Follow Your Heart
John McLaughlin
Song By Song
A Listener’s Guide
by
Walter Kolosky
Smashwords Edition
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Published on Smashwords by:
Walter Kolosky
Follow Your Heart
John McLaughlin
Song By Song
A Listener’s Guide
Copyright 2010 by Walter Kolosky
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
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Print version published by:
Abstract Logix Books
Senior Editors: Roderick A. Sibley and Ted McCallion
Associate Editors: Marco Anderson, John Curtin, Nat Janoff,
Massimo Morrone, Marc Rossi, Hatty Tsai
ISBN: 978-0-9761016-4-2
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Clear paths are ahead
if you just follow your heart
to where it leads you
-Walter Kolosky
Foreword
I’m happy to be able to write some comments about John McLaughlin, his artistry, instrumental prowess and, in the instance of Follow Your Heart, his genius as a composer.
I’d like to begin by saying that John embodies the rare type of artist that is so at one with his artistic conception and process of creation, and has so transcended any idea of limitations concerning his instrument, that everything that comes from him is not only musically perfect but a completed “composition.”
Follow Your Heart deals with John’s unique and wonderful written compositions – endlessly interesting and never “dated.” Hearing John’s compositions can be, for me, like stopping time and selecting out small fragments of the ever-continuing flow of improvisational music that emerges from deep inside the being. Becoming involved with his compositions – as a listener or as a performer – is like visiting exotic and incredible cities, each with its own character, emotions and motions, nooks and corners to discover and varieties of games to play. When I had the pleasure to play some of his compositions with him in our Five Peace Band collaboration, each night as I re-entered each composition of John’s, it felt like I was revisiting some exotic place where I would discover more and more new things, unusual events and emotions – more than I had the last time I visited that composition.
John was and is a groundbreaker, always having the courage to carry out his exact ideas and musical visions with no particular attention to trends. This trait of his has always been inspiring to me and I believe to many, many other artists and music lovers.
I and the rest of the music lovers of the world are thankful and lucky to have this musical treasure grace our aesthetic sensibilities.
Written as a musical collaborator, student, fan and friend of John McLaughlin… – Chick Corea, 2010
Introduction
Guitarist Fareed Haque said, “That John McLaughlin is one of the most remarkable and incredible guitar players is understood. However, I think in many ways guitarists and musicians tend to overlook his genius as a composer. No one before John had combined elements of modern jazz harmony, complex Indian rhythmic formulae, the passion of rock and the blues, and beauty, save perhaps Coltrane.”
Musicologist Kevin Michael believes that a few hundred years from now, music historians will understandably conclude John McLaughlin could not have been just one person. After all, there being several different John McLaughlins could be the only logical explanation for such a vast and diverse body of work. I hope Follow Your Heart will be around in some form to dissuade them of that hypothesis.
This book focuses on John McLaughlin’s music once he took full responsibility for it as leader of his own bands and recording projects. Every official recording led or co-led by John McLaughlin from 1969 through 2010 is covered. Forty-two albums and two hundred and ninety-eight individual cuts are discussed in detail. Special limited album releases, compilations and movie soundtracks are not included.
The idea to write a song by song listener’s guide came from two sources. In my book about The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Power, Passion and Beauty, I wrote in detail about each of the band’s tunes. I continue to receive mail from readers who found it particularly rewarding to read these sections as they listened to the music. I was also influenced by the music journalist and educator Ted Gioia who believes reviewing individual cuts can add much more to the understanding of the music. The existence of this book is proof of my agreement.
Some essays in this book are elucidations of my reviews that appeared at Gioia’s Jazz.com. However, this is not a book of reviews. Instead, each entry should be seen as a part of a travelogue of John McLaughlin’s music.
Some of the chapter introductions are expansions of my material published at Michael Ricci’s Allaboutjazz.com. In some cases, I also expound upon my views which appeared in my Mahavishnu Orchestra book.
Follow Your Heart concentrates on the songs on which John McLaughlin participated either as composer/player or player. More attention will be given to the music McLaughlin composed. Greater emphasis is most often given to the first appearance of a piece rather than its subsequent interpretations. As a general rule, more is written about John McLaughlin’s individual role than those of the gifted musicians appearing with him.
Each album and song has a different story. The performances are described as they are heard by my ears or felt by my heart. Throughout the text, influences are cited and measured. All great composers have revisited and refined their work. Therefore, threads are suggested that connect one tune to another. I may describe the structural elements of some music in greater detail if I believe it is important. Other times I focus more attention on a tune’s emotional impact or its history.
Many contemporary musicians of varying instruments, styles and genres have recorded John McLaughlin’s music. This is not just because he is one of the world’s greatest guitarists; it is because there is true depth found in many of his compositions. All of the commercially available interpretations of McLaughlin’s compositions are listed after each song entry. It would be a worthwhile experience to listen to them to obtain a greater appreciation of his composing skills.
I am not a musician. I have always written about what I hear. Clearly, I could not take on this considerable undertaking thinking my ears alone would get me through it. Some added expertise was needed to help answer some of my own questions. I was so fortunate to obtain the assistance of some remarkable musicians and educators who have extensively studied John McLaughlin’s work for many years. I can’t overstate the importance of their contributions or my gratitude to them.
