John McLaughlin - This Is Not Like Other Approaches

This John McLaughlin lesson is an analysis of his solo on the F blues Take The Coltrane. What you will see is that his approach to creating lines is often very different from the usual ways that we use scales and arpeggios and think about melodies that move from chord to chord. In this solo his use of chromaticism, shifting melodies and longer melodic stretches is extra-ordinary and really worth checking out.
John McLaughlin is among the musicians who invented what we call fusion today. He is known for his extra-ordianry technique, and for mixing jazz with both Spanish and Indian folk music. He has worked with everybody from Miles Davis to Jaco Pastorious and Carlos Santana.
But he also has a strong grasp of more mainstream jazz and in this video I am going to take a look at some parts of his solo on Take The Coltrane, which is a Blues in F.
This recording is from an album with Elvin Jones and Joey DeFrancesco where McLaughlin is exploring the Organ trio concept. An album which has a lot of material inspired by John Coltrane.
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[@JensLarsen]

What do you think about this approach? Who else really does this? 🙂

[@thuxta]

Can you pronounce joe de Francesco correctly please? Lol

[@JensLarsen]

Probably not 😁

[@thuxta]

Lol! Haha Jens!

[@EarthAltar]

Jens, haven't had a chance to grab my axe and work on this, but seeing those last few bars with all dominant chords reminded me of a McLaughlin lesson I read in one of the guitar mags many years ago. Basically he considers dominant chords as the place where all the tension is, and as long as you reference the main tones in the chord anything else is fair game. Like you said here, this lesson also wasn't so much about arpeggios, but examples of dominant chords and what he might play over them in a more scalular way as opposed to arpeggios. It was pretty far out there, but watching you resolve the very end on the F kind of made me remember that lesson. Great vid and lesson BTW, thanks!

[@thebomontellano4996]

Thanks Jens! I really enjoyed the video. You're awesome.

[@paullister7293]

Incredible analysis … 8 years ago, I was travelling in India and had the good fortune to meet John Mclaughlin in person. I was catching a plane from Mumbai to Goa, the plane had a fault and everybody had to disembark and wait at the gate for a replacement. To cut a long story short, the people I walked back to the gate with turned out to be the Shakti road crew. I told them I was a big fan, and they told me I could meet John if I wished. There were very few people waiting at the gate, and John subsequently appeared. I walked over to him, introduced myself and we started talking. I don’t think I have ever met anyone more comfortable in their own skin. We talked about many things, including Godin guitars, Carlos Santana and the Montreux Jazz festival. He asked his crew to get in touch with me in Goa, and to give me a ticket for the Shakti concert that evening. It was an incredible evening, very warm, starry sky, in old, open-air theatre … I had a front row seat. His playing was hypnotic to say the least. One thing that really sticks in my memory though, is his response to my question: ‘how do you do what you do on the guitar?’ … his answer was ‘I don’t intellectualise it’ … by analysing what he does, it most definitely serves to demonstrate just how incredible John Mclaughlin is … like you say, it’s way beyond the chords … so thank you.

[@sirfultonbishop]

Nice!

[@lvbbbasdsjcjm]

1973, October -- I'm in college and working as a stagehand for the Mahavishnu Orchestra who were performing on campus. He comes out on stage (about 3 feet high) for sound check (solo). I'm standing right in front of him, awestruck, as he plays for a few moments. He stops and asks "Can I help you?" All I could manage was the EXACT same question you asked! His answer then which I remember perfectly: "You know there are thousands of modes in music, I know them all."

[@noonward]

Yeah, as an 18 year old my father and I flew out from winnipeg to LA to see the 4th dimension in 2008, I remember after the show chatting with some older-timers about bootlegs and such and someone went and got them to invite me backstage to meet John, it was nice to have wine and cheese and meet my music hero!

[@chrischoir3594]

McLaughlin is cool, when he plays it's like falling down stairs but he regains his footing before hitting his head. It's kinda like controlled chaos.

[@betterthantelly2993]

He is one of the most ridiculously brilliant musicians ever! Thank you for your kind generosity in presenting his brilliance.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much! I am glad you found it useful! If you have any suggestions for topics or things you are looking for the feel free to let me know 👍

[@cs4312]

Jens Larsen I would love to hear someone talk about the Miles Davis “Big Fun” album.. go ahead John absolutely blew my mind! I think it’s probably too abstract to make analytical content with, but it’s an album that seems to be skimmed over.

