Sunday Music Muse Day - A John McLaughlin Twin Spin

"Winter is coming".  That's a fitting declaration this week's Sunday Music Muse Day as we had snow flurries hit the area on Friday, and freezing cold yesterday.  Time to pull out so good music to warm the soul.  To that end, I was very lucky to found two CDs by guitarist John McLaughlin I didn't have in my collection.  This musical twin-spin shows two different ends of the music spectrum of John McLaughlin's music.  First up, John McLaughlin Industrial Zen presents the fiery machine gun speed guitar playing most associate with his Mahavishu Orchestra days. All About Jazz reviewer John Kelman states, "... Industrial Zen combines McLaughlin's high-octane playing with the Indian influences that have pervaded much of his career." Kelmen adds, "McLaughlin's Indian-informed melody is layered on top of hypnotic synthesizer programming that, as a fundamental complexion of the entire record, lends credence to its paradoxical title."   Any lover of Mahavishu era McLaughlin will find lots to like in this CD.

The second selection of this twin-spin is John McLaughlin Thieves and Poets.  Again, this is at opposite music spectrum of McLaughlin music, half the CD is a three part suite for guitar and orchestra, something McLaughlin has done several times. This gives this section of the CD an almost classical music feeling.  The last four tune are jazz  standard classics.  Again, John McLaughlin shows his masterful command of the full spectrum of being a Jazz guitarist.  Proving himself to be an artist in the true meaning of the word.  I find myself enjoying this CD more than Industrial Zen.  But, that depends on my mood.

So, "winter is coming", but we have plenty of good music to fill the air aswe settle down to a cozy fireplace fire, and our favorite warm winter drinks, as we look forward to the coming family holidays. Enjoy.