McLaughlin Mondays # 17 - Jazz Standards

Posted about 1 year ago

Artist:

John McLaughlin
Album:

My Goal's Beyond
Track:
- PLAY
- QUEUE
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

Early on in John McLaughlin's musical career he learned "the standards". These are the great songs from Jazz history that successive generations of jazz musicians have absorbed, interpreted, improvised upon, and delivered in their own styles, yet always respectful of the musical history that underpins them.Here's a version of the lovely Charlie Mingus tune "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" from the early solo album "My Goals Beyond". Just McLaughlin on an Ovation acoustic guitar, multi-tracked to enable bass, chord and melody parts (playing with himself, so to speak). Fabulous technique and at the same time feel, this is a lovely version from a super album (UK cover shows the Ovation nice 'n clear, along with a picture of a rather grumpy looking Sri Chinmoy!).

Comments (12)

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Bartleby says The more I read about your passion for McLaughlin the more I want to own all of his music. The scope of his technique is incredible. I'm not familiar with the original by Charlie Mingus, all I know that he manages to establish an organic feel with the instrument for his audience. -- My only regret with MOG and your post is that one doesn't get the date of release of the albums you discuss. (It's mainly because I'm lazy, I'm pointing this out). Please don't let my remark deceive you because I'm more than appreciative of your very learned notes. While trawling YT, I found this video where one can hear John's impeccable French. (It seems that I don't get any notification of my trustees' post from MOG anymore - I'm really glad I caught this).

Permalink posted 02/25/2008
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MusikMagik says What a fabulous video, with the very talented Jonas Hellborg on bass - quite appropriate, since Mingus was one of the great jazz bassists...thanks for posting it here! A good French accent indeed...he lives in Monte Carlo so I'm not too surprised :-) Finally, check this list - it's pretty comprehensive! http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Quarter/7055/McLaughlin/index.htm

Permalink posted 02/25/2008
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Bartleby says That link to his complete recordings is mind-boggling. Seriously, how can any single individual gather all his works? - Please don't tell you're close to having everything McLaughlin did. Of course, I knew you'd appreciate Jonas Hellborg's superb bass. Ah, the beauty of YT. Incidentally, John McLaughlin will play at the Barbican Centre in London on 31st May (link here): tickets are for sale from £10 to 30£. What do you reckon?

Permalink posted 02/26/2008
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MusikMagik says Oh for sure you have to go! I saw his 4th Dimension lineup here last September. You'll love it. As for "the collection", I have most of it. The single biggest item is the 17-CD set of his Montreaux Festival apprearances. The intro from the following review describes me quite well....:-) http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=1112

Permalink posted 02/26/2008
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Oatmeal says lovely

Permalink posted 02/27/2008
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MusikMagik says Agreed :-)

Permalink posted 02/27/2008
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Spike says McLaughlin's version sounds great. Thank you for turning us onto it. Does McLaughlin's CD say that the title of the piece is "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"? My 1963 Mingus LP Mingus Mingus Mingus has this tune being called "Theme for Lester Young."

Permalink posted 02/27/2008
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MusikMagik says Hi Spike, glad you like this version, and thanks for posting the above version - lovely! Indeed it is titled "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" on the McLaughlin album, as it was on Mingus's 1959 album "Mingus Ah Um", which I believe was the first time the composition appeared on record. Mingus re-recorded and renamed the track for the '63 release that you posted (putting the original title in brackets after it), I would guess to give more prominence to the fact that the tune was indeed a tribute to another great jazz musician!

Permalink posted 02/27/2008
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Spike says Doh! Of course! Lester Young wore a pork pie hat.

Permalink posted 02/27/2008
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MusikMagik says ..which reminds me, I love pork pies (although I know they are gross in many ways) but damned if I can find 'em over here.

Permalink posted 02/27/2008
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MusikMagik says ...the pies, not the hats ;-)

Permalink posted 02/27/2008
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Spike says Maybe Google will find one out there somewhere for you.

Permalink posted 02/27/2008