John McLaughlin - ...and on guitar (1970)

John McLaughlin was born on 4 January 1942 to a family of musicians (his mother being a concert violinist) in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. He studied violin and piano as a child and took up the guitar at the age of 11, exploring styles from flamenco to the jazz of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. He moved to London from Yorkshire in the early 1960's, playing with Alexis Korner and the Marzipan Twisters before moving on to Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, the Graham Bond Organisation and Brian Auger. During the 1960's, he often supported himself with session work, which is what I'm concentrating on for this album. Although primarily known for his work in the jazz and jazz-fusion field, he also contributed to a number of pop records in the 60's, which might surprise some people, and so here are the best of those recordings. 
Twice as Much was composed of Dave Skinner and Andrew Rose, who were harmony singers who wrote much of their own material, although ironically their only UK Top 40 success as performers was a cover of the Mick Jagger/ Keith Richards composition 'Sittin' On A Fence' in 1966. That was enough to get them an album deal, though, and McLaughlin played guitar on all the songs on their 'Own Up' record from the same year. This was while he was playing with Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames, and so when the band went into the studio to record the 'Biding My Time' single McLaughlin was on hand with the guitar parts. In 1967 he added guitar to a rare single by Duffy Power (sometimes attributed to Duffy Power's Nucleus), playing on both 'Davy O'Brien (Leave That Baby Alone)' and its flip 'July Tree'. Also in 1967 he was part of the group of session musicians who helped David Bowie record songs for his first album, although the two songs that he played guitar on didn't make the final album, but eventually surfaced on 'The World Of David Bowie' compilation three years later. 
1967 was a busy year for McLaughlin, contributing to Biddu's 'Daughter Of Love' 7", nearly 10 years before he hit the big time with the Biddu Orchestra and the 'Summer of '42' single. In 1968 he helped out The Gordon Beck Quartet record an album of instrumental takes of pop hits of the day, and the next year he was on board for a concept album about Don Quixote from Kenny Wheeler. Also in 1968 he recorded a semi-acoustic free-jazz album with Jack Bruce, Jon Hiseman and Dick Heckstall-Smith, which was released in 1970 as Jack Bruce's second solo album, even though it was recorded before 1969's 'Songs For A Tailor'. The last three tracks are McLaughlin's first forays into jazz as a sessionman, leading the way to what would become his chosen form of music for the rest of his career, firstly with Miles Davis, then with Tony Williams Lifetime, and finally with his own bands The Mahivishnu Orchestra and Shakti. Don't be put off if you're not that keen on jazz, as this is actually a nice collection of 60's pop from a guitarist who could seemingly cover all bases when needed, as well as finding time to give guitar lessons to Jimmy Page! 

Track listing

01 The Spinning Wheel (from 'Own Up' by Twice As Much 1966)
02 The Summer's Ending (from 'Own Up' by Twice As Much 1966)
03 Biding My Time (single by Georgie Fame 1966)
04 Because I Love You (b-side of 'Bidin' My Time') 
05 Davy O'Brien (Leave That Baby Alone) (single by Duffy Power 1967)
06 July Tree (b-side of 'Davy O'Brien (Leave That Baby Alone)')
07 Karma Man (from 'The World Of David Bowie' 1970, recorded 1967)   
08 Let Me Sleep Beside You (from 'The World Of David Bowie' 1970, recorded 1967)   
09 Daughter Of Love (single by Biddu 1967)  
10 Look Out Here I Come (b-side of 'Daughter Of Love')
11 Sancho (from 'Windmill Tilter (The Story Of Don Quixote)' by Kenny Wheeler 1969)
12 Norwegian Wood (from 'Experiments With Pops' by The Gordon Beck Quartet 1968)
13 Things We Like (from 'Things We Like' by Jack Bruce 1970, recorded 1968)