The thunder of the gods

MANILA, Philippines - In the jazz lexicon, speed is a dangerous thing.

In a musical realm where swing is king, soloists often bear the bane of losing their sense of direction or ending up crashing altogether in mid-solo as they navigate the changes at breakneck speeds.

At the height of the bebop era, Charlie Parker swung effortlessly at 240 beats per minute (bpm). John Coltrane pushed his boundaries even further, his Giant Steps funneling his “sheets of sound” at close to 280 bpm. According to some sources, Countdown clocked a more frantic 300 bpm.

Now, try playing 16 notes per beat at such a dizzying speed. Then you’ll have an idea as to how blindingly fast guitarist John McLaughlin skitters across his fretboard, his staccato outbursts resembling the steady drone of a bumblebee in flight.

In the realm of progressive jazz guitar, none have flirted with speed with as much fervor. Revered as the godfather of fusion guitar, the Yorkshire-born guitar virtuoso, composer and bandleader has been hailed as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, and rightly so.

In the Justice League of guitar heroes, John is The Flash, the fabled speedster who loved playing “catch-me-if-you-can” with his equally-adept contemporaries such as Tony Williams, Chick Corea, Billy Cobham and Stanley Clarke.

“But can he swing?” some critics assailed.

There’s a YouTube video of John (circa 1985) playing Cherokee with The Tonight Show big band. Even on an acoustic guitar, his solos smoked with sheer visceral intensity, harmonic genius and emotion, clearly depicting how nonchalantly he’s dealt with such “speeding ticket” issues.

From the outset, it’s hard to imagine how best to encapsulate his lifetime’s work in a two-hour gig. But even so, his much-awaited concert at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza’s Sunset Pavilion last March 16 served as a fitting climax to the ninth Philippine International Jazz Festival, and a glowing beacon for Manila’s jazz community.

With a band comprised of equally-accomplished virtuosi, John summoned the thunder of the gods, hypnotizing the crowd with his blazing fleet-fingered excursions and exotic scales amid a backdrop of odd time signatures that left many hanging at the edge of their seats.

This is The Fast & The Furious, the musical version.

At first hearing, the 4th Dimension clearly channels the adventurous spirit and reckless precision of John’s ‘70s superband, the Mahavishnu Orchestra. And based on their interplay, the multi-cultural group seems to be on the brink of another fusion renaissance, melding angular melodies with the intricate rhythms and meters of Indian music.

From the opening strains of Guitar Love to the driving blues shuffle of Little Miss Valley, the 72-year-old guitar god showed no signs of wear and tear. Cradling his trusty PRS, the Englishman filled the air with his searing overdriven tone, punctuating his phrases with Beck-ish whammy bar flutters.

Interestingly, as local fusion guitar hero Joey Puyat pointed out, “It was Beck who copped those licks from McLaughlin.” Indeed a fitting homage to the maestro whom Jeff Beck called “the best guitarist alive.”

Gary Husband was clearly the wild card in the group, eagerly shuffling from keyboards to drums, providing the other half of a spectacular drum duet with Indian drummer Ranjit Barot. Husband’s pianistic prowess is a revelation considering how most fusion fans remember his propulsive drumming from Allan Holdsworth’s Metal Fatigue and Road Games era.

One can’t help but wonder how the self-taught, Cameroon-born bassist Etienne M’Bappe gets a good grip on his strings while wearing his signature black silk gloves. Apparently, the quirk was borne out of his desire to keep his strings bright. Given his share of the spotlight, Etienne can go toe to toe with his bandleader, ripping out muscular fingerpicked solos and thunderous grooves.

Aside from the ensemble’s tight, seamless unison playing, a highlight of the evening was Ranjit’s infectious konnokol (vocal percussion) scatting, where he’d sing along while doing his drum solos, even in the most punishing odd time signatures!

Despite a repertoire culled mostly from their new album Now Hear This, John performed excerpts from his earlier works, such as a rearranged version of You Know, You Know and Señor C.S., a tribute to dear friend and colleague Carlos Santana. In a ballad setting, John’s sparse lines provided a refreshing contrast to his frenetic style, his sustained notes a clear nod to his comrade’s “less is more” approach.

More akin to a caffeine overdose, the 100-minute set could’ve been balanced out with a side serving or two of good ole straight-ahead bop, or even an acoustic interlude. Wishful thinking aside, the landmark concert was a rare meeting of the spirits, a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse into the vast musical world of the ever-evolving maestro who continues to peer fearlessly into the fourth dimension.