The JEAN LUC PONTY Interview | Zappa, Mahavishnu & Solo!

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[@themetallian2112]

Congrats Andy!!! You got him!!!

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Thanks

[@MyEFlow]

I saw Jean-Luc playing live with Zappa in the fall of 1973 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Amazing concert and he played fantastic on electric 5 string violin! I myself had started to play electric violin by then and was impressed and inspired by his approach to jazz-rock-fusion playing.

[@MaterLacrymarum]

As a young man, I went to the local library one day and saw Mystical Adventures in the loan section. I'm not sure why I took it out, but I think it was mostly curiosity about someone playing the violin. The first album I actually bought, and probably my favorite Ponty release, was Civilized Evil. I still listen to CE today. I own most of his albums these days. The one question I'd like to have heard asked is why there are huge gaps in his discography, and nothing these days. You'd think an album like Open Mind would be perfect for home recording in the modern day. But mostly, I'd just like to hear the man play. This interview was truly amazing, even if the coverage of the discography ended so soon. It's difficult to put into words how beautiful Ponty's music is. What an incredible man. I am proud to have seen him live, and my goodness it was something else. He's not interviewed often, so this wasn't simply special, it was vital in getting the man to consider his music, and think back to days past. Amazing.

[@DabsDad]

My number #1 favorite jazz rock artist.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

One of the greats

[@drtone]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer Trio of Stridence and Gamalon, greatest ;)

[@chazinko]

Thanks, Andy - this interview with Jean Luc Ponty was truly awesome!

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Thanks for listening

[@oliviermuller8214]

The smile on Andy's face while listening to Jean-Luc is priceless. Thanks very much for this highly interesting and enjoyable interview, can't wait to dive in Ponty's work beyond the couple of albums I know and I love. Feels as the mood we need to try to balance these shitty times.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I was in awe

[@branx64siljic37]

Amazing interview!. As a huge fan of Zappa and The Mahavishnu orchestra (or John McLaughlin rather) we all loved Jean Luc Ponty by default at that time, of course. I was 22 years old when I watched him in Zagreb (Croatia) 1979, in the same venue Zappa played 1975 (I missed this one though 🙁) I remember it was a fantastic concert; the the most eruptive moments was when he/his band was performing New Country (a very popular song at that time; you could hear it even on the radio). Anyway, I enjoyed this interview, we had the privilege of watching the man who played on such legendary albums as Hot Rats and Vision of the Emerald Beyond. Thank you Andy.

[@RonHallKungFuBro]

What a fantastic interview! Jean-Luc Ponty, my introduction to jazz fusion, is a musical titan with an extraordinary discography and a unique, definitive approach to the genre. Listening to you all discuss his music is like experiencing the music itself, there is no one else who could have done this so masterfully. How beautiful. Thank you , Andy.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Thanks Ron...I'm glad I did him justice

[@RonHallKungFuBro]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer You wonderfully conveyed the love, respect and admiration that most viewers of this interview have for him and his music. Next stop, Hammer, Di Meola, and McLaughlin.

[@kdakan]

This is a killer interview, thanks so much. I wanted to switch from guitar to violin in my early twenties after I discovered Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti, bought the cheapest broken violin (I couldn't afford anything else), and years later took some violin lessons and reading classical harmony books. These stories are so impotant to me.

[@trippknotic]

Well done, great interview with a legend talking about the legends Grappelli, Zappa, McLaughlin, Holdsworth. I don't think music can reach these heights again, as you said there's no one to led the way.

[@seabud6408]

Fantastic interview with one of my favourite musicians. I saw Mr Ponty with The Mahavishnu Orchestra at The Apollo, Glasgow. What a band and concert. I played .. Individual choice and .. Open mind to death. Learned so much from this discussion which placed him in the history of so much music that I love. Thanks.

[@magicruss1]

Excellent interview with a maestro,he certainly doesn`t look 81 years old

[@FreeBrunoPowroznik]

Fantastic interview Andy. Well done for getting Jean Luc on and hats off to him for doing it.