Multi-instrumentalist Marco Anderson helped me with John McLaughlin’s early work in particular. Guitarist and music arranger John Curtin, who worked alongside John McLaughlin to help produce The Mahavishnu Orchestra scorebook, was invaluable to my understanding of that band’s music. Noted jazz pianist and Berklee College of Music Professor Marc Rossi aided greatly in the dissection of the music of Shakti and some of McLaughlin’s orchestral pieces. Italian guitarist and recording studio owner Massimo Morrone was an asset for some of John McLaughlin’s European-leaning acoustic work. Guitarist Nat Janoff was able to give me some valuable insight into the machinations of The Guitar Trio music. By no means were their contributions limited to the areas of expertise I just mentioned. Their research and dedication to the project was, in many cases, above and beyond the call of duty. The impressive biographies of these musicologists appear in the back of this book along with my humble thanks to all of the wonderful people who helped me make Follow Your Heart a reality.
The opinions in this book are mine. I will admit some of my views were changed by spirited exchanges with Anderson, Curtin, Rossi, Morrone and Janoff. Each had the opportunity to review their input, and that of their fellow contributors, before this book was finalized. Because of this process, they became de facto editors. It is another service for which I am grateful to them.
John McLaughlin has composed music that is played by jazz and rock bands, big bands, country music performers, flamenco and Indian classical musicians, classical string quartets, symphony orchestras and by musicians from many cultures – and yet, he calls himself a tunesmith rather than a composer.
During an interview, I informed John that I was writing this book. I told him that the evidence was in and the case was closed. He was a composer whether he thought so or not. The proof was in the pudding. John answered back, “Well Walter, the proof is in the eating.” And so it is.
Unless otherwise indicated, all John McLaughlin quotes were given specifically for this book.
I am very proud of the words that appear on these pages. I know where each and every one came from. However, listening to music is a very subjective experience. It is my hope the views expressed in this book will provide fans, music students and educators material for both fun and serious discussion.
In the course of writing Follow Your Heart, I spent hundreds of hours listening intently to John McLaughlin’s music. You would think four decades of paying close attention had already given me a great understanding, but there was so much more to be uncovered. I want the readers of this book to have the same experience. Follow Your Heart could also serve as a gateway to introduce more listeners to McLaughlin’s music. There would be no greater satisfaction than knowing this book led to new discoveries.
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How To Use Follow Your Heart
Follow Your Heart can be utilized in several ways.
First and foremost, Follow Your Heart is a listener’s guide for John McLaughlin fans, music students and musicians. It is best read while listening to the music. This Epub edition would be perfect for a long plane ride while you use your portable listening device.
Second, Follow Your Heart can be read straight through to serve as a history of John McLaughlin’s recordings. I recommend everyone do this at least once. There are many forward and backward-looking references in the book that will give you insight. It is better to be aware of them.
Third, Follow Your Heart is also designed to be a quick reference guide. Each entry is written so it can stand entirely on its own. You simply choose an album or song from the alphabetical table of contents and use your E-reader’s word search function to find it.
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A Musician’s Tapestry
No one plays guitar like John McLaughlin. Every one of his notes adds another thread to a quilt. Each strand glows red or purple or gold with the knowledge of a seeker who will never stop searching until he finds something he will never find. Along the lengths of these threads are the studied lessons of history’s master musicians – of which he has become one – and the sage teachings of the Eastern and Western philosophers.
As a child, his restless soul sought nourishment. He found some of it in the harmonies and rhythms of the world’s music. The European classicists, the American blues and jazz men, the Spanish flamenco players and the Indian maestros would become his earthbound heroes. He spent hour after hour, day after day, learning and practicing his instrument. His fingers bled from playing.
His quilt was still quite plain. He studied history, politics and especially religion – because there are many different colored fibers that weave a whole life. As he matured, his intellectual and spiritual knowledge intertwined with his music, forming white threads of great strength. Then he played with The Tony Williams Lifetime and Miles Davis, and his quilt began to transform. He founded the legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra and the design became more elaborate. A deep crimson was added as he explored Eastern-flavored music with his Indian brothers in Shakti. Collaborations with Carlos Santana, Paco de Lucia, Jeff Beck and Chick Corea created silver borders. Royal blue was added as he wrote and performed classical concertos.
As guitarist and composer, John McLaughlin has achieved fame on this earth. Yet, he continues on a quest to place his inner-self into the greater context. His music is an effort to speak the unspeakable. His is an inward journey for the outward truth. – Walter Kolosky
Reprinted with permission from The Swiss Guest Book by Beat Pfaendler.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Use your reader’s word search function to find albums or individual songs from the following list:
By Album:
A Handful Of Beauty
Adventures In Radioland
After The Rain
Apocalypse
Belo Horizonte
Between Nothingless & Eternity
Birds Of Fire
Devotion
Electric Dreams
Extrapolation
Five Peace Band
Floating Point
Friday Night In San Francisco
Industrial Zen
Inner Worlds
Johnny McLaughlin – Electric Guitarist
Live At The Royal Festival Hall
Love Devotion Surrender
Mahavishnu
Music Spoken Here
My Goal’s Beyond
Natural Elements
Passion, Grace & Fire
Que Alegria
Remember Shakti
Saturday Night In Bombay
Shakti
The Believer
The Free Spirits – Tokyo Live
The Guitar Trio
The Heart Of Things
The Heart Of Things: Live In Paris
The Inner Mounting Flame
The Lost Trident Sessions
The Mediterranean Concerto
The Promise
Thieves And Poets
Time Remembered
To The One
Trio Of Doom
Visions Of The Emerald Beyond
Where Fortune Smiles
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By Song:
1 4 U
1 Nite Stand – Que Alegría
1 Nite Stand – The Free Spirits – Tokyo Live
20th Century Limited
3 Willows
5 In The Morning, 6 In The Afternoon
A Lotus On Irish Streams
A Love Supreme
Abbaji (For Alla Rakha)
Acid Jazz – The Heart Of Things
Acid Jazz – The Heart Of Things: Live In Paris
Afro Blue
After The Rain
All In The Family
Amy And Joseph
Anna
Are You The One? Are You The One? – Electric Guitarist
Are You The One? Are You The One? – Trio Of Doom
Arjen’s Bag
Aspan – Music Spoken Here
Aspan – Passion, Grace & Fire
Awakening
Azzura
Baba (For Ramana Maharshi)
Be Happy
Bell’Alla
Belo Horizonte – Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte – Que Alegria
Beyond The Mirage
Binky’s Beam (aka Binky’s Dream)
Birds Of Fire
Blue In Green – My Goal’s Beyond
Blue In Green – Live At The Royal Festival Hall
Blues For L.W. – Music Spoken Here
Blues For L.W. – Live At The Royal Festival Hall
Bridge Of Sighs
Brise De Coeur – Music Spoken Here
Brise De Coeur – The Mediterranean Concerto
Can’t Stand Your Funk
Cardeosa
Celestial Terrestrial Commuters
Chiquito
Clarendon Hills
Come On Baby Dance With Me
Continuum
Cosmic Strut
Crescent
David – Music Spoken Here
David – Passion, Grace & Fire
Dawn
Dear Dalai Lama
Desire And The Comforter
Devotion
Discovery
Django
Do You Hear The Voices You Left Behind?
