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THIEVES AND POETS

John McLaughlin

Jazz Rock/Fusion


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John McLaughlin Thieves And Poets album cover
3.22 | 27 ratings | 3 reviews | 22% 5 stars

Good, but non-essential

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Studio Album, released in 2003

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Thieves and Poets (John McLaughlin)
* Part 1 - 12:36
* Part 2 - 8:18
* Part 3 - 5:38
2. My Foolish Heart (Ned Washington-Victor Young) 5:03
3. The Dolphin (Luiz Eca) 4:16
4. Stella By Starlight (Ned Washington-Victor Young) 4:26
5. My Romance (Lorenz Hart -Richard Rodgers) 4:09
TOTAL TIME 44:15

Line-up / Musicians


John McLaughlin acoustic guitar

(Title Track, Track 1) I Pommeriggi Musicali di Milano conducted by Renato Rivolta with featured soloists:

* Paul Meyer (clarinet),
* Viktoria Mullova (violin),
* Matt Haimovitz (cello),
* Philippe Loli (guitar) and
* Bruno Frumento (timpani).

All other tracks (Tracks 2-5), the Aighetta Quartet:

* Olivier Fautrat, acoustic guitar
* Francois Szonyi, acoustic guitar
* Alexandre Del Fa, acoustic guitar and
* Philippe Loli, acoustic guitar.

and Helmut Schartlmueller, acoustic bass guitar.

Thanks to Aesh for the addition
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JOHN MCLAUGHLIN Thieves And Poets ratings distribution


3.22
(27 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(22%)
22%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(22%)
22%
Good, but non-essential (48%)
48%
Collectors/fans only (7%)
7%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN Thieves And Poets reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Neu!mann
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars The classical guitar has always been an undervalued instrument in most orchestral ensembles, but John McLaughlin does what he can to correct that bias in this 2003 album, presenting after many years of gestation his own mini-concerto for acoustic guitar and small orchestra.

But it's a lopsided effort in many ways. His three-part "Thieves and Poets" suite (the title is McLaughlin's benign interpretation of the artistic impulse) is clearly the highlight here, but at a mere 26+ minutes it wasn't long enough to fill an entire CD. So he added several shorter numbers, recorded alongside the Aighetta Quartet (a group of likeminded musicians from southern France), padding the disc to a still paltry total of only 44 minutes.

The suite itself is a tremendous achievement, but be forewarned: this isn't the fiery electric guitar hero of MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA fame. Instead, the album showcases a more mature and romantic side of McLaughlin's style (comparisons have been drawn elsewhere to the music of Gil Evans and Debussy), with his nimble, note-perfect technique supplemented by the players of I Pommeriggi Musicali di Milan. But even here there's a certain inorganic imbalance to the final mix, no doubt caused by the piecemeal nature of the recording. McLaughlin's guitar is crystal clear (as always), but parts of the overdubbed orchestra (in particular the brass) sound curiously flat and two-dimensional by comparison.

Still, the musicianship certainly can't be faulted, and some of the solo spots (for example the long violin passage in Part One) recall the Golden Age of classical / jazz / rock fusion in the 1970s.

The remaining four tracks, each one dedicated to one of McLaughlin's favorite keyboardists (Chick Corea, Bill Evans etc), probably can't help sounding like filler. But it's still exquisite filler, although the songs (jazz standards arranged for a small acoustic guitar ensemble) may be a little too mellow for ardent Progheads. Not only is it genuine Jazz, it's easily the softest, smoothest Jazz this side of a PBS broadcast.

For easy reference a comparison might be drawn to the occasional classical guitar work of STEVE HACKETT. But I think even the ex-Genesis legend would agree McLaughlin is in a different league altogether. He is and always has been a guitarist for connoisseurs, especially when unplugged, as he is here.

Review by snobb
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
3 stars Almost all-strings acoustic album by one of greatest jazz fusion guitarist. Just few brass sounds are added from small strings orchestra. McLaughlin plays excellent guitar and all music is full of Mediterranean breeze, baroque monumentalism and neoclassical cold beauty.

This album is hardly a jazzy one, even if using some elements of it. Sound is very warm and well-rounded, down tempo music is very relaxed. Some orchestrated moments bring you almost in philharmonic hall.

The centre of all album is three -part Thieves and Poets composition, other four songs are less interesting and are more fillers there. I believe that acoustic classic guitar lovers will be happy with this release, as well as McLaughlin fans. For all others album sounds a bit too polished and too far not only from jazz-rock, but even from jazz.

Latest members reviews

3 stars I was expecting more of a fiery/fusion fingerprint when listening to this album for the first time. Contrary to that, McLaughlin shows another not yet much explored faced of him - classical music. Logically, classical music and frenetic speedy playing is not a frequent connection and McLaughlin ... (read more)

Report this review (#2342115) | Posted by sgtpepper | Friday, March 13, 2020 | Review Permanlink

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