My musical life changed when as a 15 years old in 1973, I walked into a record store and heard wondrous things. Up until this point I had followed the musical tastes of my elder brother, who was into British progressive music. He even attended the second Isle of Wight Pop Festival. That day I heard A Love Supreme and Birds of Fire. Nothing was ever the same. I got into Sri Chinmoy ( even started wearing white clothing...yikes! ) saw the 1974 Mahavishnu then delved into McLaughlin's jazz beginnings in both the UK and the US. Extrapolation remains one of my favorite albums. The first two Mahavishnu albums are simply two of the greatest recordings ever made. Shakti was new,fresh and quite different but just as inspiring. I also got into Coltrane and hard bop, ECM records and numerous other jazz avenues and stop offs,leading me to where I am now 53 years later. The hairs still stand up on the back of my neck listening to McLaughlin's double-necked Gibson and that incredible tone. Happy days!
Left out the Emerald's band with Narada Michael Walden saw them on a double bill with Jeff Beck. Saw the Chambers / DiFrancesco trio at the Bottom Line. Listen to Bitches Brew on vinyl a lot. Not much to say but thanks for these deep dives. John made music for the soul to soar. My horizons were expanded as were all of ours... possibly the last of the great adventures into the unknown possibilities. There's a new generation coming up like Samara Joy who might take the genre into uncharted realms, but it's been a while. Central Park '73 did it. Thanks for the Dr. Meditation tip we're all getting older but better.
"if the music is open, if it has more space in it, then the listener’s mind will go inside and his or her imagination will start to play inside the music. [...] At that point, the listener becomes lost in an individual sense and is found in a greater sense, just as we are when we play the music."
Wonderful interview, Bill. I’m just getting more into your terrific writings after reading your Jaco and Mike Brecker books. Marvelous, those two. And that double-neck blue guitar John was playing in the “Farewell Tour” photo was the best sounding axe I’d heard John playing since his Rex Bogue guitar. I heard the double-neck was some sort of auction prize after the tour.
Now I joined Substack and I can read your stuff all day. BIG THANKS!
My first gig was Mahavishnu Mk 2 at an almost empty Glasgow Apollo. John came on and told everyone to move to the front seats (I was in a cheap seat in the back row so delighted to do so) and came away astonished by the set 3 hours later. Over the years seen a few incarnations of his music (Shakti, One Truth Band, the Trio) but have really not responded to the 4th Dimension principally because the bass playing doesn’t lay down a groove in the manner of Rick Laird or Ralphe Armstrong so everything flails around too much (for my taste at any rate). All was redeemed though by seeing Shakti again in 2024 where everything was as glorious as one could want. My first musical hero for sure and thanks to you for the great interview.
There is so much to mine from his journey. Considering is influence on electric guitar players, it's his nylon guitar playing that I enjoy the most. My Goals Beyond foreshadowed this for me in the mid 1970s when I first heard it. I often describe him as Sabicas meets Coltrane. As historical a figure as he is, he's probably underappreciated today.
There are two duets that really tug at my heart-Zawinul playing In A Silent Way with Wayne Shorter and McLaughlin. For those who haven't seen them, check them out on YouTube. It's a nice way to appreciate the full circle of his 84 years.
Beautiful writing about a beautiful musician and his journey. First seeing him with Mahavishnu, I think their first tour, and following him all these years. Thanks so much for this piece and Happy Birthday to John MsLaughlin!!
My musical life changed when as a 15 years old in 1973, I walked into a record store and heard wondrous things. Up until this point I had followed the musical tastes of my elder brother, who was into British progressive music. He even attended the second Isle of Wight Pop Festival. That day I heard A Love Supreme and Birds of Fire. Nothing was ever the same. I got into Sri Chinmoy ( even started wearing white clothing...yikes! ) saw the 1974 Mahavishnu then delved into McLaughlin's jazz beginnings in both the UK and the US. Extrapolation remains one of my favorite albums. The first two Mahavishnu albums are simply two of the greatest recordings ever made. Shakti was new,fresh and quite different but just as inspiring. I also got into Coltrane and hard bop, ECM records and numerous other jazz avenues and stop offs,leading me to where I am now 53 years later. The hairs still stand up on the back of my neck listening to McLaughlin's double-necked Gibson and that incredible tone. Happy days!
Left out the Emerald's band with Narada Michael Walden saw them on a double bill with Jeff Beck. Saw the Chambers / DiFrancesco trio at the Bottom Line. Listen to Bitches Brew on vinyl a lot. Not much to say but thanks for these deep dives. John made music for the soul to soar. My horizons were expanded as were all of ours... possibly the last of the great adventures into the unknown possibilities. There's a new generation coming up like Samara Joy who might take the genre into uncharted realms, but it's been a while. Central Park '73 did it. Thanks for the Dr. Meditation tip we're all getting older but better.
I like how McLaughlin puts it:
"if the music is open, if it has more space in it, then the listener’s mind will go inside and his or her imagination will start to play inside the music. [...] At that point, the listener becomes lost in an individual sense and is found in a greater sense, just as we are when we play the music."
Thanks for this interview
Wonderful interview, Bill. I’m just getting more into your terrific writings after reading your Jaco and Mike Brecker books. Marvelous, those two. And that double-neck blue guitar John was playing in the “Farewell Tour” photo was the best sounding axe I’d heard John playing since his Rex Bogue guitar. I heard the double-neck was some sort of auction prize after the tour.
Now I joined Substack and I can read your stuff all day. BIG THANKS!
My first gig was Mahavishnu Mk 2 at an almost empty Glasgow Apollo. John came on and told everyone to move to the front seats (I was in a cheap seat in the back row so delighted to do so) and came away astonished by the set 3 hours later. Over the years seen a few incarnations of his music (Shakti, One Truth Band, the Trio) but have really not responded to the 4th Dimension principally because the bass playing doesn’t lay down a groove in the manner of Rick Laird or Ralphe Armstrong so everything flails around too much (for my taste at any rate). All was redeemed though by seeing Shakti again in 2024 where everything was as glorious as one could want. My first musical hero for sure and thanks to you for the great interview.
There is so much to mine from his journey. Considering is influence on electric guitar players, it's his nylon guitar playing that I enjoy the most. My Goals Beyond foreshadowed this for me in the mid 1970s when I first heard it. I often describe him as Sabicas meets Coltrane. As historical a figure as he is, he's probably underappreciated today.
There are two duets that really tug at my heart-Zawinul playing In A Silent Way with Wayne Shorter and McLaughlin. For those who haven't seen them, check them out on YouTube. It's a nice way to appreciate the full circle of his 84 years.
Damn, ‘73 must have been hot! I didn't see him until the mid 80s after Shakti. Mahavishnu was my introduction to fusion
Beautiful writing about a beautiful musician and his journey. First seeing him with Mahavishnu, I think their first tour, and following him all these years. Thanks so much for this piece and Happy Birthday to John MsLaughlin!!
Coincidentally I was just reading today your liner note essays for the Complete Jack Johnson box from 2003. Really wonderful and essential, Bill.