John McLaughlin: tones for Elvin Jones

from the crossroads guitar festival. Featuring Zakir Hussein and Dennis Chambers.

[@AdrianEmond]

What blows me away about this is that there is no bass player but the sound is so full. Love it.

[@joshgibson3618]

Simply incredible! Wicked low action!!

[@aclstrat]

Dennis is the most kick ass drummer around...nobody else has grooves that thick and technical...whew...

[@noonward]

He owns the world yay.

[@MY599FERRARI]

Five........***** my very favorite playing at this Crossroads concert.John and company played well here!

[@JakeFromUpstate]

I agree the mix of musicians here is weird. You have Mclaughlin and Chambers who are almost perfect for each other then all of a sudden theres Zakir Hussein on tablas. It may look weird but the sound is awesome. Mclaughlin always knows exactly what he wants. and it always sounds great. He is the greatest guitar player, musical genius, and innovator of all time

[@AdityaShankarguitar]

I love to watch this video over and over again...great melodc context in shuffle 5/4....Zakir Ji is amazing as usual...monster playing but a little low on the mix which dissapoints me a bit.....be it any time signature, he plays it with ease...Dennis chambers is amazing here too....nice chops...but he misses the 1 at around 7.45 ....RIP Elvin Jones

[@jacs91]

This is ultimate, this is Mclaughlin actually fusing his fusion: he mixes his jazz and bebop influenced playing with a little bit of Shakti flame.

[@BFreezy]

Wow this is absolutely brilliant. Amazing musicians, all three of them.

[@jazzlefty]

legend, legend, hare hare!

[@AlexBilodeauMusic]

almost no one reaches the level that John is at on the guitar.

[@MY599FERRARI]

yah i see him too......this is great ...just great.

[@MrZootalores]

Big drums, wonderful percussion & John just letting go, we always loved John & by God he just proved why!

[@elcurly117]

it was a 3 day festival in dallas. By eric clapton for charity for alcoholism and a rehab center in the carribean. Crossroads

[@noonward]

Haha, most definitely. I look forward to the future of music and musicians even more now.

[@quinoacat]

Amen, Your comment is right on in my book.

[@AlexBilodeauMusic]

Theres no point in comparing John and Jimi there both two completly different kinds of musicians. Jimi is remembered because he changed the way the guitar was played not because no one is as good as him today. John has MUCH more musical knowledge then jimi and is much better than Jimi technically but did not have the same influence on the guitar community obviously.

[@mishagas3912]

actually, he did have, but not for masses but musicians

[@AnandSuresh]

Mindblowing!!!

[@bazonics]

It was held over 3 days in june 2004 at Dallas Texas. I'm not sure where JM came on list but there were a couple of dozen guitar legends on show and I suppose people could be forgiven for being a bit jaded by the end.

[@mohsenferrah]

un grand metre de la guitar, ilke very well your technique

[@AdrianEmond]

What an unreal groove

[@swamisMotelBand1]

so brilliant

[@jacs91]

Well, you know, it all depends what you call music. I call pissed-over shit that punk and nu metal stuff today, and many others would agree, but not necessarily everyone. John plays a different Jazz and just hapened to have the biggest talent in guitar history. To some (including me) those fast lines and wierd syncopation relaxes us, or excites us. That's what music is all about, and it's subjective.

[@ESmithStringSlinger]

@adishredder Every musician can miss a one count,as I've noticed.Most fans don't as long as you pick it up right away.A bit faster that the "After The Rain" trib. w/Elvin Jones CD.Caught Elvin's "Jazz Machine" Here in MPLS. in 2002.Miss Elvin,too!

[@MontyCantsin5]

Incredible.

[@jkvasn]

i love this

[@JakeFromUpstate]

I wish he did this version of this song on one of his CD's. The original is on After The Rain but sounds almost nothing like this, except for that one lick that he does from 2:01 to 2:05.

[@MY599FERRARI]

JM......COOL STUFF!

[@pablofernandezvillagran8604]

AWESOME! chamber and mclaughin are really hot! mother of god! power of of soul!