[@johannhauffman323]

Love Jean Luc Jean, if you read these comments, I would like to say thank you! Was absolutely wonderful to hear your thoughts on your brilliant career. Your music has touched not only me but millions of music lovers.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I will ask him to have a look, i'm sure he will

[@johannhauffman323]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer You rock Andy !

[@johannhauffman323]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer your interview was one the best I have ever heard or read. You knew his music in great depth. Great questions about the dynamics of the Zappa and Mahavishnu bands, his solo career and much more. I once heard an interview with Hendrix. He was asked… So, what do you think about the Beatles and the Stones? Ha! Thanks for all you do Andy !

[@benavich8]

Been listening to Mr. Ponty since the mid 70's...this man is a musical genius and his music is absolutely timeless..so many great albums...hard to beat Enigmatic Ocean and Cosmic Messenger...well done, Mr. Edwards...👏

[@SwampEye1]

I was 5 years at a friggin' conservatory to learn piano (in the 80s) , and they nearly broke my passion and love for music... After having to play classical music all the time, one day I dared to bring Beatles songs to the lessons ... the famous Beatles Complete songbook and my piano teacher freaked out , ... how could I dare ... that was the end of my classical education , .. thank God

[@peterpeper4837]

Thank you Andy that was wonderful. One of my heros. He will be 82 this Sunday

[@JosiMorreale]

what a great man Ponty is, so happy to see him looking well into his eighties. i am a huge fan ever since i heard him for the first time playing on Overnight Sensation by Zappa. my number one jazz violinist without a doubt. i got a big chunk of his Catalogue which is quite vast. even early albums from the mid/late sixties. long may he live!

[@skidmarkjohnson8452]

I've loved his music for decades. Seen him live multiple times, but this is the FIRST in depth interview I've ever seen! Thank you Andy and thank you Jean Luc!

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

He watched the channel and agreed to do it. I really felt the pressure to ask him some decent questions. But all the way through I was thinking this is one of the greatest musicians I have ever spoken to.

[@arnaudb.7669]

Great interview. Love Ponty. Enigmatic Ocean is one of the GREATEST fusion albums of all time.

[@Mrsteve4761]

Wow, fantastic you were able to get an interview with this legendary musician! He is absolutely one-of-a-kind. And the band members he recruited almost equally as talented. He is by a good margin one of the most gratifying jazz-rock musicians I've heard (and from an early age) in my 63 years. So wonderful to hear him speak of his experiences. It's clear to me that music keeps one youthful as evidenced here. My piano teacher, Jeannette Giguere, a retiree of the Paris conservatory, was in her 80's when I began taking lessons with her in Brookline MA in the late 1970's, and she was as sharp as a tack and as adept as any pianist I knew of even at that age.

[@kennethnash6809]

Great interview Andy . You asked some great questions and covered a lot of Jean-Luc's history and he is also a great guest with a lot of class and personality !

[@preservedmoose]

Amazing interview, Andy, thank you so much for that! My first fusion album, when I was 13 or so, was Violin Summit. I bought it in Woolworth’s; I think it was on sale and I had no idea what it was. I don’t know what encouraged me to buy it but It totally blew me away. It was really interesting to hear the story behind it. Let’s hope you can get some more legends on the channel - your questions, background knowledge and, in particular, your analysis of what is going on in the music is sensational. Jean-luc seemed very impressed and agreed with your conclusions - impressive stuff!

[@salvelegio1425]

What a very special early Friday evening. Just home made Indian food from scratch and poured up a nice beer. And all of a sudden this came up on the Tube. Heard my first JL. Ponty record in 1976 and I have since then been a fan. So I would love me to say; Dear Mr Ponty, thanks for all the great music and may all good things come your way. Thanks Andy, you are the best, may all good things come to you as well.

[@jurgenkoslowski2097]

Wonderful interview with one of my heroes. Thank you very much!