Don’t Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother
Dr. Jackle
Dragon Song
Dream – Between Nothingness & Eternity
Dream – The Lost Trident Sessions
Earth Bound Hearts
Earth Ship
East Side West Side
El Ciego
Electric Dreams/Electric Sighs
Encuentros
English Jam
Epilogue
Eternity’s Breath Part 1 & Part 2
Every Tear From Every Eye
Extrapolation
Face To Face
Faith
Fallen Angels – The Heart Of Things
Fallen Angels – The Heart Of Things: Live In Paris
Fantasia Suite
Finding The Way
Five Peace Band
Florianapolis – Adventures In Radioland
Florianapolis – Live At The Royal Festival Hall
Follow Your Heart
For Jaco
Frevo Rasgado
Friendship
Get Down And Sruti
Giriraj Sudha
Gita
Glancing Backwards
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Gotta Dance
Guardian Angels – Electric Dreams
Guardian Angel(s) – Friday Night In San Francisco
Half Man – Half Cookie
Happiness Is Being Together
Healing Hands
Hearts And Flowers
Hijacked – Que Alegria
Hijacked – The Free Spirits – Tokyo Live
Homage
Honky-Tonk Haven
Hope – Where Fortune Smiles
Hope – Birds Of Fire
Hymn To Andromeda
Hymn To Him
I Wonder
If I Could See
In A Silent Way/It’s About That Time
In My Life
India
Inner Worlds Part 1 & 2
Inside Out
Isis
It’s Funny
Jazz
Jazz Jungle
John’s Song #2
Joy
Jozy (For Joe Zawinul) – Adventures In Radioland
JuJu At The Crossroads
Just Ideas – Adventures In Radioland
Just Ideas/Jozy – Live At The Royal Festival Hall
Just So Only More So
Kriti
La Baleine
La Danse Du Bonheur
La Estiba
Lady L
Le Monastère Dans Les Montagnes
Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord
Letter From India
Lila’s Dance
Little Miss Valley
Lôro
Lost And Found
Lotus Feet – Inner Worlds
Lotus Feet – Shakti
Lotus Feet – Remember Shakti
Lotus Feet – The Believer
Love And Understanding
Luki
Ma No Pa
Maharina
Manha De Carnaval
Manitas D’Oro (For Paco de Lucia)
Marbles
Mattinale
Maya
Meditation
Meeting Of The Spirits
Midsummer Night
Mila Repa
Miles Beyond (Miles Davis)
Miles Davis
Miles Out
Mind Ecology
Mitch Match
Montana
Morning Calls
Mother Nature
Mother Tongues – Live At The Royal Festival Hall
Mother Tongues – The Heart Of Things: Live In Paris
Mr. D.C.