[@EricAll4soundsAlbert]

What a freaky lookin guitar! Love it!

[@OneBigRetard]

I bet Pat has some doubt in your opinion.

[@OneBigRetard]

Which one should Stephen Stills restrict himself to?

[@bazonics]

Elvin Jones died May 18th 2004.

[@bazonics]

Yes it certainly is.

[@MY599FERRARI]

Dennis and John go way back ....Dennis drives Johns playing ... they know what there doing just listen.

[@noonward]

john grooves hard here wooo

[@Sandison3210]

Does anybody know what he's playing on? That things is kickin rad.

[@jacs91]

I love you.

[@quinoacat]

Sorry man. I was obviously in a bad mood and feeling defensive as a result. I responded as a knee jerk reaction because I really like both the music of the Late Alvin Jones and I dig most all John Mclaughlin does. a 3/5 means worth watching and I usually give him 5/5.

[@JakeFromUpstate]

Anyone see John at the knew crossroads festival.

[@bazonics]

I stand corrected: it's a Mike Sabre custom.

[@JakeFromUpstate]

That sounds like the beat for Mother Tongues. From the Heart Of Things live in Paris.

[@bazonics]

It's a Mike Sabre custom model.

[@OneBigRetard]

Again. You make diverging points. 'Leave... the electric playing to the electric masters' If that advice were followed you would deprive me of some of my favourite electric work which happens to be by JM. I am not approaching it from personal interest or taste. I am approaching it from the perspective of the ability to communicate thought/feel/emotion through musical form. Although I may not have your grasp on 'reality' and perhaps I am not in possession of half a brain but....

[@ehhyoBillbO]

@923Haze how so?

[@gemydaloot]

wait is that denis chambers on the drums??

[@JeremiahFernandez]

don't mind me, just passing by

[@perovaas]

Elvin: I didn´t know that John had you as an idol. Well, I should know that everyone has... Will miss you tremendously.

[@mishagas3912]

they worked together

[@OneBigRetard]

Wow, because when I listen to Sunlit Path, Eternities Breath or One Word I hear a pretty sweet guitarist who would not have been replaced if he hadn't picked up the electric. When I hear Bitches Brew and Jack Johnson I hear a god amongst gods with the music to match. You can sleep with him 73 times and that makes you no more an authority on his worth as an electric guitarist than anyone who has dug his electric work. Maybe Miles thought he was 'innovative' at best, but it doesn't sound like it.

[@dantean]

I love Dennis Chambers, but this would have been an occassion NOT to do in-the-pocket/ groove drumming and to play something more in the style that preceeded funk/fusion style drumming taking overr everything. Not this isn't great---I'm not saying that--but, Elvin's GIGANTIC contribution has always interested me more than what followed.

[@OneBigRetard]

Why is a supposed slight to Zakir a slight to India? I doubt if Johns mix was bad people in England would feel it was bad for national pride!! Besides, I think John has done more for Idian Music than any other westerner. More Power!

[@JakeFromUpstate]

Definatley

[@srvgravesdime]

Does anyone else think that Dennis Chambers looks like Carl Winslow from Family Matter?

[@noonward]

I think it's because he kinda use 5 piece band in it also because they're both in 5. Man this is good shit though.

[@OneBigRetard]

Yes I caught him. But again you beat me on numbers. I thought his playing was beautiful.

[@PhilEmanS]

absoluuutlex

[@elcurly117]

p.s. that guys a monster. ya'll should check him out on miles davis' bitches brew

[@noonward]

if a man can swing this hard what else is there!!

[@OneBigRetard]

'Eternity's'. !

[@JakeFromUpstate]

Those people don't even know what just hit them.

[@jdean9]

heh, what's so impossible about nodding your head to 10\8? 10\8 is a different way of saying 5\4. Head left and head right on every other beat and it turns around every 2 bars

[@ehhyoBillbO]

@923Haze not at all...

[@OneBigRetard]

Well who am I to argue with 'science'? I would love to see the metrics of this science. You said he was most definitely an acoustic player. The statement either suggests he is not an electric player or it is a pointless statement. I prefer his acoustic work also, I don't however agree with your characterisation of his electric work. Sorry if this is in denial of science. 'Slave's language'? Linear yes, slaves? To whom.

