Jun 3, 2025 11:25 AM
In Memoriam: Al Foster, 1943–2025
Al Foster, a drummer regarded for his fluency across the bebop, post-bop and funk/fusion lineages of jazz, died May 28…
Thieves And Poets, the orchestral studio project by guitarist John McLaughlin, has been released on Verve Records.
For more than 10 years, McLaughlin has been toying with the title track, a 26-minute suite for orchestra and guitar inspired by his tour with The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie.
Ballets de Monte Carlo choreographer Jean-Chrisophe Maillot persuaded McLaughlin to finish the piece. For assistance, McLaughlin turned to former student and arranger Yan Maresz to help him convert the ideas into instrumentation. The final piece was recorded with the I Pommeriggi Musicali di Milano conducted by Renato Rivolta.
Chamber tributes to jazz legends make up the remaining four songs on Thieves And Poets. “My Foolish Heart” for Chick Corea, “The Dolphin” for Gonzalo Rubalcaba, “Stella By Starlight” for Herbie Hancock and “My Romance” for Bill Evans were recorded with acoustic bass guitarist Helmut Schartlmueller and The Aighetta Quartet—guitarists Olivier Fautrat, Francois Szony, Alexandre Del Fa and Philippe Loli.
Why so many strings?
“I’m a guitar player,” said McLaughlin. “So what’s more beautiful than the sound of a guitar? Two? Three is better. Let’s have six. I can eat that sound.”
The title of the album comes, once again, from McLaughlin’s love of Indian culture—Indian deity Ganesh is the god of thieves and poets. “The thing is, basically we are all thieves,” said McLaughlin. “It’s a universal process, this kind of assimilation of influences. Not just music either. We adopt things from people we admire.”
For more information, visit www.ververecords.com
Foster was truly a drummer to the stars, including Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson.
Jun 3, 2025 11:25 AM
Al Foster, a drummer regarded for his fluency across the bebop, post-bop and funk/fusion lineages of jazz, died May 28…
“Branford’s playing has steadily improved,” says younger brother Wynton Marsalis. “He’s just gotten more and more serious.”
May 20, 2025 11:58 AM
Branford Marsalis was on the road again. Coffee cup in hand, the saxophonist — sporting a gray hoodie and a look of…
“What did I want more of when I was this age?” Sasha Berliner asks when she’s in her teaching mode.
May 13, 2025 12:39 PM
Part of the jazz vibraphone conversation since her late teens, Sasha Berliner has long come across as a fully formed…
Roscoe Mitchell will receive a Lifetime Achievement award at this year’s Vision Festival.
May 27, 2025 6:21 PM
Arts for Art has announced the full lineup for the 2025 Vision Festival, which will run June 2–7 at Roulette…
Benny Benack III and his quartet took the Midwest Jazz Collective’s route for a test run this spring.
Jun 3, 2025 10:31 AM
The time and labor required to tour is, for many musicians, daunting at best and prohibitive at worst. It’s hardly…