Mukti
My Bells
My Favorite Things
My Foolish Heart – Electric Guitarist
My Foolish Heart – Thieves And Poets
My Romance
Naima – Love Devotion Surrender
Naima – After The Rain
Negative Ions
New Blues Old Bruise – Industrial Zen
New Blues Old Bruise – Five Peace Band
New Place, Old Place
New York On My Mind
Nightriders
No Blues
No Return
Nostalgia
Off The One
On The Way Home To Earth
One Melody
One Word
Only Child
Open Country Joy
Opus 1
Orient Blue Suite
Pacific Express
Para Oriente
Pasha’s Love
Passion, Grace & Fire
Pastoral
Peace Of Mind
Peace One
Peace Piece
Peace Two
Pegasus
Pete The Poet
Phenomenon: Compulsion
Phillip Lane
Planetary Citizen
Power Of Love
Prologue
Purpose Of When
Que Alegria
Radio-Activity
Raju – Floating Point
Raju – Five Peace Band
Really You Know
Recovery
Reincarnation – Adventures In Radioland
Reincarnation – Que Alegria
Resolution
Sanctuary
Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love
Senor C.S. – Industrial Zen
Senor C.S. – Five Peace Band
Seven Sisters – The Heart Of Things
Seven Sisters – The Heart Of Things: Live In Paris
Shin Jin Rui
Short Tales Of The Black Forest
Shringar
Sichia
Sing Me Softly Of The Blues
Siren
Sister Andrea – Between Nothingness & Eternity
Sister Andrea – The Lost Trident Sessions
Smile Of The Beyond
Someday My Prince Will Come
Something Spiritual
Song For Helen
Song For My Mother
Special Beings
Spectrum
Stardust On Your Sleeve
Stella By Starlight
Steppings Tones
Take The Coltrane
The Daffodil And The Eagle
The Dance Of Maya
The Dark Prince – Electric Dreams
The Dark Prince – Trio Of Doom
The Disguise
The Divide
The Dolphin
The Fine Line
The Life Divine
The Mediterranean
The Noonward Race
The Peacocks
The Translators
The Unbeliever
The Unknown Dissident
The Voice
The Wait
The Wall Will Fall
The Way Of The Pilgrim
The Wish – The Promise
The Wish – Remember Shakti
Thelonius Melodius
Thieves And Poets
This Is For Us To Share
Thousand Island Park
Time Remembered
To Bop Or Not To Be (For Michael Brecker)
To The One
Tokyo Decadence
Tones For Elvin Jones
Tony
Trilogy – Between Nothingness & Eternity
Trilogy – The Lost Trident Sessions
Turn Out The Stars
Two For Two
Two Sisters – A Handful Of Beauty
Two Sisters – The Mediterranean Concerto
Until Such Time
Very Early (Homage to Bill Evans) – Belo Horizonte
Very Early – Time Remembered
Viene Clareando
Vision Is A Naked Sword
Vital Transformation
Vukovar
Waltz For Bill Evans
Waltz For Debby
Waltz For Katia
Wayne’s Way
We Will Meet Again
What Need Have I For This – What Need Have I For That
I Am Dancing At The Feet Of My Lord
All Is Bliss – All Is Bliss
When Blue Turns Gold
When Love Is Far Away – Free Spirits – Tokyo Live
When Love is Far Away – The Heart Of Things
Where Fortune Smiles
Wings Of Karma
You Know You Know
Zakir – The Mediterranean Concerto
Zakir – Remember Shakti
Zamfir
John McLaughlin Resources
Biographies
Acknowledgements
You can ruin music by trying to explain it. Still, there is value in trying to describe what you cannot necessarily explain. While the difference between explaining and describing is subtle, it is important. Art is not there just to be admired. It exists to be thought about and discussed.–Walter Kolosky
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Extrapolation (Album)
Musicians: John McLaughlin (guitar), John Surman (saxophone), Brian Odgers (bass), Tony Oxley (drums)
Recorded: January 1969. London, England.
Polydor (841 598-2)
“When I hear new music coming into my head, its mission is integrated into its notes. It basically tells me how it wants to be. It’s clear to me from the very first, how it should be articulated and how it should be expressed.” – John McLaughlin
John McLaughlin’s first album as a leader is smudged with the fingerprints of some of his earliest heroes. You quite clearly hear the influences of guitar legends Tal Farlow and Django Reinhardt and the more contemporary approaches of John Coltrane and Miles Davis. The truth of the matter is although Farlow and Reinhardt had some sway, most of the music McLaughlin was listening to in his early days was not guitar dominated. He was also, if not more so, drawn to saxophonists, trumpet players and pianists.
McLaughlin’s compositions were partly influenced by Miles Davis’ modal approach which was setting a course away from standard jazz chord progressions. Trace evidence of saxophonist Coltrane is already heard in McLaughlin’s phrasing. He was also following early leads in his investigation of Indian music. The clues are uncovered by listening to some of his scale choices and occasional nods to the raga form. You put this all together, along with the fine capabilities of his fellow musicians, and you have an open and shut case for Extrapolation being one of the most important jazz records ever recorded in Europe. At least that is what the Penguin Jazz Guide thinks.
Each song flows seamlessly into the next without the rude interruption of silence. Saxophonist John Surman was given a large role and almost steals the show.
Extrapolation
On “Extrapolation” bassist Brian Odgers (often misspelled as “Odges”) and drummer Tony Oxley establish a bouncing rhythm that channels the vibe of a really hip late sixties London jazz club. John McLaughlin and John Surman enter to play the melody, that quickly escapes into a long series of fast-tempo bebop exchanges. Of note is Surman’s baritone sax. McLaughlin had fallen in love with the sound of the instrument from the time he played with Glenn Hughes a few years earlier. You can certainly understand his appreciation of Surman’s impressive skills after hearing the saxophonist play just a few bars. “Extrapolation” is very much a modal presentation. Any chords heard are part of McLaughlin’s scattered solo. His strumming technique produces those chords as individual, almost bent, notes. McLaughlin’s electric aggressiveness and bluesy tone is very similar to the approach he took as guest star on bassist Jack Bruce’s fine album Things We Like, which was recorded a year earlier. The main theme returns and is repeated until the music slides perfectly into the next cut.
It’s Funny
“It’s Funny” is a simple but vital altered blues and R&B mixture with nothing funny about it. Brian Odgers supplies long sustained bass notes to help John McLaughlin’s tender introductory shadings. Saxophonist John Surman enters to counter the guitarist. Tony Oxley’s cymbal work keeps things moving. Halfway through, after a vibrant Surman solo, McLaughlin turns guttural. His teetering lines are interspersed with his frantically crooked chords as the song builds from a simple cause to one of more urgency. If there is any semblance of funk on the album, it is heard here. Dig the cool chord motif starting at 2:53. Surman returns, with a head of steam, to close out this impressive effort.
Note: A charming version of the song also appeared on vocalist Duffy Power’s 1971 album Little Boy Blue, which featured Power, John McLaughlin, bass player Danny Thompson and drummer Red Reece.
Because of his lyrics, Power claims a half-credit on the song writing on that album. In the Extrapolation liner notes McLaughlin jokes his instrumental version has “unheard lyrics.”