[@GOGOLH]

@@cs4312 It's a compilation from 3 or 4 different periods from 1969 to 1972. Go Ahead John is from the Jack Johnson "period". On the Complete Jack Johnson sessions box set you can hear the various sections Go Ahead John before Teo Macero edited them together for Big Fun (and added a second Miles solo).

[@jankafka7330]

Yet you'll find fanboys all over KZbin and the 'net declaring David Gilmour, basically a one trick pony, the greatest guitarist ever. I'm not one for 'greatest ever' or top ten, top one hundred lists but I will declare that McLaughlin is more deserving of accolades than Gilmour. Don't get me wrong: I actually David Gilmour's playing and I like Pink Floyd. But players on the level of Gilmour are nowhere near as creative, technically advanced--dare I say interesting--as the best jazz guitarists, session players, classical and flamenco guitarists, et cetera. Declaring someone like Gilmour the greatest ever is on par with rating Elton John as a pianist over Oscar Peterson or Vladimir Horowitz.

[@RealDiaz]

Ive been a hardcore fan since the 70's and got to meet him in '84. He was light years ahead of everyone and is a true jazz master. I think it is futile to try and demystify his technique without a full understanding of Indian music and Bill Evans voicing technique. And that's not even mentioning his outside technique like from his Miles years. John will always be my favorite player. He plays direct from his spirit. Great video.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! Glad you like the video 🙂

[@Bral706]

Everytime i look up for something about jazz, this man made a clear and accessible video about it. Thank you!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad I could help!

[@mononoaware1960]

He was the sole player that got me into jazz. The diversity and versatility in his playing is absolutely ridiculous! His body of work and collaborations is pretty astounding as well. Thanks for the clear and concise jazz lessons, immediately applicable to my own playing.

[@Jameskeith1972]

He’s one of my favorite guitarists and biggest influences. Master of intervals and much more.

[@winstonsmith8240]

Late to the party on this, but I know someone who knew John as a young player in a big band . They would call for him in his hotel room the morning after a gig, and he would often still be in his dinner suit, after being up all night, practicing, trying to correct any mistakes from the previous night! Lovely guy too, apparently. Fantastic musician. Thanks Jens. ( Take the Coltrane. 👍).

[@JensLarsen]

Great story! Thanks 🙂

[@guitarman6742]

Wow...lots of talking.

[@ilostmymind47]

My favorite all time guitarist john McLaughlin brilliant

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like the video 🙂👍

[@dkwvt13]

John McLaughlin forever changed my approach to guitar in the early 70's, His work with Miles Davis blew my mind and I will take "Tribute to Jack Johnson" to the grave with me... It took me a while to learn JM actually played more traditional material as well. Great choice of a standard with some of his more creative thinking applied. His theory is always in [brackets] and I always wanted to believe he was just "playing". Thanks for this lesson, it is a treat! 😎

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Donald! I need to check out that album. I don't know it 🙂

[@johntwohats.1479]

26 minutes and 50 seconds of jazz boogie. i have to listen to it at least once a month.

[@robbromhead7098]

I loved that. Never in all my 35 years of loving his music has anyone ever given me so much insight.

[@JensLarsen]

Great that the video is useful 👍

[@priyas.8141]

I listened to Shakti and Mahavishnu Orchestra four years ago, life has never the same since then. McLaughlin has always had that Knack to work with and find brilliant musicians from across the globe, it's absolutely fantastic. Be it his early albums with Miles Davis, Tony Williams, Santana and Joe Ferrell or his solo albums or his work with some of the most exceptional musicians from India, I guess it can't be compared with anything else. Thanks for this wonderful video! :) Much appreciated.

[@priyas.8141]

Forgive me for my lack of experience and knowledge, I'll soon be turning 20. I have many more years to explore music I believe! 🌺

[@Hiwatt100W1]

Thank you for a great, great tutorial...Miles once said that 'John goes to his knowledge...' John was great almost right from the get go, anybody in doubt should check out 'Binky's Beam' from his Extrapolation album. IMHO one of the greatest examples of guitar playing of all time- and this from 1969.

