JOHN McLAUGHLIN: THE MONTREUX YEARS

On a personal note, I regard McLaughlin as the world’s finest jazz guitarist and a pioneer in East-West instrumental collaboration, especially with the creation and performance of the brilliant Shakti group. I confess to having most of his early music including the incredible live FRIDAY NIGHT IN SAN FRANCISCO (The Guitar Trio with Al DiMeola and Paco de Lucia) and LIVE AT THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, NOVEMBER 27, 1989 (John McLaughlin Trio with Kai Eckhardt on bass, Trilok Gertu on percussion. John plays acoustic guitar and synth). Both records are of audiophile quality and some of the most exciting playing you will ever hear. For fans of jazz guitar and McLaughlin, this new live release will be much anticipated and welcome.

I have witnessed just two performances from McLaughlin. The first was the Shakti concert at the Barbican many moons ago. The second and last time was at the Liverpool Philharmonic which was made extra special by the inclusion of Mark Mondesir on drums whom I had interviewed after his successful treatment for severe stammering and is one of the finest drummers anywhere.

THE MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL & BMG ANNOUNCE THE NEXT RELEASE OF ‘THE MONTREUX YEARS’ SERIES
CURATED & COMPILED BY JOHN McLAUGHLIN
RELIVE THE GRAMMY AWARD WINNER’S PHENOMENAL PERFORMANCES AT MONTREUX BETWEEN 1978 & 2016
IN HD MASTERED AUDIO

BMG have today announced John McLaughlin: THE MONTREUX YEARS, is out now. Compiled and curated by John McLaughlin, the brand new album is a collection of his finest performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival between 1978 and 2016. Beautifully restored, the recording will be available in vinyl, CD and on streaming services.

PRE-ORDER ‘JOHN MCLAUGHLIN: THE MONTREUX YEARS’ HERE: https://themontreuxyears.tmstor.es/?preview=on&key=82a0a1d0ac4c2f12ad707686af70d58e

London 19 January 2022 - Montreux Jazz Festival and BMG today announce the next instalment in The Montreux Years series with John McLaughlin: THE MONTREUX YEARS, to be released on Friday, 04 March 2022. Curated and compiled by John McLaughlin, the album is a collection of his finest performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival between 1978 and 2016. Beautifully restored and mastered, the recording will be available in multi-format configurations, including superior audiophile heavy weight vinyl, CD and on streaming services, in superlative HD audio.

Ranked in Rolling Stones magazine’s list of ‘100 Greatest Guitar Players of All Time’, John McLaughlin became a long-time friend of the Montreux Jazz Festival, having played at the iconic Swiss festival many times. The performances in this new collection are curated from six shows between 1978 to 2016 with the various ensembles of The Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Heart Of Things, The Free Spirits, The 4thDimension and his fellow virtuoso and close friend Paco de Lucia. Encapsulating McLaughlin’s time at the festival, “John McLaughlin: THE MONTREUX YEARS” opens with the 1984 track ‘Radio Activity’ by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, which McLaughlin reformed in the 80’s for the release of the album MAHAVISHNU.

Fans of the jazz fusion pioneer can immerse themselves in the superb and classic material that defined McLaughlin’s career, which includes the track Acid Jazz from the album THE HEART OF THINGS. Further exploring McLaughlin’s impressive repertoire, “John McLaughlin: THE MONTREUX YEARS” includes the tracks ‘Sing Me Softly Of The Blues’ from 1994’s AFTER THE RAOIN and ‘El Hombre Que Sabia’ from McLaughlin’s studio album BLACK LIGHT.

John McLaughlin:

“To speak about The Montreux Jazz Festival brings back so many wonderful memories. But since my association goes back to 1971, we are looking at 50 years of history! Whether it’s the different incarnations of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti, The One Truth Band, The Free Spirits, The Heart of Things, Carlos Santana or with the late great Paco de Lucia, the list goes on and on. Not only all my musical performances at Montreux, but all my other visits to see my dear friend Claude Nobs the founder, my friends of the festival, join jam sessions, go hiking in the fabulous countryside around that lovely town. Montreux is a big part of my life’s musical and personal history and to share this selection of my performances on this recording makes me truly happy.“

As one of the greatest guitar players in music history, John McLaughlin has been cited a major influence on many 70’s and 80’s artists, including the likes of Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, Mike Stern and more. In 2018 McLaughlin won a Grammy for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, for his solo on ‘Miles Beyond’ from his album LIVE AT RONNIE SCOTT’S. With a German tour scheduled for March 2022, McLaughlin remains one of music’s greatest musicians and the release John McLaughlin: THE MONTREUX YEARS is a testament to his legacy.