Also recorded by:
Duffy Power: Vampers And Champers (compilation)
Gary Husband: A Meeting Of Spirits
Arjen’s Bag
In the first decade of John McLaughlin’s breakout as a leader, and again later when he concentrated on Eastern-tinged fusion music, time signatures and odd structures and rhythms were of great curiosity to him. Very few artists were attempting them and even fewer were successful. This could explain why McLaughlin bothered to mention in Extrapolation’s liner notes that “Arjen’s Bag” was in 11/8 time.
“Arjen’s Bag” was named after Arjen Gorter, a bassist from Holland, who played with McLaughlin in various settings with the free-jazz exponent Gunter Hampel. This wonderful composition is an altered blues on which McLaughlin has decided nothing will resolve. The song’s melody is a pleasing and memorable one from which one of McLaughlin’s most endearing compositions would be fully fleshed-out and presented as “Follow Your Heart” on My Goal’s Beyond a year later.
Note: The acclaimed progressive-rock band Soft Machine performed a near carbon-copy of “Arjen’s Bag/Follow Your Heart” on its 1974 release Seven. It appears as the cut “Day’s Eye.” It is so similar the composition should have been credited to McLaughlin.
Pete The Poet
“Pete The Poet” was named after London poet Pete Brown. Brown worked with Cream’s bass player Jack Bruce. Together they composed “I Feel Free” and “White Room.”
The opening call and response section and the double lead playing of John McLaughlin and saxophonist John Surman get the proceedings off to a promising start. Bassist Brian Odgers interjects himself. This is modern bebop, with a dose of blues in its blood system. McLaughlin and Surman play off each other wonderfully. It is quite probable McLaughlin wrote “Pete The Poet” primarily with Surman’s sax in mind. It just sounds like a saxophone song. Tony Oxley’s drum solo leads back to the opening riffs. As for McLaughlin’s playing – think Tal Farlow plus a bit of distortion and jangly chords. Check Farlow out when you have a chance.
This Is For Us To Share
After John McLaughlin’s beautiful acoustic introduction of “This Is For Us To Share,” he takes a back seat and provides modulating Major-9 chords for saxophonist John Surman. This cut is full of gritty emotion. The band places ever-increasing pressure on the composition. This builds a palpable tension. Luckily, Surman eventually dispenses with his own stress and everyone goes home happy.
One thing you will learn from this book is that John McLaughlin is constantly revisiting and refining his musical ideas. This is not an exercise in rehash. Instead, it is the way of a musician who believes he has not mined every possible nugget these ideas hold. He has unfinished business. For all I know “This Is For Us To Share” is an expansion on something McLaughlin noodled with when he was twelve years old. What I know for sure is that its arpeggio-laden introduction will be revisited for a version of his “Belo Horizonte” composition heard on Que Alegria almost twenty-five years later.
Spectrum
There is a clear Charlie Parker insinuation deep inside “Spectrum.” The tune is John McLaughlin’s “Scrapple From The Apple” on acid. The lack of standard chord changes and the inclusion of minor-3rd jumps bring the traces of John Coltrane into the mix as well.
A grinding performance of “Spectrum” was included on The Tony Williams Lifetime debut album Emergency!. The writing credit on the album went to “A. Hall,” which was an alias for John McLaughlin.
The original title of this song was “Spectrum-Plectrum.” A bit of searching of the BBC archives will find an early performance by The Danny Thompson Trio of which McLaughlin was briefly a member.
Also recorded by:
The Tony Williams Lifetime: Emergency!
Trio Beyond: Saudades
Binky’s Beam
“Binky’s Beam” is very often misidentified as “Binky’s Dream.” You can blame this on a reissued CD error and the Internet. Binky was bass player Binky McKenzie, who John McLaughlin says was “unjustly jailed with his brother Bunny.”
“Binky’s Beam” is a slow ballad, performed in 9/8 time, which turns into a syncopated sideways jaunt. During McLaughlin’s introductory maneuvers bassist Brian Odgers plays counterpoint. Drummer Tony Oxley does some fine brushwork. McLaughlin snaps off clean blues notes on his acoustic-electric as if he were using garden shears. John Surman’s baritone sax is full of resonating attitude. He and McLaughlin are simpatico. The beginning of this tune may have put you into deep contemplation. Nevertheless, by the finish of the gallivanting “Binky’s Beam,” you will not have a care in the world.
Three years later McLaughlin would speed up the song’s tempo about twenty or thirty times to create the basis for The Mahavishnu Orchestra’s “Celestial Terrestrial Commuters” on Birds Of Fire.
Also recorded by:
Fred Tayor & Inquest: Processional
Really You Know
John McLaughlin showed great love and respect for Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans and the new cool school on “Really You Know.” This composition was his effort in the direction of Monk’s iconic “Round Midnight.” McLaughlin was taking music typically being played on piano and transferring it to his guitar. This approach will continue throughout his career. McLaughlin and bassist Brian Odgers stand out on this performance. It was now becoming quite clear as the grooves on the Extrapolation LP spun that this new guitar player was different. He was playing jazz using a different vocabulary of jagged chords, crackling single notes – played loud/soft/slow/fast – and changing time signatures that took a bit of getting use to. To aid McLaughlin and Odgers, drummer Tony Oxley and saxophonist John Surman join the sad ballad’s presentation. By tune’s end you should really know “Really You Know.”
Two For Two
The main melody, a quick-tempo effort from John McLaughlin and saxophonist John Surman, is compelling enough to be appreciated in its own right. However, “Two For Two” is a showcase for McLaughlin’s rhythm playing and comping. He is that rare guitarist who can be recognized solely by his comping. McLaughlin does more than offer the standard shadings. He alters his attack. Rhythms are distorted and time seems to bend. Solos use chords as if they were single-note runs. No one sounds like him. Are you paying attention yet?