[@RicardoMarlowFlamenco]

Two things. 1. Years ago in an interview he talks about wanting to “impose Eb over a C in a linear way”, or something hard to remember exactly. So I see it there where it seems he is anticipating changes. He has G over F (your f lydian dominant), and right away F over G...and that ties in to the second thing 2. In his instructional he shows lots of worked out phrases that he is tossing out deliberately... he knows that the timing works out based on when he starts. That ending is a worked out sequence (F-Bb, G-C, but altered at the end (C+) ending chromatic walk up from C actually up to F resolution. It’s early so he pauses. I think in his mind the sequence works no matter what the chords that eventually go to an F

[@daveanderson5680]

Congratulations......IMHO....your best video so far. It was a life altering experience when I first heard JM on Bitches’ Brew 30 years ago.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Dave! Glad you like it 👍🙂 Who else would you like to see a video on?

[@ShaneParish]

Love your vids. I listen to them while I’m doing sport, and visualize the concepts. I feel that it is very generous of you to analyze some of McLaughlin’s lines where he seems to be just “going for it” and not being bothered by the changes at all. Again, love your concise and clear analyses! Lots of fun! Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

Great that you like them Shane! :)

[@ivonsmith3095]

This is an awesome approach and so thankful that you chose to break it all down Jens! So few people dare to try with John's music; yet there is such amazing scope of music that he's done since 1970 onwards...Brilliant thanks; would welcome even more Mclaughlin break downs please!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Ivon! I will keep that in mind 🙂 I do find it a bit tricky to find nice stuff to cover with him

[@vicentesalvadorpitrelli2092]

Excelente gracias Jens ,no es facil analizar al maestro John McLaughlin pero tu lo ha hecho ,su musica me acompaño toda mi vida tengo 64 años y he escuchado todo lo que ha grabado,te doy las gracias nuevamente y te mando un saludo afectuoso dese Argentina,..cuidate mucho..

[@RudyAyoub]

what was John doing after I told him a joke? John Mclaughing

[@JensLarsen]

👍🙂

[@markwoodyatt9913]

Rudy Ayoub, insightful and witty

[@rillloudmother]

insightful?

[@alftupper9359]

Rudy Ayoub I share the surname and it's often how I explain the spelling over the phone.

[@antonitabliashvili6513]

Heh

[@patbreacadh]

This is a great lesson on one of my heroes.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@mellodc]

Hey Jens, Great job taking this apart! Love your clear explanations.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much! Really glad you like the video! 🙂

[@ronamundson9151]

Jens -- I'm not a big fan of McLaughlin, but this was a terrific lesson. I love the (new) bass accompaniment, which keeps the cadence in mind, and also the review of the melody at the end of the instruction. Great stuff.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much Ron! I am glad you like it. It is interesting to check out his playing whether you are a fan or not 🙂

[@GlennMichaelThompson]

Hi Jens, interesting analysis. of this solo. I guess one way to get a grasp on his approaches is to purchase a copy of his instructional video set. I think it's called This is the Way I Do it.... or something like that. Personally I have plenty to work on before attempting that. I'm still working on the scales and harmonization of the ones he suggested in the Mahavishnu Orchestra song book from like 40 years ago! lol. It sounds to me like he's not thinking too much, if at all. Playing more in the moment weaving inside and outside at will, both rhythmically and melodically. Thanks for the food for thought... I'll have to watch the video again and pay closer attention. ;-)

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Glen! I don't think that he is really thinking about what he is playing. I think that is all internalized. To me it is interesting to see if I find a system in how the melodies are constructed and present the tools to make your own. 🙂

[@GlennMichaelThompson]

Jens Larsen Yes, of course. Thsnks for the great analysis, Jens. 👍

[@tobiashofer6638]

Thank you very much for this video!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@mbmillermo]

About that D♭ over the F7 - it would be used in Phrygian dominant, as in flamenco, which is one of his influences. I also see it used by blues players (e.g., Clapton in "Crossroads") because they are playing in the pentatonic minor (or blues scale) of the fourth (so Clapton plays C over an E7 because C is the minor third of A). You might use the D♭ for voice leading when going to B♭7 because D is the third of B♭7, and that might be related to what McLaughlin was doing - in both cases the D♭ was the last note McLaughlin played over F7 and the subsequent chord had a D in it. It was D7 the first time (bar 19 at 9:09), and Gm7 the second time (bar 32 at 14:54), but the first note he played over Gm was D. So we might think of it as voice leading from the C in F7 to the D in the subsequent chord. Also, both times, he is playing B♭, B and C before the D♭ -- look at the high accented notes in measures 30 and 31. It's all leading up to the D (chord or note).

