John McLaughlin - good and fast?

**fumblefingers** · 04-20-2015, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by grahambop

I have seen both Terry Smith and John McLaughlin, and on balance I probably enjoyed the Terry Smith gigs more. He was a very fluent player with propulsive time and a touch of Wes. Once I saw him with altoist Peter King, and he held his own against Peter, which is no mean feat for a guitarist.

I saw McLaughlin playing acoustic guitar with Jonas Hellborg on bass and Trilok Gurtu on percussion. I liked some of it, but after a while the sheer speed and number of notes got a bit relentless.

I do regard McLaughlin as a major figure and I have quite a few of his CDs, from Mahavishnu to more recent stuff, but these days I find I can only listen to a couple of tracks on each one.

The one thing of his I do like all the way through is After the Rain with Elvin Jones and Joey de Francisco.

i know what you mean. i feel the same way about Metheny and Scofield. can only take a couple of tunes.

**kris** · 04-20-2015, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by fumblefingers

i know what you mean. i feel the same way about Metheny and Scofield. can only take a couple of tunes.

Metheny and Scofield played togheter do you know...:-) ?They did great CD:"I can see your house from here" in 1994. You can find there tune"You Speak My Language".12 bars blues played by two GIANTS. One of may favorite guitar CDs. Recomended!

**kris** · 04-20-2015, 09:59 AM

Great part 2:

**Hep To The Jive** · 04-20-2015, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by kris

Great part 2:

Yes! One of my fav. jazz guitar albums, 'I Can See Your House From Here'. Scofield and Metheny playing fantastic solos, and the compositions are great too, melodic, harmonically rich, groovy, and catchy.

**WESTON** · 04-20-2015, 08:33 PM

Quoted from John Scofield interview:

John McLaughlin - good and fast?-screenshot_20150420_202204-jpg

Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter also asked McLaughlin to join their band when they formed Weather Report.

**kris** · 04-21-2015, 03:08 AM

**kris** · 04-21-2015, 03:38 AM

Interesting and nice interview with John McLaughlin/about Django Reinhardt,John Coltrane,Miles Davis, and guitar player life/.

**WESTON** · 04-21-2015, 12:05 PM

McGlaughlin decided that he wanted to form his own band instead of joining Weather Report. Obviously they recorded together with Miles. That was just an add on. The main point of the post was was the Scofield quote "But so may great players played with his (Miles) bands- John McGlauglin......". So the guitarist who people are saying is the real deal believes McGlaughlin was also the real deal. Meanwhile the posters referencing Scofield are using Scofield as an example to discredit JM. Seems like there's room for more than one world class player.
For the people that don't like him they never will. He's not going to suddenly start copying George Benson licks, and don't think he's ever borrowed much from any guitar player. You either like it or you don't. As far as the speed thing when he first came up it was an essential part of his improv. I think he got caught up with the hype about speed because press and audience reinforced that idea. His playing matured since then.

**kris** · 04-21-2015, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by WESTON

McGlauglin decided that he wanted to form his own band instead of joining Weather Report. Obviously they recorded together with Miles. That was just an add on. The main point of the post was was the Scofield quote "But so may great players played with his (Miles) bands- John McGlauglin......". So the guitarist who people are saying is the real deal believes McGlaughlin was also the real deal. Meanwhile the posters referencing Scofield are using Scofield as an example to discredit JM. Seems like there's room for more than one world class player. For the people that don't like him they never will. He's not going to suddenly start copying George Benson licks, and don't think he's ever borrowed much from any guitar player. You either like it or you don't. As far as the speed thing when he first came up it was an essential part of his improv. I think he got caught up with the hype about speed because press and audience reinforced that idea. His playing matured since then.

One like Scofield and another like JM.it is only test.They are guitar GIANTS! what is a problem? For example: I like Scofield for his feeling,very creative solos,compositions,modern language etc and love his all CDs....Another like John McLaughlin for his great technique,different language,sound/more rock-fusion oriented/..etc It is great that everyone is different.I know audience like speedy guitarists... Good luck!

**ecj** · 04-21-2015, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by kris

I don't get how anyone could listen to this and have anything bad to say about McLaughlin. Totally unique voice, concept, and amazing execution.

I like Bireli, too, but McLaughlin's playing is so much clearer and more well thought out. He actually has a concept that unifies his sound, harmonically, rhythmically, and melodically. He's not a lick machine like so many guitarists.

I also thinks it's weird that anyone believes that he's rushing. He just puts his notes on the front of the beat. His concept is the opposite of traditional jazz, but it's a very cool way to approach things and gives him his signature sound.

The world would be boring if we were all just Wes clones, much as I love Wes.

**kris** · 04-21-2015, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by ecj

I don't get how anyone could listen to this and have anything bad to say about McLaughlin. Totally unique voice, concept, and amazing execution.

I like Bireli, too, but McLaughlin's playing is so much clearer and more well thought out. He actually has a concept that unifies his sound, harmonically, rhythmically, and melodically. He's not a lick machine like so many guitarists.

I also thinks it's weird that anyone believes that he's rushing. He just puts his notes on the front of the beat. His concept is the opposite of traditional jazz, but it's a very cool way to approach things and gives him his signature sound.

The world would be boring if we were all just Wes clones, much as I love Wes.

If you can hear Bireli comping/ chords with bass line/.It is more "complicated" than John.
I think Bireli solo is also clean...just my 2c.He usualy play very clean.
Why you try to say bad or not bad...easy...two big names playing blues.

**kris** · 04-22-2015, 08:52 AM

**kris** · 04-22-2015, 12:04 PM

I like this duo...great sounding comping...:

**kris** · 05-05-2015, 04:13 AM

is there any CD of JM playing with double-bass player?

**fumblefingers** · 05-05-2015, 09:18 AM

CD - Electric Guitarist. Tune - Do You Hear The Voices You Left Behind? Bassist - Stanley Clark.

**jazzaxe** · 10-01-2015, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by kris

is there any CD of JM playing with double-bass player?

Check this out, John playing with saxophonist Tony Roberts in the Danny Thompson Trio.

**grahambop** · 10-01-2015, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by kris

is there any CD of JM playing with double-bass player?

Extrapolation:

**rictroll** · 10-01-2015, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by kris

and...?... do you know any recording?

Mirolslav's recording Purple hints at such a possibility...

**neatomic** · 10-01-2015, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by kris

is there any CD of JM playing with double-bass player?

song to john from stanley clarkes journey to love..stan, chick and john

i recently posted in "listening now" thread..where fortune smiles …john with dave holland on bass..& stellar cast

and there's also gordon becks- experiments in pops.. the great jeff clynne on bass

John McLaughlin - good and fast?-al10012-jpg