Peace Piece
“Peace Piece” is the forerunner to the two “Peace” pieces found on My Goal’s Beyond three albums later. McLaughlin is known for a lot of things; one of these things is abruptness. Suddenly, he jettisons the live electrical wire that dominates this album in favor of something that resembles an Indian raga performed on acoustic guitar. Keeping the root note the same, as one would for a raga, McLaughlin cleverly manipulates a simple major scale to complete the mood. He then throws it into a sandwich bag along with some naan.
Also recorded by:
Bournet/Alberti: Play John McLaughlin & Astor Piazzolla
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Devotion (Album)
Musicians: John McLaughlin (electric guitar), Buddy Miles (drums), Larry Young (organ), Billy Rich (bass)
Recorded: February 1970. New York City, New York.
Restless (7 72656-2) and several other labels
Throughout his life, John McLaughlin has been dedicated to seeking the great truths about his being and his music. He truly sees life and music as the same. Nothing has ever gotten in his way – though his album Devotion almost did. The story goes that McLaughlin recorded the album and then went on tour with The Tony Williams Lifetime. When he returned he discovered the music had been hacked to pieces in the mixing room and reassembled without rhyme or reason. At the time, McLaughlin was unaware the master tapes had been accidently damaged.
Devotion is a hard driving, spaced-out, distorted, jazz-rock psychedelic grungy mess. The album cover helped to give this away. The artist Ira Cohen photographed McLaughlin reflected in a funhouse mirror. It looked like he was melting – or you were on a psychedelic acid trip. Cohen used the mirror in photographing several other notables including Jimi Hendrix. The sound of Devotion is not that far removed from Hendrix’s Are You Experienced? or Electric Ladyland albums. The compositions, on the other hand, are many miles away from the relatively simple chord structures and harmonies Jimi offered.
Coincidently, McLaughlin had recently jammed with Hendrix. Fate intervened. We’ll never know what would have happened had Hendrix lived. For some guitar fans, John McLaughlin was there to fill his shoes – even if it was not his intention. In any case, McLaughlin was the future because he created it.
Note: Numerous sloppy reissues have either the song order incorrect or have misnamed them. Many of the cuts are out of McLaughlin’s intended order anyway so that may not matter!
Marbles
Despite its spacey introduction, “Marbles” is an electric groove monster. Buddy Miles’ thumping drums introduce John McLaughlin’s simple, but hypnotically rocking, riff. Throughout the whole album, McLaughlin never asks rock-funk drummer Miles to play anything but 4/4 time. McLaughlin still finds a way to mix things up. In this case he decides to occasionally displace the main riff offbeat. It changes the character of the rhythm and gives the song a slight Indian feel as well. “Marbles” quickly becomes a trippy jazz-rock boogie. As bassist Billy Rich and organist Larry Young continue to play the riff, McLaughlin plays off it every which way from Sunday. He pulls from the pentatonic and blues scales to produce trebly rapid-fire lines and screeching howls. This is serious shredding before the term came into vogue. I challenge Mr. McLaughlin to pull this tune out some night on the road. It would kill! The “Marbles” riff motif would appear again, played much faster, in McLaughlin’s Shakti band several years later.
Also recorded by:
Carlos Santana and Buddy Miles: Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles: Live
Bournet/Alberti: Play John McLaughlin & Astor Piazzolla
Billy T.K.’s Powerhouse: Move On Up
Toolshed: Toolshed
Siren
My guess is the ultra-muddied sounding shuffle “Siren” was probably intended to be the middle section of a longer tune. It is possible the shuffle vibe is the result of the recording process itself. It is hard to tell. A lot of recorded echo gives a strange rebound sound to John McLaughlin’s electric guitar, Buddy Miles’ drums and Larry Young’s organ. The chord structure is the same as on “Arjen’s Bag” from Extrapolation, albeit presented in 4/4 time and not 11/8 time. This collection of interesting chord progressions, sometimes fading in and out, purposefully or not, leads to another series of licks and some cool guitar effects. “Siren” is probably damaged goods. Maybe somebody stepped on the master tapes with gummy sneakers. Who will really know? Despite the mystery, there are enough far-out sounds to interest any McLaughlin fan or fusion enthusiast.
Don’t Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother
“Don’t Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother is a cartoon title, quite meaningless.” – John McLaughlin
Due to the botched-up editing, “Don’t Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother” is most likely a fragment originally intended for something else. Its ascending chord structure is presented over a pedal bass. This is a technique that will become a component part of several other McLaughlin recordings to come in the near future. It will be heard most noticeably on “Resolution” on 1973’s Birds Of Fire. Buddy Miles’ heavy backbeat propels the piece. McLaughlin’s high-noted blues solo is somewhat directionless. Nonetheless, his ominous tone and open pressure gets your attention and holds it. This was guitar playing that was very threatening to the status quo. “Don’t Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother” morphs into a more open soundscape that suspiciously alludes to the introductory section of the album’s “Marbles.”
Purpose Of When
We’ll never know if the outrageous guitar that begins “Purpose Of When” was actually supposed to be at the beginning of the song. At any rate, it is a great place to start this angry and sometimes dissonant cry. Billy Rich’s marching bass line and Buddy Miles’ backbeat accompany McLaughlin’s wailing. The bass line, though played here in 4/4 time, shares the melodic sequence which would form the basis for The Mahavishnu Orchestra’s great “The Dance Of Maya.” The tune was also contemporaneously being played by The Tony Williams Lifetime. But that group played it in 20/8 time. This was another indication that funkmeister Miles was perhaps best heard in 4/4 time. Organist Larry Young has his B-3 tuned to some alternate pitch to provide even more friction. McLaughlin’s distorted and dark lines assault your brain. They are brutal attacks if you can stand to turn the volume up. “Purpose Of When” is a detached statement of blues influenced rage that comes from the angriest part of the primal instinct. That is what makes it fun.