[@adeep_jain]

Nice work!! Thanks a lot!! Can you cover more specific JM material, say from the Mahavishnu Orchestra?

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! I don't know if I am going to analyze Mahavishnu stuff, We'll have to see 🙂

[@Shuzies]

Aww....Yes one of my favs.....Thank you for this...Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Ron! Glad you like it 👍🙂

[@Shuzies]

How did John come up with this being so young?

[@JensLarsen]

What do you mean?

[@Shuzies]

It seems he has an outside in approach or something...no reason for what he does and it works.....How did he learn this? better question is How do we learn this?

[@thebomontellano4996]

Awesome! Finally, thanks.

[@JensLarsen]

You're welcome Obie

[@sergej100qca4]

this is amazing. i love your channel.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much Sergej 👍🙂 Who else would you like to see a video on?

[@sergej100qca4]

@@JensLarsen I would love to see more Pat Metheny.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Sergej! I already have an idea for another Pat Metheny video 🙂

[@daveanderson5680]

JM also knows what effects & therefore affect (or “color”)every mode & scale has stacked on the diatonic chords/keys in each passage of all the popular tune types. I hope that makes sense. IOW.....if you play D Dorian mode over C Major you get a certain “color”. Or exactly what effect/affect/color does playing a G mixolydian mode over a G major chord have? It’s an extended use of the bracket or cage system on the fretboard. For instance, It’s common knowledge what a dom G7 scale played on top of a G chord sounds like and know it will almost always work

[@JensLarsen]

I think that knowledge is actually not that uncommon among jazz musicians to be honest, that is pretty much part of the tradition 🙂

[@BenMcrea61]

Dave Anderson Wouldn’t D Dorian over a C Major chord just be C Major?

[@MrTubularBalls]

Great video! I'm a fan of McLaughlin, and I like this album especially. Apart from the harmonic and melodic thinking behind these lines, what strikes me are the expressive elements. As you point out he uses ghost notes and accents. He also plays some notes staccato. What I notice a lot in his playing but I haven't heard anybody talk about, is his intonation. Is it just me or does he often play sharp? Especially at the end of a phrase it sounds like he does little quarter note bends sometimes. Is he imitating a horn player?

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! I actually think that he sometimes picks so hard that the string is a bit sharp 🙂

[@MrTubularBalls]

Lol I didn't think of that! It's possible, I've seen him play live (acoustically, with DiMeola and De Lucia), and he's the most "physical" guitarist I know, he really throws his back into it sometimes. To hear what I mean listen for the last high Db he plays, just before the chromatic ascendinglick to high F. It's around 0:04.

[@JensLarsen]

I know what you mean, and I actually think that it is his heavy right hand. The tone also sounds like that 🙂

[@5geezers]

You're right about playing slightly sharp....at times....but what about his post Bigsby period stuff where he often does a little downward dip with the whammy at the end of a phrase.

[@MrTubularBalls]

+MJP Not sure what you mean, can you give an example? I can't think of any McLaughlin whammy-work I've heard. But he's used so much different gear, it's hard to keep track. I thought later in his career he stuck to Godin, but the start of the video shows him with a PRS.

[@oldschooltakingyaback]

You're the man Jens! Hope to see 100k subs soon brother!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much! I will do my best to get there 🙂 Who else would you like to see a video on?

[@helmet212]

I think Mclaughglin's playing is much influenced by the Eastern school of thought, which revolves more around the individual notes and the feelings the note evokes. And not much about harmony or chords so to speak. Same is the case with Coltrane's and Yousef Lateef's style. Both the latter were into Eastern music as well. Just my personal opinion as an avid listener of the Western Classical, Jazz & Eastern Classical music.

[@JensLarsen]

I am completely agree with that. Do you think the lack or arpeggios is coming out of that?

