JOHN MCLAUGHLIN INTERVIEW
(Originally aired on April 14, 2009)
No guitarist has done more to merge the energies of jazz and rock — as well as the sounds of Western harmony and Indian rhythms and melodies — than John McLaughlin. In 1969, he joined forces with the legendary Miles Davis to record the landmark electric jazz-fusion albums In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew, and then formed The Mahavishnu Orchestra, a band that set the benchmark for jazz-rock fusion. McLaughlin's restless creativity has led him to explore many musical styles, including Indian classical music and flamenco, on electric and acoustic guitars. He continues to pursue music with both the fervor of a neophyte and the skilled hands of a master.
In our exclusive interview, McLaughlin explains how exploring music and guitar is a life-long journey and shares insights about the differences and similarities between Western and Eastern musical disciplines.