JAZZ LEGEND JOHN McLAUGHLIN ANNOUNCES GROUNDBREAKING FILM SCORE

Music for Abandoned Heights is available exclusively on IMPEX Records

Jazz-fusion guitarist John McLaughlin – a legendary artist renowned for his unparalleled technique and multi-dimensional approach to music – is pleased to announce his latest recording: the rich, expressive score he composed for director Jack Stallings’ forthcoming crime drama Abandoned Heights.

McLaughlin, a seven-time Grammy recipient and winner of numerous “Best Guitarist” honors, has left an indelible mark on modern music. From early masterpieces like “Extrapolation”and “Love Devotion Surrender” (featuring Carlos Santana) to the genre-defying innovation of the genre-defining Mahavishnu Orchestra and blistering acoustic Flamenco explorations with Al Di Meola and Paco de Lucia (including the iconic 1981 album Friday Night In San Francisco), McLaughlin has consistently created music that evokes a profound spiritual connection. With Music for Abandoned Heights he’s transcended his own formidable tradition to bring a singular vision to the world of jazz and film music.

A longtime collaborator of Miles Davis, McLaughlin has deep admiration for Davis’s score for the 1958 French movie Ascenseur pour L’echafaud (“Elevator to the Gallows”) – something he shares with director Stallings.  As his concept for Abandoned Heights developed, Stallings dreamed of a jazz score (although he never imagined someone of McLaughlin’s stature would provide it). “For me, John is one of the purest and greatest of all musicians,” Stallings explains. “He read my script and mentioned it reminded him of the French noir films that had attracted him in his youth. At first, I was a little overwhelmed to receive a note from someone whose work meant so much to me,” the director says. After meeting to discuss the film – and asking for carte-blanche regarding the music – McLaughlin agreed to provide the film’s score: music he unsurprisingly wrote in a non-traditional way. While movie music is often scored “to picture,” McLaughlin spontaneously began notating themes. “Working in this scenario meant that everything is inside my head,” McLaughlin explains. “I am thinking of the characters and I want themes. So, I was – from the start – making a jazz album.”

Immersing himself in the characters and plot, McLaughlin crafted a rich tapestry of hot fusion and pensive ballads. “In my mind, I interacted with the diverse personalities and situations, allowing my imagination to generate themes, atmospheres, and emotional ‘colors’ that resonated with the drama and action of the film.” The resulting musical journey is characterized by a muscular, turbulent beauty reminiscent of McLaughlin’s electrifying fusion classics, “Inner World” and “To the One.”

McLaughlin’s searing electric and mellifluous guitar lines are expertly supported by virtuosic performances from his frequent collaborators, including Gary Husband (drums and keyboards); Julian Siegel (saxophone); Misha Mullov-Abbado and Etienne Mbappé (bass). These superb musicians infuse the album with a brilliant intensity on heavier tracks like “The Scene,” and bring an introspective delicacy to ballads such as “Nathaniel and Christine.”

Impex Records is thrilled to present the latest chapter in John McLaughlin’s illustrious career, as he continues his relentless pursuit of the sublime.

• Recorded and mixed by Grammy™ winning engineer George Murphy at Eastcote Studios London;
• Mastered by Grammy™ winning engineer Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering;
• Deluxe booklets with studio photography and new notes by John McLaughlin and music journalist Walter Kolosky;
• Audiophile LP Pressed on highest-quality vinyl at Record Technology for quieter surfaces, extended frequency response, and incredible musical detail;
• Also available on SACD-Hybrid with TWO BONUS TRACKS

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