MUMBAI: Veteran jazz guitarist, John McLaughlin, and his band- The 4th Dimension will perform at Dalhousie Institute in Kolkata on 3 November, before heading to Dhaka (Bangladesh) for his next show. The legendary musician will then return to India to perform at NCPA, Mumbai, on 6 November, followed by another show in Bangalore on 7 November, thus concluding his ‘Black Light’ album tour in India.
Born in England, the songwriter shot to fame among the Indian masses in 1970s with Shakti – a fusion project with tabla maestro- Zakir Hussain and violinist- L Shankar. The Englishman was also bestowed with the title ‘Mahavishnu’ John McLaughlin by his guru Sri Chinmoy in the same decade. In 1973, he collaborated with fellow Sri Chinmoy disciple, Carlos Santana, for ‘Love Devotion Surrender’, an album of devotional songs.
Shakti proved to be the beginning of a spiritual and musical connection between McLaughlin and India, which later led to many unforgettable shows and collaborations that continues till date. The guitarist is currently on tour with the band, promoting ‘Black Light’, which began in Australia, early this month. The 4th dimension includes McLaughlin’s “three favourite musicians” – multi-instrumentalist Gary Husband on keyboards & percussions, Étienne M’Bappé on electric bass, and the virtuosic drummer Ranjit Barot.
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The 73 year old jazz-virtuoso’s best fusion group since his experimental days in the 70s, not only portrays the guitarist’s relevancy in genres of fusion and jazz, but also stands a reminder of his consistency. Last played in India in April 2014, this year’s visit will focus on the quartet’s latest album that has been the band’s best work so far, according to the man himself.