Dragon Song
“Dragon Song” is a reverberating acid-grunge lick fest. Mahavishnu Orchestra fans will recognize the head as the same that will later be used for one of Mahavishnu’s most famous pieces, “One Word.” “Dragon Song” contains one ingratiating guitar riff after another. One especially powerful motif could have been right at home in the rock group Cream! Backed by Buddy Miles’ heavy backbeats, Larry Young’s weird sustained B-3 chords and a Billy Rich bass vamp that would be thrilling all by itself, John McLaughlin jumps into a whirlpool of funk. Using a heavy foot on a wah-wah pedal McLaughlin eviscerates the standard guitar sounds in favor of sustained screeches and over-modulated blasts. This particular dragon would whup “Puff The Magic Dragon’s” ass.
“Dragon Song” was also performed live by the quartet version of The Tony Williams Lifetime complete with vocals sung by Jack Bruce.
Also recorded by:
Brian Auger: Oblivion Express
Devotion
The three musicians surrounding John McLaughlin had played with Jimi Hendrix, so the stage was set for another guitar hero to make his mark. He does so with a dark, foreboding and somewhat murky sounding tune that would become one of jazz-rock’s first anthems. In those days compound rhythms were quite new and strange for rock fans. Devotion was written in 7/4 time, but it is played over a 4/4 beat. This could take some time getting used to. This music is loud and distorted and coming at you from all angles. If you weren’t on drugs while listening you felt as if you were anyway – or you wanted some quick. The mix is transfixing. McLaughlin tests sonic barriers by overdubbing two intertwining lead guitars to create his psychedelic solo. Organist Larry Young is doing a good job of that as well. Drummer Buddy Miles just pounds away. The main theme returns, leading to a hard rock mugging that is lost in a groove. Any McLaughlin fan who does not submit to this music should be put to bed without supper.
Note: McLaughlin also played a calming and very devotional acoustic version of “Devotion,” with his then-wife Eve on autoharp, for The Guitar Album: The Historic Town Hall Concert (1971) which featured other great traditional jazz guitarists such as Charlie Byrd and Chuck Wayne. The couple even sang vocals. The vocals were not so good. Devotion can only take you so far.
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Where Fortune Smiles (Album)
Musicians: John McLaughlin (guitar), John Surman (saxophone), Karl Berger (vibraphone), Stu Martin (drums), Dave Holland (bass)
Recorded: May 1970. New York City, New York.
One Way Records (OW 29312)
John McLaughlin was co-leader of Where Fortune Smiles.
McLaughlin may as well have been a completely different guitarist from the one that starred on Devotion recorded three months earlier! His sound and approach are quite indicative of the Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra influenced free-jazz experimental music McLaughlin was performing in Europe with vibraphonist Gunter Hampel. McLaughlin has said this was very difficult music to play.
The compositions, all by McLaughlin or Surman, have strong heads very rarely quoted in the free improvisations that follow.
For listeners who don’t normally immerse themselves in this sort of free-jazz thing, Where Fortune Smiles is a recording that can be enjoyed only about once a year. Still, it remains a must-listen. Of interest to jazz-rock fans are McLaughlin’s pre-Mahavishnu guitar riffs and nasty solos. They will have a familiar ring.
Glancing Backwards
(John Surman)
“Glancing Backwards” opens, as do most pieces on the album, with a catchy introduction. In fact, it is so catchy one wonders if it was a piece leftover from the Extrapolation sessions. It would seamlessly fit right into the flow of that album. Soon after, however, the music devolves into a free-jazz free for all. Vibraphonist Karl Berger actually maintains a modicum of structure in the cacophony. Saxophonist John Surman does not. He honks and squeals his way through. Free-jazz folks will dig it. Others, like me, will suffer through it until John McLaughlin takes a ripping electric solo. Bassist Dave Holland is the last to take a turn before the head returns. From an historical view, the tune deserves to be heard for perspective on the careers of McLaughlin, Surman and Holland. It’s always good to understand the journey.
Earth Bound Hearts
The slow, melancholic ballad “Earth Bound Hearts” is one of only two straightforward jazz cuts on Where Fortune Smiles. The tune is performed in duet by guitarist John McLaughlin and saxophonist John Surman. Their empathy and understanding come through every note and measure of this performance. McLaughlin opens the piece by taking an otherwise standard guitar riff and adding an open string dissonance. He will use this same technique on future Mahavishnu Orchestra compositions such as “You Know You Know” and “Birds Of Fire.” Even though “Earth Bound Hearts” was written by McLaughlin, he never takes a solo. Instead he offers dark and sad shadings to help Surman deliver his lament. “Earth Bound Hearts” would be more at home on many other McLaughlin or Surman records. On this album, the song is a strange, but welcome visitor.
Also recorded by:
Gary Husband: A Meeting Of Spirits
Where Fortune Smiles
(John Surman)
Strangely, John Surman does not appear on his own composition. The song is the most melodious music on the recording. Vibraphonist Karl Berger is the tune’s gentle provocateur. He plays the understated theme and does the main soloing. His dynamics are nothing short of lovely and instill needed subtlety. John McLaughlin’s strummed chords, often using substitution voicings, provide the occasional flourish. The combination is a winning one. This is a charming duet and provides a brief respite from the mostly unrelenting free-jazz heard on the rest of the album.
