John McLaughlin & Jimmy Herring's 'Live in San Francisco' Out Today

On September 21, 2018, Abstract Logix issues Live in San Francisco - a souvenir of a sold-out concert at the historic Warfield Theatre, a beloved venue last visited by John McLaughlin thirty six years ago. On his 25 date farewell tour of America, John invited one his favorite musicians, guitarist Jimmy Herring and his band "The Invisible Whip" to explore the timeless music he had created four decades ago. Listen to an exclusive premiere of the most covered Mahavishnu song and long time fan favorite, "Eternity's Breath," at Guitar World.

"This recording of the final set at the WarfieldTheatre brings to full circle the amazing advent of The Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1971, and its renaissance this night in San Francisco," said McLaughlin.

Herring adds, "This being John's final tour of the US gives it historical significance... We are all so happy this record was made and so honored to be a part of it!"

Joining McLaughlin is his longtime band, the 4th Dimension - featuring Ranjit Barot (drums, konokol), Gary Husband (keyboards, drums), and Etienne M'Bappé (bass). The Invisible Whip band features Kevin Scott (Bass), Matt Slocum (Clavinet and B3), Jason Crosby (Fender Rhodes, Violin, Vocals) and Jeff Sipe (Drums). The Meeting of the Spirits tour featured a 9-piece orchestra that further amplified the seminal music he created in the 70's, documented in albums - "Birds of Fire", "Inner Mountain Flame" and "Visions of Emerald Beyond".

So connected are the nine members that the interplay approaches telepathic levels, making for powerfully evocative performances without any wasted gestures. Longtime fans will be thrilled to hear favorites like "Eternity's Breath" (from Mahavishnu's 1973 Visions of Emerald Beyond) and "Trilogy" (from 1973's Between Nothingness And Eternity) reexamined through the lens of both the bands' unparalleled sensitivity and astounding power.

As such, Live in San Francisco offers a tantalizing document of the Meeting of the Spirits Tour. "Playing these timeless compositions with John and The Fourth Dimension was a life changing experience!" said Jimmy Herring .

The cover art for the project was created by California artist, Marq Spusta who is well known for his distinct illustrative style and multiple iconic posters and designs for a variety of artists including Widespread Panic, The Black Crowes, Tom Petty, The Fillmore (West) and others.

Listen to a preview here:

To post a comment, you must register and login.