Music for Abandoned Heights Hybrid Stereo SACD
John McLaughlin
John McLaughlin Music for Abandoned Heights
180g 33RPM LP | Stereo
CATALOG: IMXSA8336
BCN: 856276002954
MSRP: $34.99 USD
Mastered by Grammy® Winner Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering!
John McLaughlin has one of the richest artistic legacies in modern music, not only for his unmatched technique but also for his boundless curiosity. From early masterpieces, Extrapolation and Love Devotion Surrender (with Carlos Santana), to the genre-bending invention of Mahavishnu Orchestra and the blistering acoustic explorations with Al Di Meola and Paco de Lucia, John has always sought the new and transcendent. His work seeks a profound spiritual connection. Now, he has brought his singular vision to the world of film music with his score, Music for Abandoned Heights.
Compositionally, McLaughlin poured his imagination into the film’s script, crafting a rich blend of hot fusion and pensive ballads. He describes his writing process: “In my mind I would interact with the different personalities and situations and wait for my imagination to come up with themes, atmospheres and emotional ‘colors’ that echoed the drama and action.” The resulting musical explorations give the album a muscular, turbulent beauty reminiscent of McLaughlin’s electric fusion classics Inner World and To the One.
McLaughlin’s searing electric and mellifluous acoustic guitar lines are assertively supported by virtuosic performances from frequent collaborators Gary Husband (drums/keyboards), Julian Siegel (saxophone), Misha Mullov-Abbado, and Etienne Mbappe (bass). These industry vets gracefully spark fire on heavier tunes like “The Scene” and on the introspective delicacy of the ballad “Nathaniel and Christine.”
Impex Records is delighted to bring you the newest incarnation of John McLaughlin’s storied career, as he continues his quest for the sublime.
Features
- Super Audio CD
- SACD Stereo SACD Layer
- Designed to Play on Standard CD Players, SACD Players & Other SACD-Capable Players
- Playback of DSD Tracks Requires Components That Support the DSD Format
- Full DSD encoding for the highest-fidelity audio reproduction on SACD players
- The hybrid CD layer plays in all Compact Disc players
- Recorded & Mixed by Grammy® Winner George Murphy at Eastcote Studios, London
- Mastered by Grammy® Winner Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
- 2 Bonus Tracks Not Included on the Vinyl Release
- Deluxe Booklet with Studio Photography & New Notes by John McLaughlin and Music Journalist Walter Kolosky
Selections
- The Scene
- Malcolm Fitzgerald
- Curaçao Dream
- Elijah in DC
- One Step Out
- DC Basketball
- Christine
- Nathaniel Drives to New Jersey
- Will & Elijah On the Train
- Nathaniel & Christine
- The Beat Goes On
- The End
“I love this album. John’s songs are so beautiful and the playing is strong and sensitive. An album you can listen to over and over as you find new corners and performances to admire.”
–Mark Myers, Jazz Wax
Read Mark’s article Read More!
“McLaughlin isn’t revisiting old ground — he’s still exploring, still refining, still pushing into expressive territory that feels unmistakably his. Music for Abandoned Heights stands on its own as a compact, thoughtful, and surprisingly emotional statement from an artist who continues to create with purpose.”
–Scott Wilson, Audiophilia
Read Scott’s article Read More!
“The result is ten tracks that reflect McLaughlin’s multifaceted artistic phases—from his time with Miles Davis to the experimental years with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and the acclaimed acoustic recordings with Paco de Lucía and Al Di Meola. The album combines jazz-rock, fusion, and jazz ballads so richly layered that it reveals new details even after multiple listens.”
–Vinylfan (translated from the German)
Read Vinylfan’s article Read More!
“We had been waiting a long time to release this music, which Jack had by 2019. Abey Fonn from Impex Records and I decided that the music had to come out whether or not there is a film. I love this album. I love the way the musicians played together. The Impex vinyl sound is just outstanding.”
–John McLaughlin, in an interview with Goldmine Magazine’s Warren Kurtz
Read the Goldmine interview HERE!
“I can’t think of a jazz-inspired ‘soundtrack’ audiophile release in recent memory that can match the dizzying heights of this release.”
–Steve Matteo, The Vinyl District, A+
Read Steve’s article HERE!
“There is no filler on this record; every track is either touchingly emotive, propulsively dynamic, or incredibly entertaining, with a level of sterling musicianship that one rarely encounters with the consistency displayed on Music For Abandoned Heights.”
–Tom Gibbs, Positive Feedback
“The HQ-180 gram LP from RTI was about as close to perfection as it gets, with perfectly flat sides and no appreciable surface or groove noise. Both LP and CD versions offered a superb representation of the recorded acoustic, with the players all clearly delineated in the wide and deep soundstage. Music For Abandoned Heights ticked every box for me in terms of providing an emotional connection to the music, with tracks that run the gamut from impassioned, mellifluous poignancy to thrillingly dynamic, all-out jazz-rock fusion.”
–Tom Gibbs, Positive Feedback
Read Tom’s article HERE!
“Because these are not the usual short film cues, each piece is fully fleshed out propelled by Husband’s powerful drumming on the uptempo numbers and on one, ‘Curacao Dream,’ McLaughlin solos, adding musical and emotional textures with overdubs. McLaughlin followers will note quotes and inspiration from familiar older material while those new to his work will simply enjoy, and if inspired to dig back into the catalog, find the roots of much of what’s on this inspired set… The sound here, recorded and mixed by George Murphy at London’s Eastcote Studios, is the highest quality modern digital, which means it’s super-dynamic, full bodied and thoroughly enjoyable in every possible audiophile way. The sound isn’t ‘warm’, nor, filled with modern electronic effects, should it be, though a track like ‘DC Basketball’ would be worthy of a spin at a hi-fi show on any of the big room rigs cranked up to the max. The moody ‘Nathaniel & Christine’ demonstrates that modern digital can produce a three dimensional soundstage and excellent front to back instrumental imaging… If this movie ever does get produced, admirers will get to see if McLaughlin’s music fits the picture—not that it matters. The music stands up well on its own.”
-Michael Fremer, Tracking Angle, Music 9/10, Sound 9/10
Read Michael’s article HERE!
