John McLaughlin: Impressionist guitarist
Among the very first albums I heard (on vinyl) were John McLaughlin's:
- "Birds of Fire"
- "Between Nothingness and Eternity"
- "Apocalypse" (with the London Symphony Orchestra).
John McLaughlin combined the language of 60's jazz innovators with the sound and vocabulary of rock guitar.
Of course I didn't know any of that the first time I heard him - all I knew is that it was loud - fast - and exciting !
John is a master of guitar fingering - the fingerings that work make it "oh, so easy" - and, as I've seen for myself, he is a walking, playing, history of the guitar. McLaughlin's exciting application of the harmonic and melodic concepts of Debussy, Stravinsky, Ravel, Bartok and others to the guitar ensures his place in history.