[@StringsOfAndersen]

John was a jazzguitarist on his first albums. The remarkable thing about his sound is def. his rhytmic drive and phrasing that derives from his time playing with Indian musicians. And because his timing is so damn good he started to play those "wrong" notes when he returned to play jazz again. They are simply based on melody, rhythm. and its his unique tonic signature. Beyond theory. The "moving third" riff is 100% nailed from Methenys. That is Pats signature.

[@JensLarsen]

Actually the chromatic 3rds is something I think Metheny took from Miles, he does that really a lot in the 60's. I would expect that McLaughlin also got that from Miles.

[@StringsOfAndersen]

You are right - but talking about guitarist. Pat does it and "the flow" sounds like his. It would be kinda wierd if John never heard Pat and were impressed by his legato playing. I personally meet John in this constallation in the 90ties (because I performed his guitar concerto on several occations) and think that he never sounded better. Smooth and soft

[@JensLarsen]

Yes, but John played with Miles when Pat was like 10 years old :)

[@oselini]

I didn't know he played with Sting.. on some record? John is my fav guitarist #1. Thanks for the video!!!!

[@JensLarsen]

There is a compilation where they play How Insensitive together. I don't remember which one, sorry 🙂

[@umpygoodness2369]

I love a lot of JM, but check out 1970s brit psych guitarist STEVE HILLAGE, a pal of Pink Floyd's. (Start with GREEN, on YT.)

[@John-bn8bc]

I have 'The Promise' on which Sting contributes a small amount. www.discogs.com/John-McLaughlin-The-Promise/release/4111553

[@Oneness100]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH_TpGmhbNSJfZY

[@Oneness100]

Yeah, it was on a very short jam with Vinnie Colaiuta. The three were also playing A WInd Cries Mary on a Hendrix Tribute album released called In From the Storm www.discogs.com/Various-In-From-The-Storm-The-Music-Of-Jimi-Hendrix/release/1502603

[@optimasprime377]

at last you made it .thnk u .now can you make a video on jens larsen's technique

[@JensLarsen]

I have hundreds of those already 😄

[@optimasprime377]

@@JensLarsen ha ha ha yaa u r right .thnx sir .namashkarm🙏

[@thebomontellano4996]

Exactly

[@JensLarsen]

You did see my answer already right?

[@drewyoungs]

I like what you're doing is very interesting and very clear but what I'd like to hear as you assemble the lines in a more of a lengthy way. It would be nice for you to play the line all the way through instead of bouncing to McLaughlin doing it really quick. It's just a thought as you start to explain through the cords it would be nice to have you play the whole pattern in the music piece so that you could hear the whole line consecutively. Great job

[@DeondreRichmond]

He chooses the flat 6 (raised fifth) to augment the melody. it is both major and dominant so he can augment the note.

[@DeondreRichmond]

That d sharp of f 7....augmented note.

[@bradking1067]

you're awesome man!!! thanks!do have any tips for getting better at transcribing I'm trying to learn Wes and it's been rough! Shalom God loves you deeply

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! Just listen to the song really a lot and try to learn the melody and the changes before you transcribe it so you know what the line is played over 🙂

[@rodolfoamaralguitar]

Hi Jens, do you tend to transcribe whole solos or only fragments?

[@JensLarsen]

Both, but for different reasons 🙂

[@jameserenberger931]

Jens- Can you please do a lesson like this for Django Reinhardt? Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

Well, there are so many gypsy jazz channels that cover that stuff, so I leave that to them 🙂

[@jameserenberger931]

Perhaps Pat Martino then? 🙏🏻

[@JensLarsen]

How about this one? kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJ_YdIxuo8dgq9k

[@jameserenberger931]

You are awesome Jens! Thanks again!!!

[@Wuei108]

What about "You know you know"?

[@frankhemphill1264]

Do you have a pdf we can print of this?

[@JensLarsen]

I do, but that is only available through Patreon 🙂

[@swedeinla]

Did I see you at the Julian Lage gig at the Lodge in Los Angeles?

[@JensLarsen]

Only if you were watching KZbin which would be strange while you are in a concert 🙂 But if you do see me then say hi!

[@swedeinla]

@@JensLarsen haha. Ok.

[@coolbro6969]

Hellyeah

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! :)

[@willywonka1815]

Where can I get one of them blue fluffy attachments you've got on your guitar,very trendy .