[@madmaf6011]

Thanks Andy, that was beautiful and made me smile throughout. And thanks too to Mr Ponty for his great generosity.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@stevepalmer-drums]

It's great you got the opportunity to speak indepth with a musical hero Andy and what a beautiful man. 🙏

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I cannot tell you how much I rate him. And a lovely man.

[@coolguitarchannel]

Jean-Luc is one of the greats. A living legend. This is a Beato level interview!

[@deanoppergoalieclinics834]

Andy,I Photographed and met Jean Luc several times. I've been a lifelong fan,of Jean Luc incredible body of work! Collecting every bit of his music I could find as well! Really want to give props to you for this highly enjoyable Interview!. Thanks Again Andy,Love Jean Luc!!!

[@Primordilian]

True legend and you're lucky you talked to him.Wonderful job Andy.

[@jerrypotente872]

A terrific interview Andy I fell in love with John Luke Ponte‘s music when I first heard it on jazz radio in New York in 1975 and it was one of John Luke’s original solo records. I love enigmatic Ocean and Aurora and some of that 70s work so much God bless you Jean-Luc. God bless you, Andy! continue making music throughout your lives. Amen!

[@hangonsnoop]

I was introduced to jazz violin by hearing Ponty on Zappa records.

[@JOSEZAMBRANOCASSELLADIRECTOR]

This interview made my day. I had just heard Jean-luc's "civilized evil" and "individual choice" albums before this. The man is a genius. Best interview ever. Thank you.

[@josevicentelazo2769]

Oh my GOD Andy!! This was so amazing, Mr Jean Luc Ponty ( is a Master) is one of my musical heroes!!!! Thank you sooo much for interviewing so an Iconic artist🎉🎉🎉🎉... And Mystical Adventures is also my favourite album, I discovered it at when I was around eight years old and it shook my world!!!? It opened my mind to an array of amazing artists and mind bending music....

[@kevincorrigan7893]

Fantastic interview, Andy. Great questions and I think JLP seemed happy to be talking to someone with the depth of knowledge and appreciation that you have. Cheers!

[@terryparham3913]

Andy. A sheer treasure of an interview! Brought back so many great memories! Jean Luc Ponty is a jazz great that influenced so much for me. I was a teenage drummer playing to his albums. Now a pianist/composer realizing how much his music is in me. Great interview! Thanks for all you do!

[@Anselmiankey]

I used to fall asleep to the Aurora album when I was in high school. Loved Daryl Stuermer's solos.

[@williamfarr8807]

Thank you, it’s great to see Jean-Luc Ponty (and others like him) on record. Decades from now, when all is said and done, I wouldn’t be surprised if musicians like Ponty, are of more interest than their rock star contemporaries that receive so much adulation today. Being a Zappa fan, I got the King Kong album not long after it came out and picked up several of the Ponty and George Duke solo albums later in the 1970s. I was fortunate to see The Mothers at the Music Hall in Houston, Texas, March 1973 (still have the ticket stub, $4.50). It was an amazing band, and they played some astonishing music. George Duke, Jean-Luc Ponty, Ian & Ruth Underwood, Bruce & Tom Fowler, Ralph Humphrey. I vaguely remember a horn player (Sal Marquez?), I’m not sure. It was before the release of Over-Nite Sensation, and they were mostly playing instrumental music from Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo. I remember Zappa stepped up on the percussion stand at one point and Ruth stepped aside while he played The Yellow Rose of Texas on the xylophone.

[@lagrega]

What an absolute gift to fans of Jean Luc. Thank you Andy for putting this together and, indeed asking great questions and allowing space for the answers. Back in the late 70s when I first discovered Jean Luc Ponty, it was all mixed together in my collection with progressive rock, etc. 1968-1980something was a special time for music for sure. Jean Luc’s statement about maintaining creative control at Atlantic, since the listening public was buying those albums, was very interesting. It’s kind of obvious, but having ENOUGH sales created a sustaining loop that allowed for more adventurous music to be recorded. Some of that ended (in general, not necessarily specifically with Jean Luc) when the listening public became interested in other musical styles.

