John Mclaughlin Trio, "Live At The Royal Festival Hall"
For a sampling of JM's many sides, also try:
Inner Mounting Flame,1971, with the Mahavishnu Orchestra- this and the other Mahavishnu albums document who was really at the fore-front of the jazz-rock- fusion movement of the 70's. Powerful, hard-hitting yet beautiful stuff.
Remember Shakti, 1998 reunion with the group Shakti- in this project he fuses jazz directly to the traditional music of India, with typically brilliant results. Again, a group of stellar musicians complements the work.
Mickey Hart, "Spirit Into Sound: the Magic of Music"
Mickey Hart, drummer for the Grateful Dead, world traveler and scholar of percussion and music of native cultures, offers a great book of quotes about music from an amazing variety of sources, with emphasis on its spiritual and emotional power. It's an endlessly fascinating and inspiring journey. For a rundown on all of Mickey's projects, visit his website.
Madeline Bruser, "The Art of Practicing : A Guide to Making Music from the Heart"
A world class jazz guitarist, I have been enchanted by John McLaughlin for over 20 years because of his adventurous spirit- pushing jazz to new heights by blending it with a wide range of other styles and multi-cultural influences. His technique is phenomenal, his phrasing endlessly inventive, and his spiritual devotion is deep. This album finds him returning to almost traditional jazz, but with the seasoning of many years of exploration adding wonderful flavors to the tunes. The band, with Trilok Gurtu on percussion and Kai Eckhardt on bass, is astounding. Their ability to play extremely complex lines in precise unison one minute and free-form group-improv the next is jaw-dropping, and the feeling of joy that pervades is infectious. To learn more about John McLaughlin, visit his official site here, and also visit this terrific fan site, here.
Time Remembered- a tribute to the brilliant jazz pianist/composer Bill Evans, this is John on acoustic guitar accompanied only by acoustic bass and a classical guitar quartet. This is simply one of the most tasteful, exquisitely gorgeous albums I've ever heard.
A "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" for musicians, this wise and useful book transforms practicing from a sometimes frustrating, monotonous, and strenuous labor into an exhilarating and rewarding experience. Helps you understand how to use your practice time effectively, how to reduce physical and mental tension, how to develop your self-expression on your instrument, how to develop your creativity. You never knew you could get so much out of a practice session! Visit the Art of Practicing website, click here.
