JEAN LUC PONTY - "SAVANNAH" (reaction)

[@hilocus]

Its a whole different story when he plays with a real band. His 70's albums are incendiary. He was absolutely untouchable. Which is why he was recruited by Zappa as well Mahavishnu Orchestra. I'm not as enamored by this, but heh, he's still great. Check out 70's albums such as Upon the Wings of Music, Aurora, Enigmatic Ocean, albums full of great musicianship and inventiveness.

[@wendellwiggins3776]

excellent reply

[@mrhippie1992]

Yes ^

[@kevinkovarik245]

Cosmic Messenger , Canteloupe Island

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks!

[@DrSardonicuss]

Open Strings (MPS/BASF, 1972) is well worth a listen. On Electric Connection (World Pacific, 1969) he covers the TV theme song from The Name of the Game which is kind of a hoot...

[@stevedotwood]

He was also one of the great instrumentalists in Zappa's Jazz-fusion band. (French violinist) And recently played with Jon Anderson of Yes. There's footage of him live with FZ in Stockholm. Amazing violinist

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks for the info Steve!

[@louisgreen3915]

There' a walk I do at night in a bunch of fields were you can see the lights of London in the distance. I alway play this track on a play list with tracks like it. It makes the world we live in so futuristic and magical.

[@caravan5557]

Jean-Luc stands alone. The absolute best.

[@-R.Gray-]

Before joining the Mahavishnu Orch., Ponty played with Frank Zappa's band for a while, after recording the 1970 release "King Kong : Jean Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa".

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks for the info!

[@davetothebeard]

Ponty came up with the great fusion artists of the 70’s. His first 3-4 albums were fabulous and groundbreaking. Allan Holdsworth was in his band at that time. Some beautiful violin and guitar solos came out of those fusion recordings. Then some record companies came around and told him to make more money he should soften his edge a bit, like the New Age and World music groups at the time. He did soften his sound, even now. But back then he and his bands were the shit. Some of Holdsworth’s solos were as ass-kicking as Ponty’s

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks for the info David!

[@ithacaster]

Ponty's first few albums were more traditional jazz than fusion. Jazz Long Playing was his debut album in 1964, then cam Sunday Walk (1967), More Than Meets the Ear (1968), then a few others before King Kong in 1970. Upon the Wings of Music is what I consider to be his real foray as into fusion as a solo artist. I have 23 of his recordings with More than meets the Ear as the earlist.

[@AmberPearcy]

Totally feeling this vibe right now. Love!

[@DoctorWu1978]

Hopefully this is just the beginning of your connection to the wonderful music of JLP!!

[@richardwirt3193]

Zappa left a big influence on everyone that played in his band

[@jeffcooley1861]

The most ornate and funky looper track ever ;)

[@ganazby]

Love Jean Luc, but I didn’t know this one. I like it. Great trancy vide going on. The intro reminds me a little of ‘Going Back to My Roots.’ So good when the bass comes in. West African sounding. This is great music.

[@alldayadventures5418]

JLP is insane playing Visions of the Emerald Beyond (album) (Mahavishnu Orchestra). Plays the fiddle so hard, like he is trying to saw in in half with the bow.

[@SightAfterDark]

😆

[@ganazby]

It’s Gerry Goodman on ‘Birds of Fire’. Jean Luc played on ‘Apocalypse’ and ‘Visions of the Emerald Beyond.’

[@alldayadventures5418]

@@ganazby You are correct, I am forgetting these days... They both saw the dam thing in half...

[@ganazby]

@@alldayadventures5418 Very true!

[@cazgerald9471]

Jean Luc is featured on Elton John's "Honky Château" album - I bring that up just so that I could mention that album contains the only tap dancing solo I know of in modern pop music XD

[@mikeobrien2243]

Check out Ponty, Stanley Clark, Al Demeola live in Montreaux. Watching Birds and Modern Time Blues with George Benson on guitar.

[@thomasvieth6063]

I know him from his collaboration with Zappa, of course. But this sounds very much influenced by Weather Report's Joe Zawinul. I like it a lot

[@johndrx165]

This is such a cool layered song! Love the bass. I recorded it on a tape from a friend's collection and still listen to it from time to time.

[@SightAfterDark]

Nice

[@DrSardonicuss]

Released in '93 and back at Atlantic this is Ponty's second album dabbling with a West African vibe... Good but I prefer the first, his '91 album, Tchokola... Oh! & I got to Ponty through his association with Zappa ;)

[@SightAfterDark]

We think we got here that way too☺️!

[@neonpark1874]

Lots of great Ponty albums. Tchokola is certainly one of them and one of my favorites of his. A bunch of the songs on that one even have vocals.

[@NismoDJ20]

@@neonpark1874 my dad bought tchokola for me at a thrift shop on cd because he knew i liked ponty. never had heard this one before and it grew to be one of my favorites. amazing rhythms.

[@joesiano21]

He is one of my favorite violinist.

[@davidd5407]

This man is simply loaded w talent. He does a track called Demagomania. You will like the vibe in that track.

[@leoscone4036]

"Aurora" is my favorite solo album of his, and also his first. At least as writer. His first solo album was "King Kong", which was written by Zappa. He released this in '70. "Aurora" was released in '76. As huge fans of both Zappa and Mahavishnu Orchestra we went to see Ponty live when he toured "Aurora". So, yeah, personal favorite. More feels to it. This song is wonderful, but it is twenty years later. The. Seventies. Were. So. Good. For. Music. Blessings.

