John McLaughlin is an English guitarist, bandleader, and composer. A pioneer of jazz fusion, his music combines elements of jazz with rock, world music, Indian classical music, Western classical music, flamenco, and blues. After contributing to several key British groups of the early 1960s, McLaughlin made Extrapolation, his first album as a bandleader, in 1969. He then moved to the U.S., where he played with Tony Williams's group Lifetime and then with Miles Davis on his electric jazz-fusion albums In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, Jack Johnson, and On the Corner. His 1970s electric band, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, performed a technically virtuosic and complex style of music that fused electric jazz and rock with Indian influences.
Birds of Fire is the second studio album by jazz fusion band the Mahavishnu Orchestra. It was released on January 3, 1973 by Columbia Records and is the last studio album released by the original band line-up before it dissolved.
Extrapolation is the debut album by English jazz guitarist John McLaughlin. It was recorded at Advision Studios in London on 18 January 1969 and released later that year in the UK by Marmalade Records. The label was owned by producer Giorgio Gomelsky and distributed by Polydor Records.
Friday Night in San Francisco is a 1981 live album by Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía. It was described by jazz author and critic Walter Kolosky as "a musical event that could be compared to the Benny Goodman Band's performance at Carnegie Hall in 1938 ... [it] may be considered the most influential of all live acoustic guitar albums".
Passion, Grace & Fire is the second album by John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola and Paco de Lucía released in 1983. Unlike their first album Friday Night in San Francisco, this album consists entirely of studio recordings.
Electric Dreams is the sixth solo album by English jazz guitarist John McLaughlin and his "One Truth Band", released in 1979. Between his fourth and fifth solo albums he spent several years active with the Mahavishnu Orchestra.
My Goal's Beyond is the third solo album by John McLaughlin. The album was originally released in 1971 on Douglas Records in the US. It was later reissued by Douglas/Casablanca (1976), Elektra/Musician (1982), and in 1987 by Rykodisc on CD and LP.
The Heart of Things is a jazz/rock album released in 1997 by John McLaughlin on Verve, catalogue number 539 153-2. The genre is very much brawny electric jazz fusion featuring some young newcomers to McLaughlin's orbit as well as the familiar Beard and Chambers. All the pieces were written by McLaughlin, who also produced the album.
Tokyo Live is a jazz album released in 1994 by The Free Spirits Featuring John McLaughlin on Verve, catalogue number P2-21870. Despite the group credit on the sleeve, the record is generally considered to be a McLaughlin solo album.
Qué Alegría is an album by the John McLaughlin Trio, featuring Trilok Gurtu, Dominique Di Piazza and Kai Eckhardt. It was released on the Verve label in 1992. The album reached 1992 number 5 in the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
Thieves and Poets is an album by John McLaughlin, released in 2003 through the record label Verve. The album reached number twenty on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart.
The Heart of Things: Live in Paris is a live album by John McLaughlin, released in 2000 through the record label PolyGram. The album reached number 25 on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart.
Belo Horizonte is an album by John McLaughlin, released in 1981 through Warner Music Group. The album reached number 172 on the Billboard 200 and number 11 on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart.
Live at the Royal Festival Hall is an album by the John McLaughlin Trio, featuring Trilok Gurtu and Kai Eckhardt. It was recorded at the Royal Festival Hall in London on 27 November 1989 and was released on the JMT label in 1990. The album reached number 3 in the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
Music Spoken Here is an album by John McLaughlin, released in 1982 through Warner Music Group. The album reached number 24 in the Billboard Jazz Albums chart 1983.
After the Rain is a jazz album released in 1994 by John McLaughlin on Verve Records. The album reached number 9 in the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart 1995.
The Promise is a jazz album released in 1995 by John McLaughlin on Verve Records. The album peaked number 4 in the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart 1996.
Remember Shakti is a live album by the world fusion band Remember Shakti released 1999 on the Verve label. The reformed group features original members John McLaughlin (guitar), Zakir Hussain (tabla), Vikku Vinayakram (ghatam) and is joined by Hariprasad Chaurasia on the bansuri. The album reached number 14 in the Billboard Top Jazz albums chart.
Remember Shakti – The Believer is a live album by the world fusion band Remember Shakti, that was released in 2000 on the Verve label. The live set features John McLaughlin on guitar, electric mandolinist U. Srinivas, Vikku Selvaganesh playing ghatam, and tabla player Zakir Hussain. The album peaked number 20 in the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.
Remember Shakti – Saturday Night in Bombay is a live album by the world fusion band Remember Shakti released in November 2001 on the Verve label. The live set features John McLaughlin on Guitar, U. Srinivas on Mandolin, Vikku Selvaganesh playing Kanjira, Ghatam, Mridangam, all Indian percussion instruments, Zakir Hussain on Tabla and a number of Indian guest musicians.