[@SydBarrettArchives]

Nice job Andy, I'm glad you were able to talk with him.

[@TRespalto]

Bravo! As a JLP fan since 1976, THIS is the interview that I've waited all my life to hear. Your joy in conducting that interview is infectious. JLP has had a fantastic career consisting of so many high points. Rather than playing it safe, you took some chances that paid off big. Your comments regarding Upon The Wings being cut from a different cloth compared to the albums that followed was quite insightful. Also, I loved your comments regarding minimalism and modal playing that entered JLP's music after Enigmatic Ocean. Thank you for addressing the "Pegasus" situation (something that was barely mentioned in the Bathed In Lightning book). Glad to hear Jean-Luc talk about his musical affinity with Allan Holdsworth: that is a topic that is worthy of a video of its own.

[@JonnyDee123]

One of my favourite albums in the 70s was Cosmic Messenger. I will dig it out again directly after this interview.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Brilliant album

[@JonnyDee123]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer Great interview and what a lovely humble chap, too.

[@PaulPadoan]

Stunning album, would like a new production/mix of it.

[@billjeffers2273]

.❤Jean luc.....cosmic messanger is one of my all time favorite albums.🍺

[@billphelps5611]

That was great...enjoyed the conversation. Love Jean-Luc Ponty. My first record of his was Aurora. Also love the Violin Summit!

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@stevemartin4249]

I can't add much to the conversation except that at just having turned 69 and living in Japan for most of my life, I feel similarly to Jean Luc Ponty's music as does Andy - and along with a few Mahavishnu albums, brought a few of his albums with me to Japan 41 years years ago ... Cosmic Messenger, Imaginary Voyage, and Enigmatic Ocean. I realize Stephane Grapelli is a legend, but of such an earlier era ... that when I thin "jazz violin", I automatically think "Jean Luc Ponty". Will have to explore that Frank Zappa connection.

[@davestephens6421]

Absolutely loved it Andy!!! Once again it shows how important George Duke was to so many people!!!! So much to take in. What a wonderful man, composer and violinist....and you even got to ask about ' Pegasis' 😂

[@Robt.Velasquez]

An incredible artist. I love his record with the great Stephane Grappelli. Great questions and his honesty was greatly appreciated. ❤❤❤❤

[@CBell-dt3pv]

Wow, was lucky enough to see him at the Syracuse jazzfest touring with RTF.. unbelievable talent on stage that night! Congrats!

[@carlosgandolfolopez7086]

Thank you Andy for interviewing an absolute genius. Thank you Jean-Luc for your time. You are an incredible Musician (capital M). Genio indiscutible.

[@dogmatronic]

Lovely interview Andy! Loved Jean Luc for years. Great composer, great violinist and improviser, Renaissance impeccable! Have you heard Holdsworth on Point of No Return, proper tear jerker achingly beautiful.

[@ste6ev]

50 year relationship for me - the “Master of Melody” - how apt. Thankyou so much. ❤

[@TonyRijos]

Some of the best records ever were made by this gentleman.🔥🔥

[@stringrip]

After listening to all of the video I went back to the 1995 Rite Of Strings album with the Trio of Jean Luc Ponty , Stanley Clarke and Al Di Meola that had great versions of 'Renaissance' and 'Memory Canyon'. And also played the DVD of the 1994 performance at Montreux of the Rite Of Strings - in one of the encore numbers they are joined by keyboard player Monty Alexander.

[@davidjames1858]

Thanks Andy! Great interview! There'll never be another Jean-luc, such a masterful musician!

[@grahammorgan1]

Loved Jean Luc Ponty's playing on the 'Apocalypse' record - some of the improvisations were off the charts!

