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 4^th 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.

In the hierarchy of British jazz musicians, the super-virtuoso guitarist, composer, and bandleader John McLaughlin holds an unassailable position at the very top.

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

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



Book Information
ISBN 9781538170946
Author Matt Phillips
Format Hardback
Page Count 306
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 603g
Dimensions(mm) 236mm * 157mm * 29mm