of Georgie Fame's Blues Flames. He then joined the Graham Bond Organisation, Brian Auger's Trinity, and in 1968 formed his own band and recorded the prize-winning album 'Extrapolation'. Moving to the USA in 1969, John McLaughlin joined Lifetime, a group that had great impact on the American Jazz scene. In addition to Lifetime, McLaughlin worked with Wayne Shorter and was personally invited to work and record with the legendary Miles Davis. His desire to make an album displaying the richness and purity of the acoustic guitar led McLaughlin to join forces with drummer Billy Cobham and violinist Jerry Goodman. The results were My Goals Beyond, a record that was acclaimed as one of the best of the early seventies. With Goodman, Cobham, Rick Laird and Jan Hammer, he then went on to form the brilliant Jazz fusion group Mahavishnu Orchestra. The group enjoyed immerse popularity and McLaughlin's striking artistry and passionate led critics to hail him as "The Guitar Hero". While continuing with Mahavishnu Orchestra, McLaughlin worked and recorded with many other artists including Carlos Santana (Love Devotion Surrender) and the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Tison Thomas (Apocalypse).

Due to both his need for constant innovation and a desire to play acoustic guitar exclusively, McLaughlin formed Shakti. The group was a unique synthesis of Eastern and Western musical traditions and was praised throughout the world. Continuing his busy record career, McLaughlin invited Chick Corea and David Sanborn to record Johnny McLaughlin Electric Guitarist, Katia Labeque to perform on Music Spoken Here and then teamed up with fellow guitarists Paco DeLucia and Al Di Meola for two albums, Passion Grace and Fire and Friday Night in San Francisco. John McLaughlin appeared with Dexter Gordon and Herbie Hancock in Bertrand Tavernier's highly acclaimed film "Round Midnight".

Another triumph was the premiere of his Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra called "Mediterranean". Commissioned by Ernest Fleishman, executive director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Concerto was first performed in Los Angeles in November 1985, with McLaughlin as soloist, and received a standing ovation from the first night audience and raves from the critics. Further performances took place all over the world since then and early 1990 the recording of the Concerto was released on CBS Masterworks (now Sony Classical) with the London Symphony Orchestra under Michael Tilson Thomas. A second Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra called "Europa" was commissioned by the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie and performed with that fine young orchestra during a tour that led through all the capitals of Europe. In 1988, parallel to his more classical oriented activities, John McLaughlin founded a new Trio with electric bass and percussion, which led to a long and deep musical friendship with the Indian percussionist Trilok Gurtu. The John McLaughlin Trio toured all over the world for five successive years and received overwhelming success both of critics and audiences. Two albums were released Life at the Royal Festival Hall (1990) and Que Allegria (1992).

Since 1993 we have seen John McLaughlin tour with a new band The Free Spirits, again playing electric guitar with Dennis Chambers on drums and Joey DeFrancesco on Hammond organ. Dennis' solid rhythm, the "earthy" sound of the Hammond combined with the unique style of McLaughlin ... it is exciting to hear the essence of all the experiences he has gone through since the beginning of his career.

Parallel to the working with the new group John McLaughlin released what he calls a "long dream of recording": Time Remembered, John McLaughlin Plays Bill Evans. Bill Evans' music played by 6 acoustic guitars, a true homage to a musicians John admired all his life. To another "hero" of his, John Coltrane, he dedicated his latest album After the Rain. The Free Spirits' first album Tokyo Live has been released in April 1994. After The Rain, a tribute to John Coltrane (feat. Elvin Jones) released April 1995 (both on Polygram/Verve).

For more info on John Mclaughlin see:

John Mclaughlin Official Website
http://www.johnmclaughlin.com

Tribute site with lots of features, links and sounds...
http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/Dave/mclaughlin/home.html

Doc Dosco is a jazz guitarist, composer and audio consultant living in Los Angeles, CA. His website is located at http://www.docdosco.com, where you can find more information on the 'What's Hot with Jazz Guitar' columns, audio clips of Doc's playing, and many additional features. Doc endorse Heritage Guitars and is a featured artist on their website. He also endorses the new Pignose Valve Tube Amps -- great for jazz (and anything else!)