[@jdmresearch]

Ponty came to Chile in 1988, in the final year of Pinochet's dictatorship. One of the few musicians to come during that time (Chick Corea also did!)... just for that, I'm positively biased. Also related to Chile, he recorded in 2007 "The Atacama experience" about the driest desert in the world: Holdsworth played in the album, and so did P. Catherine. Other than the amazing Mahavishnu 2 band, I also love his "King Kong" album.... just great stuff.

[@VinceWaldon]

OMG OMG OMG!! The man that personally started my "jazz fusion" journey decades ago!

[@ianrossmusic]

Super excited for this one, Andy! I had been looking forward to even the possibility of you doing a simple discography rundown. I owe my career to Jean-Luc; I played violin as a child and eventually got hip to electric when I felt there was no hope to join the cool kids on a typical rock instrument. I picked up JLP's Very Best Of compilation and immersed myself in it at age 14 or 15 and then DID gravitate towards the bass guitar thanks to the INCREDIBLE Ralphe Armstrong, Baron Browne, Randy Jackson, etc. Of course this also opened the door to all fusion and prog for me and is why I'm here watching many years on. I also got to play for Randy a few times and tell him how much his playing on Mystical Adventures meant to me. A very cool point on that trajectory.

[@blackmoofou6385]

@@ianrossmusic His playing on Mystical Adventures is ridiculous there's parts that leave you scratching your head at how good they are.

[@steverogers2635]

That was totally awesome Andy! Thank you so much for posting this. 👍

[@stefannelson]

What a lovely interview. I am grateful to have some new music to check out. I am sad that I missed Jean Luc and Jon Anderson performing together. A good friend of mine went and it sounded incredible.

[@jvpresnall]

Thanks for this interview, Andy. Excellent discussion. Jean-Luc is a giant!

[@robinjonesguitar]

What a fabulous interview one of the few great legends left, and like you he has played with all my heroes, Zappa and McLaughlin etc🥰

[@blackmoofou6385]

Fantastic interview Andy you asked some great questions. Really interesting and he introduced George Duke to Zappa amazing.

[@ivonsmith4255]

JLP is one of my all time favorites of the jazz fusion scene since I first heard Enigmatic Ocean back then. Thanks Andy for doing a great job of interviewing Jean Luc and putting into it your own great experience and insights...Tres Bien!

[@johndrx165]

Great interview! So cool to learn more about this genius.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@svenab5850]

It is the first time I hear an interview with this great musician whom I have admired in all the possible constellations he participated. Thanks Andy!

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I was in awe...could you tell?

[@donaldanderson6604]

Can't wait. I've been a fan since 1976 when I heard him at the LSE in a tiny theatre in the student union, with Daryl Stuermer and Bruce Fowler. Still one of my all time favourite gigs.

[@donaldanderson6604]

Oops. Meant Tom Fowler. RIP.

[@davidmontgomery5047]

Was Steve Smith The Drummer ?

[@donaldanderson6604]

@@davidmontgomery5047 Fairly sure he was. Plus Alan Zavod on keys.

[@BarbarraBay]

Brilliant Andy. Beautiful Jean Luc. ❤❤🙏🙏

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Thanks for listening

[@narosgmbh5916]

Great conversation, thank you both. (Because you were critized in a comment for the way you conducted the conversation: You will receive general absolution from me. I can't speak for JLP, but I'm sure he was also happy with the result of your 1h16min production. Goal achieved!)

[@YtuserSumone-rl6sw]

Wow! Just when I have been listening to Jean-Luc Ponty's own albums for a month! He is fantastic and so good on his own and I prefer his own stuff albeit he's worked with such top musicians in his projects. I've learned Jean-Luc is a multi-instrumentalist too but listening to his albums I find he's very good at melody/catchy themes, so a well rounded musician. I'm sure it will be a very good interview.

[@MrMaynardWR]

i have repeatedly heard from those that know Ponty that he is a lovely guy and it certainly came through here. Love his music too.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

an absolute legend.

