In the hierarchy of British jazz & rock musicians, the electrifying guitarist, composer, and bandleader John McLaughlin arguably holds an unassailable position at the very top.
Across dozens of official studio and live albums that encompass solo acts, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti, and co-headlining group projects, GRAMMY Award-winner John McLaughlin has consistently enthralled and surprised with boundary-pushing, genre-defying music. He revolutionized guitar playing with his virtuosic style, carving out one of the most critic-proof and prolific careers in modern times and was Miles Davis’s guitarist of choice on epochal albums In A Silent Way, Jack Johnson, Bitches Brew, and Live-Evil.
Drawing on hundreds of sources and interviews with key collaborators, Matt Phillips takes us on an exciting journey through McLaughlin’s entire career: his early years on the London pop scene; his flirtations with the European avant-garde; groundbreaking work with Miles Davis and Tony Williams; the electrifying fusion groups The Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti; special projects with the likes of Chick Corea, Sting, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Carlos Santana, and Jeff Beck; hugely popular acoustic collaborations with Paco De Lucia, Larry Coryell, and Al Di Meola; and his 4th Dimension band.
This is the first major book about McLaughlin to illuminate his entire output from 1980–2020. Including never-before-seen photographs, it’s a thrilling ride through the life of a master musician.
By:
Matt Phillips
Imprint: Rowman & Littlefield
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 236mm,
Width: 157mm,
Spine: 29mm
Weight: 603g
ISBN: 9781538170946
ISBN 10: 1538170949
Pages: 306
Publication Date: 15 September 2023
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction Chapter 1: The Early Years (1942 – 1968) Chapter 2: 1969-1970 Extrapolation, Miles and Lifetime Chapter 3: 1970-1973 From Devotion to Between Nothingness & Eternity Chapter 4: 1974-1979 From Apocalypse to Electric Dreams Chapter 5: The 1980s From Friday Night In San Francisco to Paco & John At Montreux Chapter 6: The 1990s From The Mediterranean Concerto to Remember Shakti Chapter 7: The 2000s From The Heart Of Things Live to Five Peace Band Live Chapter 8: The 2010s From To The One to Is That So? Epilogue: Covid, Liberation Time and John’s Goals Beyond Acknowledgments Bibliography Selected Online References Selected Print References About The Author
Matt Phillips has contributed to various magazines including Classic Pop and Jazzwise and won the latter’s inaugural Write Stuff Award for new jazz writing. He was Universal Music’s jazz catalog manager and Jazz FM’s web editor and has written the liner notes for numerous DVDs and CDs including work by Miles Davis, Tony Williams, Billy Cobham, and Maynard Ferguson. He is the author of Level 42: Every Album, Every Song. He lives in London and is the founder of movingtheriver.com and soundsofsurprise.com.
Reviews for John McLaughlin: From Miles and Mahavishnu to The 4th Dimension
John McLaughlin is one of a kind. What he has contributed to the world of music will never be duplicated. It's the reason why a book reflecting on his musical career should be a must-have in every aspiring musician's personal library. -- Billy Cobham, drummer, Mahavishnu Orchestra, inductee, Modern Drummer Hall of Fame