[@JensLarsen]

I have a signature version that is 45 euro but you can also buy them at a supermarket. That may be less expensive

[@caratcranker5874]

John McLoflin? It's LOCKLIN pronunciation. Or am i wrong?

[@JensLarsen]

Well, not in Danish 😄 I am not sure to be honest? But it's too late to fix it now..

[@caratcranker5874]

Haha. A freind of mine here in Australia, also says Loflin. And i have heard John's name pronounced like that on other JM video's. It wasn't a negative comment, i just wanted to get the the bottom of this mystery.Lol.

[@JensLarsen]

No worries. I have always head people say it as an "F", but I have no idea if it is correct :)

[@danguee1]

It's actually like the 'ch' in (Scottish) loch. There is no English equivalent but I believe some versions of the German ch a sort of 'scratchy' sh sound

[@JensLarsen]

I will try to improve it if I make another McLaughlin video 🙂

[@liamerick7262]

Wasn't larry coryell the inventor of fusion with his album spaces?

[@JensLarsen]

I don't think there is one inventor of fusion, but both McLaughlin and Coryell were certainly pioneers 🙂

[@dynamo5326]

Its ok not to play in a specific scale 😎

[@SvenTviking]

Very talented and technical, but leaves me cold.

[@JensLarsen]

Taste differs from person to person 🙂

[@alftupper9359]

Sven Tviking I have to agree. Same as that other jazz guitar giant, Alan Holdsworth. Talent way off the chart but not the briefest passage of musical joy.

[@alftupper9359]

@AJ I have a very wide musical appreciation but having tried to listen to Duran Duran, I'm just not getting anything. This goes too for John McLaughlin's work. All just a marvellously polished mush given in anodyne tones.

[@brunoblivious]

Try listening to Shakti. If that playing feels "cold" to you, I'd be surprised.

[@ssause]

Don't swing his notes!! swing groups of notes. Also, big part of his chromaticism seems to be simmetric half whole tone diminish scale, he tends to play that stuff in ii-v13b9-i. I also agree. Tritone based kicks. Mixo or mixo#11 straight on them and up picking ghost notes mostly before down picking in rhythm parts then taking of 16s up n down.

[@ssause]

Hope it helps

[@JensLarsen]

Well, there are not really examples of that in this solo, so if you think that is missing then you are probably talking about other examples? Of course I am not really sure what you are trying to say 🙂

[@obiem9319]

John, Allan Holdsworth and Shawn Lané did not use what your talking about.

[@JensLarsen]

Why does this come across as if you have no idea what they were doing AND no idea what I am talking about? 😁

[@rillloudmother]

Far beyond the chords? But his goal was beyond...

[@JensLarsen]

Then he got there 😁

[@rillloudmother]

@@JensLarsen agreed!

[@purushswaminathan5693]

This solo haunts me now- kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2OWaHihmrFobLc how he outlines the raaga while staying chromatic blown🤯

[@yiftach2949]

*HE TAUGHT JIMMY PAGE. LETS TALK ABOUT THAT PEOPLE. LETS FUCKIN TALK ABOUT THAT.*

[@JensLarsen]

Why, How is that going to be useful beyond what you just said?

[@yiftach2949]

@@JensLarsenLarsen with all due respect, Netflix isn't necessary and yet most people obsess about it... think about it: without McLaughlin we would probably not have amazing masterpieces such as "Ten Years Gone"

[@JensLarsen]

@@yiftach2949 With all due respect: Led Zeppelin isn't necessary and yet most people obsess about it... think about it. I think you are doing McLaughlin a pretty harsh injustice by defining him and his music as something as limited as a facilitator for someone else. Whether you like his music or not, having taught Jimmy Page has nothing to do with his music and there is a lot of that which was as important as Zeppelin even if it was nowhere near as commercial. And keep in mind that I say that being probably a bigger Page fan than a McLaughlin fan.

[@lestrum]

@@JensLarsen What about that cheap shot the editor of a Guitar Magazine took at JM when Van Halen passed away? No one is addressing that. What did EVH passing have to do with JM? Yet is in print.

[@alilotfi7974]

another coincidence because this is again the only solo that i checked out from J. McLaughlin ! i think we have pretty the same taste ! thanks anyway because what you explained was beyond what i learned from his solo ! check it out ;) instagram.com/p/BeoUfkKFp-G/?taken-by=al.lotfi

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you find it useful Al! 🙂 Quite a coincidence! What should I do next?

