Guitarists · b. 1942
John McLaughlin
English guitarist, founder of the Mahavishnu Orchestra
- Born
- 4 January 1942
Doncaster - Country
- United Kingdom
- Active
- 1963–
- Record labels
- Columbia Records, Verve Records
- Discography
- 31 albums
Biography
John McLaughlin is a jazz musician who plays guitar and voice. John McLaughlin was born on 4 January 1942 in Doncaster. The music is usually filed under jazz, jazz fusion and ethno jazz. Record labels: Columbia Records and Verve Records. The discography here lists 31 albums, from “Extrapolation” (1969) to “Music for Abandoned Heights” (2025). Honours include Frankfurter Musikpreis (2012) and honorary doctor of the University Côte d'Azur (2026).
John McLaughlin (born 4 January 1942), also previously known as Mahavishnu, is an English guitarist, bandleader, and composer. A pioneer of jazz fusion, his music combines elements of jazz with rock, world music, Western classical music, flamenco, and blues. After contributing to several key British groups of the early 1960s, McLaughlin made Extrapolation, his first album as a bandleader, in 1969. He then moved to the U.S., where he played with drummer Tony Williams' group Lifetime and then with Miles Davis on his 1969–72 electric jazz fusion albums In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, Jack Johnson, Live-Evil, and On the Corner. His 1970s electric band, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, performed a technically virtuosic and complex style of music that fused electric jazz and rock with Classical, Indian and other influences. In 1974, he helped found Shakti, a seminal Indian-Jazz rock fusion band with Indian violinist L.
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Discography
Studio and live albums
Also plays on
Albums where John McLaughlin is credited as a sideman
| 1969 | In a Silent Way — Miles Davis |
| 1970 | Bitches Brew — Miles Davis |
| 1973 | Love Devotion Surrender — Carlos Santana & Mahavishnu John McLaughlin |
| 1974 | Get Up With It — Miles Davis |
| 1974 | Big Fun — Miles Davis |
| 1981 | Castro Marín — Paco de Lucía |
| 1985 | You’re Under Arrest — Miles Davis |
| 1989 | Aura — Miles Davis |
Member of
Awards
- 2012 Frankfurter Musikpreis
- 2026 honorary doctor of the University Côte d'Azur
Listen on Spotify
Frequently asked questions
What instrument does John McLaughlin play?
John McLaughlin is known for playing guitar and voice.
When and where was John McLaughlin born?
John McLaughlin was born 4 January 1942 in Doncaster.
What are John McLaughlin's best-known albums?
Albums in our database include Extrapolation (1969), Devotion (1970), My Goal’s Beyond (1971), Where Fortune Smiles (1971) and Electric Guitarist (1978).
External links
- en.wikipedia.org ↗
- de.wikipedia.org ↗
- it.wikipedia.org ↗
- wikidata.org ↗
- musicbrainz.org ↗
- discogs.com ↗
- allmusic.com ↗
- johnmclaughlin.com ↗
Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.