[@nedlert]

If you don't appreciate it. listen to what you like. No one told you to like it maybe you like ABBA or ACDC or Oscar peterson. each to their own bloke

[@Extracelestial]

That crowd is totally clueless.

[@OneBigRetard]

...the disparity between Dylan's acoustic work and electric work does not mean he should stick to one or the other. Richard Thompson plays both, to different effect. Why should he leave either to 'the masters'? Again this might contravene your 'science' but I think JM roasts the majority oif the 'masters' you have named. I mean SRV should not be in the same building as JM so why the hell should the electric guitar be left to him. Piffle.

[@IGSXIII]

Relax man, the the mix in this KZbin recording just isn't very good. Believe me, anyone who's watching this video knows who Zakir Hussein is, and we know he's the world's best tabla player. John invited him to perform with him for this event because the two of them are good friends and have played a lot of music together in the past. If you think John McLaughlin meant to disrespect Indian music, you should read a little more about John's career.

[@noonward]

Aw, do you feel sorry the audience?

[@coreyagraph]

@adishredder picky!

[@srv232]

Not sure this is the right kinda music for that crowd.

[@JakeFromUpstate]

Jimi did make some good music, but that dosn't qualify him for all that "greatest guitar player in the world" bullshit. I'm getting really tired of seeing it and hearing it. John Mclaughlin can create amazing music, and he is one of the if not greatest guitar players there has ever been.

[@gregmorrow]

wery nice , thanks ,where was it ?, the mob was awful, talking ,eating... no respect to music

[@gemydaloot]

haha niceee... too bad half of the unwashed masses in the crowd did not have a slight clue as to what John was doing lol

[@OneBigRetard]

I am suggesting that distinction does not exist. Who is the electric guitarist that would laugh Mclaughlin out the building? Your physics is irrelevant. When Mclaughlin attacks the waveform with Ring Mods, when I squeal in delight at the disgusting crunch his guitar makes on Les Catacombs, your cellist is still beating me on physics. None of this makes him 'forced' or 'virtuosic at best' They are different instruments and they are approached differently.

[@OneBigRetard]

I argue with your assertion he should abandon it. I disagree with your notion of him being laughed out the building. None of this has to do with the nature of waveforms. I love how you think you are teaching me stuff. "release a chemical which makes your subconscious giddy." So if this is the case and it is about the clean waveforms, how has my taste changed over the years? Why does stuff get me giddy that is worse than your cellist? Now who is being linear?

[@OneBigRetard]

So what is the formula for the perfect bit of music. Trust me, your in no danger of bursting anything. You are both presumptuous and condescending. I said I prefer it, I tend to prefer acoustic guitars generally. I din't say 'much better'. The objective and subjective being the difference. I have not argued his electric work is better, I have not refuted that it is worse. I have taken issue with you saying it is 'virtuousic and innovative at best.... forced... should be left to the masters'.

[@beermandan420]

At first i was like WOO! Then i was like...meh

[@JakeFromUpstate]

Of course their clueless, most of them are finding god right there.

[@b-sideplank]

@betbowt Oh.. and the science bit is pure crap.

[@OneBigRetard]

@betbowt विज्ञान पहचानने 'बेहतर' या संगीत में 'बदतर' बेवकूफ है

[@quinoacat]

great guitarist but this just sounds like someone being a noodle head to a bunch of annoying bongo sounds. Not my fav. Only 3 stars out of 5. Worth watching once and that is about all.

[@JakeFromUpstate]

You must not play guitar, or just not very good if you think Jimi Hendrix is better than John. Jimi Hendrix dosn't have anything on John except popularity. Hendrix sucks all he knows how to play is minor pentatonic scales and he can't even play them worth shit. John plays things that people can't even name.

[@OneBigRetard]

@betbowt Your use of the word 'son' says everything about you and the nature of this debate. Apply your ego elsewhere.

[@OneBigRetard]

It is an entirely false dichotomy. Strange this desire for binary concepts.