[@alilotfi7974]

something from Mark Turner, maybe this one : kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaeYdYWKjMaVkMU i think mark turner after coltrane and brecker is one of the few who he has a new harmonic approach to jazz improvisation !

[@JensLarsen]

I love Mark Turner! But I am not sure if I can make it into a video that people are interested in 🙂

[@alilotfi7974]

you know it better ! ;)

[@hywel4605]

mclaughing is an only child and shows in his playing. he is also capricorn and you can see this in his character.

[@JensLarsen]

Ok, at least McLaughlin has a sense of humor. Personally I don't believe in Astrology and I can't hear if he is an only child in this solo 🙂

[@MecchaKakkoi]

You mean astrology? 🙂

[@JensLarsen]

Haha! I certainly do :)

[@TheSecondNature]

he does have siblings

[@JensLarsen]

Maybe he plays as if he was often lonely? 😄

[@sleazer]

lol at "mainstream"

[@JensLarsen]

Haha 👍

[@pascaljeanne6520]

hello jens , i think that john is surely far beyond the chords, but he as one of the most terrible electric guitar sound i ever heard ! cool on acoustic guitar but like many old jazz player he doesnt care about the tone ! john is a great musician but sorry i think you think the same , i prefer , ok its not the same music, not jazz , eric johnson or benson ...benson he has his specific sound very medium and fat ! im a fan ! but john he plays on a 10 000 dollar guitar and get a little sound like if he was playing on a Cort ahahah ! sorry my english is bad and its only my point of view !

[@JensLarsen]

Well, it's difficult to discuss tone since it is also a question of taste, and your taste may not be the same as McLaughlin 🙂

[@lestrum]

This was primarily during the 80's when that synth guitar sound was in vogue and JM jumped on the bandwagon unfortunately. That does not define his career. And he has said in interviews he favored the distortion of many rock players.

[@markjovanelli2607]

To much talking, couldn't watch it more than a minute. Why even bother holding the guitar in the video.

[@JensLarsen]

Then you missed all the good bits 😄

[@montag4516]

The point of the video is of analysis and applications of such, not a performance video. Jen's generous offerings, such as this one, are loaded with insight. It's up to the individual to do with it what they shall. For me, Jens' presentation and approach are very well received.

[@hywel4605]

buy yourself an gibson; they are better than the ibnaez copies.how do you know that john isn't just putting his fingers anyhow, like holdsworth

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks for the advice! I have two Gibsons, and my experience is that Gibsons are in general not up to the standard of my Ibanez (though mine are actually). The last part of your comment I can't understand?

[@hywel4605]

you know how many people think that holdsworth just put his fingers where ever he felt. i do it sometimes and everybody says where did you learn all those fusion lines?

[@JensLarsen]

I am not sure that's a very accurate description of Holdsworth playing 🙂 I also don't really know anybody who say that to be honest

[@chrischoir3594]

Frank Zappa invented fusion

[@JensLarsen]

Without actually playing it?

[@chrischoir3594]

​@@JensLarsen well since King Kong by Jean luc was arguably the first fusion record I would say Frank invented the genre without actually playing it. All I know is John McLaughlin was not the first.

[@JensLarsen]

@@chrischoir3594 There are quite a few fusion albums before that. Bitches Brew, In A Silent Way from Miles and Tony Williams Emergency. But even if that album was the first then Zappa being the composer would not make him the inventor of Fusion. That would be the same as saying Cole Porter or Jerome Kern invented Bebop even if they didn't play jazz.

[@chrischoir3594]

@@JensLarsen Bitches brew/silent way was more just ambient Jazz played with electric instruments. It wasn't really fusion. Tony Williams emergency wasn't fusion either, it was more psychedelic rock. Fusion is specifically modal jazz mix with rock. I would say real fusion was Return to forever, Weather Report. Tony Williams "Lifetime" was Jazz Fusion. To a lesser Degree Mahavishnu Orchestra as well.

[@JensLarsen]

​@@chrischoir3594 I don't agree with you on that, Bitches brew and Emergency are both modal jazz mixed with rock. I would imagine that you could look that up in a few history books yourself. But that does not change my point about the composer not being the one who defines a genre like Jazz that is for such a large part based on improvisation.