[@SightAfterDark]

We agree about the 70’s! Thanks for the info and for watching Leo!

[@hilocus]

Upon the Wings of Music which preceeded Aurora is also excellent. And before that his album Open Strings is worth checking out and King Kong as you mentioned.

[@leoscone4036]

Jean Luc Ponty was thick with progressive jazz. Zappa did a lot of progressive jazz. Mahavishnu Orchestra was progressive jazz/rock fusion. Primarily, Ponty leaned to jazz. Thus to a great extent the wonderful focus on individual instruments. Jazz gives players space to play and be heard that way. Bug in your ears: "Shadowfax" is the band, "Watercourse Way" is the album, first song, "Shape of a Word". '75. Great progressive jazz/rock. And "King Kong"? You have yet to visit "Uncle Meat". Double album. The culmination really of early Frank Zappa and The Mothers. After this he went off on a jazz vein himself with Hot Rats/Waka Jawaka/Grand Wazoo, and largely with "Apostrophe" as well. Most of the second side of disc two is variants on "King Kong" by Zappa. Ponty's album was multiple more variants. A whole album dedicated to a Zappa song that has no definitive version. Anyway, be the FIRST ON THE BLOCK. I know, I know, I'm not paying to make my request. But, you wouldn't regret cheating once. Not for the song "Shape of a Word". Blessings.

[@SightAfterDark]

Blessings!

[@kevinkovarik245]

Pontys album King Kong from 1970? Is a masterpiece where he plays the music of Frank zappa with the exception of How would you like a head like that a song on the album that Zappa plays a guitar solo in. I have seen Jen Luc almost as many times that I saw FZ which is a very high number. Ponty was playing with George Duke before playing with Zappa. I think Dukes influenced Frank into hiring Ponty.

[@DrSardonicuss]

September 22, 1969 - Frank first saw Jean-Luc Ponty & the George Duke Trio playing at Thee Experience, LA, CA (the rest, as they say...)

[@sfbayareagirl]

Love Jean Luc Ponty. Ethereal Mood is one of my favs.

[@anyviolet]

"The Infinite Human Caravan" from Ponty's Life Enigma album. Try it, you won't be disappointed. Amazing piece.

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks!

[@markgreene6349]

Incredible,.. he has a very diverse musical catalog..p listen to cosmic messenger next it's mind-blowingly rock jazz fusion

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks Mark!

[@davidgale7384]

My personal favourite... Voyager... The man is phenomenal.

[@wendellwiggins3776]

1993 !!! Ponty! INTERESTING I love Ponty. Seen him with Zappa in the 70s & Solo in the 80's but his great FUSION MASTEWORKS were made in the late 70's & early 80's. This is delightful, smooth, jazzy and has the pure Ponty signature sound but the composition feels a bit tight & conservative & not as aggressive, WILD, FREE, ROCK & INTENSE as his earlier songs . Thanks never heard this!!. IMAGINARY VOYAGE is one to listen to post ZAPPA

[@SightAfterDark]

Glad you enjoyed Wendell!

[@paulkazakoff9231]

What a great musician he is.I saw him with Mahavishnu and solo back in the 1970's.Super concerts with equally great musicians both times.This tune of course is much later and enjoyable but his earlier stuff is really his best work.My favorite album is Aurora and not a bad track on it.Highly recommend this to any newcomers ofJean Luc Ponty's music !

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks for Sharon Paul!

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks for sharing Paul!

[@rayhutchinson640]

Stellar composition and performance! Please recommend and/or react to some of that Herbie Hancock for those of us who have been living under a rock and wouldn't know where to begin exploring that artist's deep cuts.

[@niss2142]

Close your eyes... Count down: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 lift-off to the next universe, enjoy the ride...

[@rolfjamne8922]

Check out Ponty's Zakka zakka. One of his most funky tunes.

[@neonpark1874]

Unless there is another song called Zakka Zakka, I think you mean Sakka Sakka from his Tchokola album. It is another excellent tune (and there are lyrics/vocals).

[@rolfjamne8922]

@@neonpark1874You are right. Thats the one.👍

[@bryanhale5254]

Yeah one of my favorite albums by Jean-Luc is individual choice wow they got this one song calles computer incantations for World Peace one of my favorites though as eulogy for Oscar Romero I think he got some equipment from one of the guys from UK a guy named Eddie jobson because I know Alan holsworth please I'm one of the songs so anyhow the violin sounds like some other worldly instrument

[@neonpark1874]

I was also going to mention "Computer Incantations For World Peace". Excellent tune.

[@jimhardiman3836]

You might prefer his more rocking 70s work.

[@caravan5557]

Damn...first...woohooo

[@SightAfterDark]

🥇!

[@caravan5557]

Ty

[@woodyoffmark7944]

Check out this video featuring Jean Luc in Zappa's band: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6OZnoeipL59gNU

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks Woody!

[@Leandro.Patagonia]

Check out Cosmic Messenger from him

[@stony2494]

Prefer Cosmic Messenger 😎🙏♥️

[@rickwhear4016]

CHECK HIM OUT ON zAPPAS SONG DUPREES PARADISE THERES A UTUBE VIDEO....FREAKIN EPIC

[@jmurray2018]

Please do Nick Drake - One of these things first I don’t think anyone has ever done this song it has a jazz feel to it and I was led to believe he was an acoustic guitar player so it was a nice surprise listen - I discovered him after you played your Joni Mitchell Coyote Song

[@SightAfterDark]

Suggest it on our patreon. Thanks for watching Jay!