[@rolfjamne8922]

Wow. Looking forward to this one Andy👌

[@philoldout7489]

Well done indeed. Thanks for this. Some of his stuff to this day I remember note for note. What a lovely musical voice he had/has.

[@riffmondo9733]

Love Jean Luc. Great interview!

[@wendykirkland]

Amazing 👏

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Hello Wendy!

[@davestephens6421]

Oh wow!!! Brilliant stuff!!!!

[@NadirJones71]

Just magnificent. Great interview. What a lovely guy.

[@oolongoolong789]

An excellent interview which I thoroughly enjoyed. Many thanks, Andy!

[@gambleriver]

JLP has been involved with so much fantastic music it's hard to comprehend, but for my money the apex was Enigmatic Ocean; easily one of the finest albums (with an incredible cast: Steve Smith, Alan Holdsworth, Daryl Stuermer, you kiddin' me?!?) ever made. Among that very rare species in the word of music (imho): a perfect record. Great interview Andy, thx!!... and tip of the cap, your Soft Machine prompt was delightfully smooth 😝

[@mhp2766]

You've made it Andy, surely now you have!

[@zeuhl5840]

Great to hear about this! I am looking forward to the interview. Don't forget to ask him about his connection to Jerry Goodman, Steven Kindler, Zbigniew Seifert and Didier Lockwood!

[@cameronpatrickscott]

You're like the Lidls of Podcast talk show hosting, give me Lidls over Waitrose any day of the week.

[@sat1241]

Great Interview. I like an African influenced album he did "No Absolute Time". Also some of Ponty's wildest improv, a great fusion/free jazz album ( on youtube) called : "Jean Luc Ponty & Masahiko Sato - Astrorama (1970) " (album has Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on bass but he's low in the mix) lots of long improv and guitar solo sounding like John McLaughlin mixed with Sonny Sharrock Excellent electric piano solos by Masahiko Sato. Style is somewhat Tony Williams fusion stuff Video concept: Allan Holdsworth, violinist I think he has at least 5 recording on various recordings, his wiki lists some

[@mr.orange8205]

Good stuff! I've enjoyed this interview.

[@neilloughran4437]

Great stuff Andy. Jean Luc is part of that elusive scene of early 70s euro jazz that never gets much attention... that whole scene with Joachim Kuhn, Toto Blanke, Wolfgang Dauner, Aldo Romano, Peter Trunk, Jasper Van't hof, Philip Catherine, George Gruntz, Daniel Humair et al (missing lots of names here).... a scene I'm still beginning to comprehend even 30 years since l first started hearing it.... would love to know more about that scene...

[@upgroovebeyondmusicnz5035]

Brilliant Andy thankyou so much for this interview just superb and sublime what a legend. Such an interesting interview.😊❤️

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Our pleasure!

[@MrCongamike]

Great Andy, thanks for the interview.

[@PeterByker]

Andy, Andy Andy...you glorious beast of a man you. Thanks for this superb guest.

[@Hydrocorax]

Nice! Looking forward to this.

[@fernandoperdomomusic]

Great interview .. Jean Luc is a huge influence on me and I still pinch myself that I opened his final Los Angeles Concert

[@teamflashtv]

Thanks for this, JLP's music really opened my eyes a few years ago, what an incredible talent and catalogue of music.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

Great interview. Thanks

[@drychaf]

Wonderful interview. Well done both. Lots of info, history and insight, and lovely touches of emotion. Inspiring.

[@guitarchannel5676]

Great interview, Andy. I came in late and look forward to seeing first half.

[@petervandolah5322]

Bravissimo ! ...

[@thebreathalyzer]

Really nice conversation. I’m glad you talked about Mystical Adventures, that left a huge impression on me.

[@sicko_the_ew]

Wonderful interview. Well done both of you. (Even if it's not my place to make the awards around here.)

[@TheFierceAndTheDead]

Very cool Andy

[@ptose]

Fantastic interview, thank for this.

[@ESP77769]

JEAN LUC!! Thank you Andy!! :-)