Today we finished mixing a new CD called ‘Floating Point’. My sound engineer Marcus Wippersberg has been with me for the past week in the Mediastarz studio in Monaco.
I’m really happy with this new recording which took place in India (Madras) last year during our stay there.
I invited a rhythm section consisting of the top musicians in India today who need no lessons on western music: Ranjit Barot on drums, Sivamani on percussion and Louiz Banks on keyboards. The bassist in my current group ‘The 4th Dimension’ Hadrien Feraud, plays bass on all pieces, but was in Australia at the time of the recording and had to record his parts separately.
I also invited some of the new young ‘lions’ of India today, including vocalist Shankar Mahadevan. They are the guest soloists on the pieces, and are outstanding. You’ll hear Slide Guitarist Debashish Battacharya, ‘Electric’ Sitarist Niladri Kumar, Bamboo Flutists Naveen and Shashank and Electric Mandolinist U. Rajesh. American saxophonist George Brooks brought his soprano to ‘Abbaji’ which we had played live together on February 3rd – the anniversary of the passing of the great artist Alla Rakha, and to whom this piece is dedicated.
Now while this CD features predominantely Indian musicians, we are in quite a another form compared to the group Shakti. The music is for the most part ‘Jazz-Fusion’ if a label has to be put on it, but with the musicians involved in this project, it has also a ‘world’ kind of atmosphere.
I really am happy with the outcome of this CD which actually came about quite spontaneously and without any real planning. You can hear in the music where I am in my development, and in which directions I’m moving.
It was a real thrill to play with these players, and I offer my thanks to them for their unique contributions. I truly wish and hope that it brings something to the listeners, and I also offer my deep thanks to them for their continued support to my dedicated work.
John McLaughlin
29 responses so far ↓
1 Mark Lawrence
// Jan 29, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Magic
Can’t wait to hear it!
2 Lenin Hidalgo
// Jan 29, 2008 at 4:32 pm
when can we hear this music?,i dream about listening that album
3 Greg in Indy
// Jan 30, 2008 at 1:59 am
If John is as pleased with the results as it sounds, then we will be hearing yet another gem in one of the great discographies in modern instrumental music.
4 carlos jesus
// Jan 30, 2008 at 7:13 am
When do you realese the cd?
5 Denis Kostromitskiy
// Jan 30, 2008 at 3:53 pm
It’s amazing. I hope to hear it soon! Thank you John for your work.
6 Pascale Bonne
// Jan 30, 2008 at 4:29 pm
When will it be released ? On which Label ?
7 Nart Makhsida
// Jan 31, 2008 at 9:02 am
Again and again, U continue to light our lives, feed our hungry souls, and bring joy to all music lovers.
Thank you very much Mr. John
8 hamid
// Feb 2, 2008 at 12:49 am
Dear John;
I can imagine the myriad of sounds on
FLOATING POINT. What a meaningful album title. It seems to me that this album is the soundtrack of the SOUL since FLOATING is soul’s core quality.
When will this masterpiece be released?
I’m counting down to ecstasy…
Live Long Sri John McLaughlin.
Your fan in this part of our planet.
Hamid.
http://videopix.zenfolio.com
9 Viggo Hasseltvedt
// Feb 2, 2008 at 10:21 am
It is very positive that the stay in India turned out to be this productive.
The John McLaughlin catalogue of collected works seems to have yet another facet added -
Fascinating!
10 Colin
// Feb 2, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Hi John, thanks for keeping us all up to date with your progress on the new CD. I look forward to hearing it.
Peace
Colin
11 GAIZKA
// Feb 4, 2008 at 10:55 am
HOLA JOHN! I´m waitinf for your new work (and enjoying -playing guitar-all your fantastic past work!). Thans John.
12 Marina
// Feb 4, 2008 at 4:14 pm
excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
13 Helge Krabye
// Feb 4, 2008 at 10:55 pm
I am looking forward to hearing the result! Every single John McLaughlin album since “My Goals Beyond” has one or more tracks that really makes me feel great!
14 Marco Anderson
// Feb 5, 2008 at 11:11 pm
A new CD from you is always a cause for celebration and anticipation. The fact that it embraces your love of Indian music and western jazz is at once exciting and inspirational. If it is a blend of Shakti and Industrial Zen I shall be in sartori
Bless
Marco
15 Max R
// Feb 6, 2008 at 4:47 am
I would like to know what kind of guitar J McL is playing on this new recording.
16 jerry fretto
// Feb 6, 2008 at 6:02 am
John , Thank you for being faithful in your commitment to fascinate the music & art listeners of the world ! GOD bless… your friend/fan Jerry
17 george lovio
// Feb 16, 2008 at 10:30 am
John when I want to give up on playing guitar you bless us all with your never ending pursuit of dancing at the feet of our lord,thank you for sharing your love of music.
18 Billy Barnett
// Mar 7, 2008 at 2:22 am
John, you constantly evolve and morph possibly, more than any guitarist on the planet,thanx,s for the inspiration.P,S. i met you at the sheldon theater in st louis, my old friend Bob Knap was in the 2nd Mahavisnia group with you.
19 Armin
// Mar 10, 2008 at 9:45 pm
John won’t stop because he can’t stop. Perpetual creativity, flowing, floating beyond the point which is no-where-every-where.
As usual ill be ready to donate my funds for a copy of this latest work.
20 George
// Mar 21, 2008 at 5:21 am
Already ordered the CD and the DVD thru Abtractlogix. Counting the days
Deepest thanks John for all the joy your music has brought me since discovering you in ’72.
21 Udo Ziegler
// Apr 9, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Hello John,
after 36 years fascination hearing you playing the guitar i take the chance to say: I can’t get enough !!! Thank you for all the wonderful music in differnt forms and ways. You don’t know me but we are good friends. Hope to hear the new CD annd look DVD soon.
Again, thank you for all time sharing your music.
Udo
22 Mark
// May 17, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Thank you John
You were in Australia?
Missed my chance to walk up to you, bow down and thank you for the way your music has inspired my life.
Will always remember your 1975 tour with Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Namaste!
23 Mark Ridder
// Jun 16, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Thanks for this new gem
In my fifties I keep studying your lessons, and I feel (undeservingly) to be a part of the same music.
24 Marcel Bas
// Jun 17, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Wonderful! I can’t wait to buy the CD!
Anyway, after that I’ll see you on the concert in The Hague, on November 3rd.
25 Micha
// Jun 19, 2008 at 3:14 pm
One more great album – thank you
26 Dome kheowkhamsaeng
// Jul 11, 2008 at 5:08 am
Always salute for your adventerous music conception !! Hopefully, someday you will come to play concert in Thailand !!
27 jamdrum
// Sep 23, 2008 at 9:27 pm
we took the Apocalypse message from the birds of fire at the floating point on the mountain flame and it was ….really an emerald vision .
we met at the blue note in nyc there was and still power of love
28 blas martinez fragnaud
// Nov 22, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Me encanta y me eleva escuchar floating point, john se amiga con sus acordes y armonias que hacia años no le escuchaba
29 Blumen
// Mar 19, 2009 at 4:03 pm
I like Floating Point. But the album with the most impression to me is “Visions of the emerald beyond” form 1975. I think, it`s one of the 10 greatest albums ever.
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