New Place, Old Place
“New Place, Old Place” is based on a curious riff performed by vibes player Karl Berger. The motif does not resolve; it calls for an answer. John McLaughlin quickly responds. Saxophonist John Surman adds an exclamation point. Drummer Stu Martin and bassist Dave Holland add their own punctuation. This is going to be a cool piece. Then, to the horror of any grammarian, all semblances of form and structure are quickly abandoned. There are no rules left. There is interesting noise for a few minutes. After that? Get me out of here!
Wait, we are being saved by a hint of the opening riff. It means safety to us at this point. Here we go! Alas, it is not enough. We are left hanging by our sliding-down-a-chalkboard-fingernails to get through this thing. What’s worse, we are not even midway through! The call and response patterns of the cool riff return again. Still it is not enough to rescue us.
There are important seeds scattered throughout this material. You just have to get down on your hands and knees with a sifter to find them.
Hope
“Hope” is a combination of several disjointed ideas which would soon become elements of Mahavishnu Orchestra pieces. Its introductory motif, with slight alterations, will play a role in Mahavishnu’s “One Word.” Though it’s fascinating to hear early hints of Mahavishnu, this music isn’t for everybody. It is best listened to in order to get a reference point on McLaughlin and the talented saxophonist John Surman. From an historical view “Hope” is quite interesting. From any other view it is a view too far. Though the tunes share some chord structure, the “Hope” that will appear on Birds Of Fire is unrelated.
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My Goal’s Beyond (Album)
Musicians: Mahavishnu John McLaughlin (acoustic guitar), Jerry Goodman (violin), Dave Liebman (tenor & soprano sax, flute), Charlie Haden (bass), Billy Cobham (drums), Airto Moreira (percussion), Badal Roy (tablas), Mahalakshmi Eve McLaughlin (tambura)
Recorded: 1970. New York City, New York.
(Ryko RCD 10051)
“My endeavors in the spiritual life are like the tides. They come in and go out and come back in again. It’s just not about spirituality in music. It’s about spirituality in life.” – John McLaughlin
John McLaughlin was given the name “Mahavishnu” by his spiritual guru Sri Chinmoy. The name honors the Hindu God Vishnu. “Maha” means “great” and “Vishnu” means “preserver.” To John, the name also encompassed the qualities of divine compassion, strength and justice. McLaughlin’s approach to music became more inwardly and outwardly spiritual.
My Goal’s Beyond can’t be killed with a stick. Every few years it is re-released and a new generation of fans experiences the joy of listening to McLaughlin’s compositions and jazz standards played beautifully on acoustic guitar. The entire world was awash in electric guitar solos at the time. And this guy certainly had already offered his share of mind-bending electric solos. However, this was sensitive music that had to be executed on acoustic guitar. This album changed a lot of people’s perceptions about John McLaughlin.
The continuing influence of guitarist Tal Farlow is still present on My Goal’s Beyond. Pianist Bill Evans’ musical approach is especially imprinted on the recording as well. McLaughlin may have been the first to incorporate Evans’ piano voicings on guitar. He was surely the first one to do it on acoustic guitar. McLaughlin was also the first acoustic guitarist to add Indian and Western fusion to the jazz standards. In that sense, My Goal’s Beyond was the first of its kind and remains timeless because of it.
Technically, the acoustic guitar playing on My Goal’s Beyond did not approach the skill exhibited on later John McLaughlin recordings. Yet, My Goal’s Beyond set standards for acoustic guitar playing which remain today. McLaughlin’s soloing and chord playing was a revelation even to those familiar with his electric guitar style. He snapped his steel strings with the confidence of an archer. His playing was amazingly fast, yet still melodic, and his tune selection was unusually eclectic. His own compositions were thrilling, reflective and meditative. He was coming from an entirely new place. He was the new place.
It took guts to record an acoustic guitar album during the time of Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. My Goal’s Beyond is an essential recording for any McLaughlin fan.
Note: My Goal’s Beyond marked the first time John McLaughlin, drummer Billy Cobham and violinist Jerry Goodman, future members of The Mahavishnu Orchestra, appeared on record together.
Note: Many CD reissues have the album sides reversed or incorrectly labeled. The Rykodisc CD I used for this book is an embarrassing mess of misinformation. Since I believe most listeners will be using CDs, I use the song order that appears on most of the CDs I have seen. Unfortunately, this robs the album of a lot of its original identity.
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(Charles Mingus)
“What I like about Mingus was his relationship with the blues. Plus, he was radical. He was very much a part of the African-American Freedom Now movement that emerged in the sixties. He was also in some sense a political activist, and basically told it like it was. I had then, and still have today, a great admiration and affection for Mingus. Musically he was also radical and very political in his music. He was a great musician, and his compositions were influential on my musical concepts.” – John McLaughlin
Mention Charlie Mingus’ tribute to saxophonist Lester Young these days and most people will associate it with Jeff Beck’s electric version on his Wired album. That performance was great. However, John McLaughlin’s version, which predated Beck’s by six years, was more faithful to Mingus’ original arrangement. He also played the tune on a steel-stringed acoustic guitar. Fans familiar only with his jarring electric work from this period with Miles Davis and Tony Williams were stunned and then quickly enchanted by just how beautiful distortion-maven McLaughlin could make an acoustic guitar sound. His exacting jazz chords, clean fleet-fingered runs, and subtle harmonic nuances showed a mastery of the guitar that wasn’t known at the time. McLaughlin’s emotive performance of “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” displayed a player who, despite his future fame in the jazz-rock world, was carrying on a tradition.