Thieves & Poets

John McLaughlin | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 14, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Verve
• ASIN: B0000AKQA4
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,517 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Thieves And Poets: Part 1

2. Thieves And Poets: Part 2

3. Thieves And Poets: Part 3

4. My Foolish Heart

5. The Dolphin

6. Stella By Starlight

7. My Romance

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars McLaughlin's best by far ! ! !, October 20, 2003

By 

Jimi Jr (Renton, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thieves & Poets (Audio CD)

Johnny Mac's compositional style has grown significantly. His compositional strength has always been horizontal (scales, melody, solos), but now he is equally strong on the vertical axis (chords, harmonic progression and overall structure). As usual, the rhythmic aspect of the music is as strong as in the old Mahavishu days.

The ballet pieces are orchestrated beautifully and JM's solo guitar blends in perfectly. The various solo sections maintain the high quality of the compositions while showing some individual creativity. JM is able to use 20th century harmony in a way that is both familiar and new. Some new harmonies are aggravating or cacophonic, but JM is able to use out-there harmonies in a welcome-home kind of way.

The jazz standards are acoustic guitar pieces. The arrangements are true to the original compositions while finding some new ground for both soloist and accompanist.

The power and fragility of these compositions will live on many years after we are all dust. It's great to see an artist continue to grow into his senior years.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential McLaughlin, December 27, 2003

By 

Kenneth James Michael MacLean (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thieves & Poets (Audio CD)

This CD is a two-parter.
"Thieves and Poets," the first part, is a totally original and beautiful orchestral score. Performed with the 'I Pommeriggi Musicali di Milano' orchestra and with other soloists recording over the score, it is an extremely interesting and evocative suite of music. John McLaughlin is one of the most consistently excellent musicians out there and his impeccable taste is reflected in the three movements of this work. I like the first two movements better than the third which is a bit frantic; nevertheless, the music is so fresh that I don't get tired of it even after repeated listening.
The second part of the CD is 4 standards, performed with the Aighetta Quartet. If you liked "Time Remembered" you'll like these. As usual, JM has chosen four of the best: "My Foolish Heart", "My Romance," "Stella by Starlight" and "The Dolphin." The first two were standards in the Bill Evans repertoire and are played with that Evans "feel." "Stella" is my personal favorite standard of all time and the group does it justice. "The Dolphin" is my favorite of the four, played so beautifully I usually have to stop what I'm doing at the computer and give my full attention to the music.
This is a can't miss JM recording.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars John finds his classical voice, April 14, 2004

By 

Kalenski 2 ""REAL music fan"" (Irvine, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thieves & Poets (Audio CD)

Any JM fan should consider this a required item in the collection.

I've been a long term fan of John, since the days of the original Shakti. My enthusiasm for his passion and conviction has often allowed me to overlook his less successful, indulgent or exploratory work (e.g., most of "Adventures in Radioland") as worthy experiments nevertheless. However, I think this may be one of his best, most complete works ever.

I know there are a wide variety of opinions of what constitutes JM's "best" work, so let me assist my fellow JM fans by prefacing that I consider his most satisfying work to include the "Time Remembered", "My Goal's Beyond", "Passion, Grace and Fire" trio album, almost all the Shakti works, as well as his two "Players" albums (with Katia Labeque), although I love his Mahavishnu Orchestra work as well. This should give you a good idea of my frame of reference.

"Thieves" doesn't strike immediately, as its theme's and development are far more subtle than "The Mediterranean". Nevertheless it is probably his most stunningly mature and composed work yet. As he might admit, he's on his knees in worship to Debussy and I sense his own sense of humor in his title for this work, but his sense of form, his economy and confidence shine through this work.

It generally avoids the bombasity of "The Mediterranean" and provides some truly sublime musical moments, especially his interplay with the clarinetist Mayer and other soloists. Those familiar with JM's work will recognize certain themes - Blues for LW as the central movement's main theme, with a quote from "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", but its done in a truly creative and uncontrived way. Maybe he stole from his past (not too distant at the time he originally composed this), but the end result shows he did it for a noble cause.

The third movement - very reminiscent of Debussy's "La Mer" - is nevertheless a monumental piece in its own right. Concise, well composed, imaginative and passionate. Finally, credit must be given to Yan Maresz's orchestration, far more imaginative and accomplished than the Mediterranean. The use of synthesizers in an orchestral piece is not new, but his use is tasteful and appropriate.

Another review mentioned that if you liked "Time remembered", you'd like the second side's set of standards; sorry my friend, but this a gross understatement! Ten years on and this grouping has matured and has gone onto another level (a common phenomenon with JM's groups, the second album always seems to be better than the first). These pieces are perfection.

"The Mediterranean" was a curio: a piece that was a facinating experiment and highly enjoyable. However, to me, this recording shows he has far more to offer in a classical setting and I genuinely hope he takes up the challenge again.