Search - John McLaughlin :: Devotion

1969 Jazz-Rock, Blues Trailblazing

Keith N. Moore | S.F. CA | 09/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This music is very important in that it is a continuation along the trail blazed by Jimi Hendrix (Electric Ladyland and the Band of Gypsys ), The Cream (Wheels of Fire), Miles Davis (Miles in the Sky, In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew) and The Tony Williams Lifetime (Emergency and Turn it Over the latter recording included drummer Tony Williams, John McLaughlin , Larry Young (Khalid Yasin) and bassist Jack Bruce).



John McLaughlin began this journey jamming with Graham Bond, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker with the Graham Bond Organization back in 1964 in London blues clubs, when the world was intensly focused on the Beatles and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" music.

As we fast-forward 5 years to 1969, New York City, John has been initiated into the Miles Davis Directions movement with The Tony Williams Lifetime being his main focus for his evolving musical talents. Jimi Hendrix was also in New York successfully taking the electric guitar far beyond traditional rock borders, and John, with the music of Devotion, is attempting to tap this base and create one of his own. Guitarist Eric Clapton and the Cream in 1968 were also expanding the boundaries of rock and blues jamming as can be clearly heard on the recording "Wheels of Fire" on the portions that were recorded live at the Fillmore.



Devotion is the crucial mix of a Jazz-Rock, Blues guitarist, a Jazz keyboardist, a Blues/Rock drummer (very similar to Ginger Baker), and a Rock/Blues Bassist with slight overtones of the Beatles. I know, that all sounds way, way-out but that's what this music is, a true Jazz-Rock-Blues fusion mix. This fusion mix is one of the very first outside of the Tony Williams Lifetime which included John and Larry. Also heard on Devotion are Buddy Miles and Billy Rich who both jammed and recorded with Jimi Hendrix. Buddy Miles was also appearing live with Jimi Hendrix and Billy Cox in the Band of Gypsys when this music was recorded.



John's guitar playing at the top of this music is just superb. The interplay between all musicians is clearly heard here as both John and Larry clocked many hours together with the Tony Williams Lifetime and Miles Davis and clearly have a musical and spiritual feel for one and other. Buddy and Billy also have great feel for each other after playing and recording in the the Buddy Miles Express and later jamming and recording with Jimi Hendrix. In the case of Billy Rich, it was recommended that he and not Billy Cox replace Noel Redding in the Jimi Hendrix Band, but due to a past friendship with Jimi, Billy Cox won out.

The three compositions which I feel define this production are "Devotion", "The Dragon Song" and "Purpose of When." Take the time to listen and you too will hear the expanded Rock, Blues, and Jazz improvisations (with no vocals) and the lack of traditional Rock/blues musical confinement that these four musicians experience as they blaze this unchartered trail. As you listen, remember that at the time of this release The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Band of Gypsys, and the Cream have all disbanded, and no Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chick Corea & Return to Forever, Jeff Beck & Jan Hammer Band, Terje Rypdal Band, or Soft Machine with Allan Holdsworth exist yet.



John told me personally that he "did not like the production aspect of this recording" and he "did not recognize the post production recording." Buddy stated he also did not care for the recording for different reasons. This is the confusing aspect to all this as I feel the recording and post recording remix as a whole make this music exactly what it is, one unique, great recording. Alan Douglas and Stefan Bright colored the sound with great success just as Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles (with George Martin) both worked wonders with the post recording remixes. I feel one of the issues here is John, being a straight ahead Jazz/Blues musician was just not accustomed to unseen expanded mixing techniques used here in the States and in England to create a larger presentation of a musical production to appeal to a larger audience. I have owned this music since 1970 and still enjoy it 35 years later. Check it out!"

Acid John

happydogpotatohead | New Orleans, LA USA | 02/11/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I imagine Mr. McLaughlin is not really fond of this record; he probably feels embarrassed about it. It's definitely a product of its time and place (late 60s/early 70s) and the aura of cannabis and lysergic products hovers around it. But it's a lot better than he might think. Many of McLaughlin's fans decry it, but they're off the mark. Sure, it's definitely not anything that resembles his other work. It's not fast and precise like Mahavishnu. It's not particularly Indian-influenced, and it's not really very jazzy. This is more of a Krautrock record than anything else; in many ways it reminds me of German acid-rock bands like Agitation Free or Ash Ra Tempel, who were doing a similar improv-space-rock at about the same time this was recorded. The guitar playing is wonderful. McLaughlin uses a muscular, abrasive tone here that doesn't sound too dissimilar to 70's era Robert Fripp; the reliance on tritones and minor 2nds in the thematic statements doesn't hurt that comparison. The difference comes in McLaughlin's harsher tone and sly choice of notes, which is clearly influenced by late period Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, and other free jazz saxophonists. He plays arcane riffs and abrupt, chromatic melodic lines as though they were perfectly normal acid-rock statements, and it works beautifully. Make sure to pay attention to how he uses the wah pedal.McLaughlin lays back on the blinding speed for most of the CD, preferring to snarl and howl. There is the occasional fiery spray of electricity but nothing as overwhelming (or as frankly excessive) as his Mahavishnu work. The compositions are relatively simple, but they hang together, and the band is consistently with him and responsive to him. Larry Young is great, and Buddy Miles and Billy Rich provide a consistent rock-solid foundation for Young and McLaughlin to freak out over.I'll be truthful - I enjoy this more than I do much of McLaughlin's Mahavishnu work, which sounds somewhat sterile and overbusy in the cold clear light of a new century. "Devotion," on the other hand, has less technical finesse but a lot more guts and expressiveness. In summary, "Devotion" is a CD that any acid-rock or Krautrock fan would love. Jazz fusioneers will definitely have a problem with it, but anyone in the mood for an intelligent guitar freakout will find a lot to like here."

Mesmerizing and melodic

Kenny b Natural | 06/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the album I wore a hole in as a kid! From the beginning solo on "Marbles" you can start to understand the mind of John McLaughlin. This is the prototype for fusion. Lot's of heavy jazz/blues riffage in John's own peculiar style sandwiched between his signature fingerpicked, chordal weirdness and Larry Young's spacey organ sound, will put you into "instant samadhi"! Buddy Miles and Billy Rich play very simply yet, heavyhandedly and straight forward to create solid music that rocks. You will find one of these tunes reworked on "Birds of Fire". If you don't cherish this, please, seek counseling of some sort. It's true this album holds a special place in my heart as it soothed my adolescent anguished soul yet, I think any fan of any of the musicians on this album needs to own it."