# Jean Luc Ponty



## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

So, Jean Luc Ponty hasn't had a thread yet. Thoughts? Opinions?


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I had to use google, must be me.


----------



## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

He is big in the jazz fusion, and some rock circles. He had a number of top 40 records. He composes instrumental albums.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

regenmusic said:


> He is big in the jazz fusion, and some rock circles. He had a number of top 40 records. He composes instrumental albums.


I saw it, made a note going to search on You Tube.


----------



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Saw him in concert once, around 1980. Had an LP, Enigmatic Ocean. I picked up a CD of his a few years back but it is not on my active play list.


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Great musician and artist! I cut my teeth on his famous series of albums for the Atlantic label from the mid 70s to mid 80s. Enigmatic Ocean is excellent, along with Aurora, Mystical Adventures, Individual Choice, Cosmic Messenger. And there is a good single compilation CD from this period.

Track listing from Best Of...










Ponty was also associated with Frank Zappa, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra in the early 70s. I recommend the orchestral album Apocalypse by MO, which was conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas.

He was also a member of the trio, Rite Of Strings with bassist Stanley Clarke, and guitarist Al Di Meola.

After his 70s/80s fusion period, Ponty hired west African musicians which changed the character of his music. Still electric jazz, but with the African influence.

In more recent years he has been touring with Chick Corea's revived Return To Forever band. I had the opportunity to see them in 2011, and I thought they sounded great with the violin.


----------



## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

I'm not a huge fusion fan, but I've always enjoyed Ponty. A tune like Gardens of babylon is one of the classics of the period in my mind. And since we have lost the genius of Allan Holdsworth, here there's a magnificent solo of him


----------



## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

i always liked him. still like jazz fusioin


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

norman bates said:


> I'm not a huge fusion fan, but I've always enjoyed Ponty. A tune like Gardens of babylon is one of the classics of the period in my mind. And since we have lost the genius of Allan Holdsworth, here there's a magnificent solo of him


That's weird I just watched this on today.......


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

norman bates said:


> I'm not a huge fusion fan, but I've always enjoyed Ponty. A tune like Gardens of babylon is one of the classics of the period in my mind. And since we have lost the genius of Allan Holdsworth, here there's a magnificent solo of him


The piano arpeggios in that tune sound similar to a tune from Ponty's A Taste for Passion album. Here are Ponty's sentiments upon the news of Holdsworth's death. He mentions Allan's solo on Point Of No Return.

From Jean-Luc Ponty:

*"What a shock to learn that guitarist Allan Holdsworth passed away !!! I was contacted two months ago by Manifesto, the record company which just released a 12-CD box set called "The Allan Holdsworth Album Collection" asking me to send a quote about Allan, which is now included in the liner notes along with other quotes by Frank Zappa, Pat Metheny and other great musicians, all praising Allan's immense talent. Allan has been a big revolution in the guitar world since his beginnings, on top of which his playing was so emotional that he was one of these rare musicians who could deeply move listeners whether they are musically sophisticated or not, and being able to do so with a unique and sometimes complex style of music made him a real genius. His third and last contribution to one of my albums was in "Point Of No Return" from the album The Atacama Experience in 2007, I was always stunned by his playing but that solo moved me to tears when I heard it for the first time. We will miss you Allan !
Jean Luc"*


----------



## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

I haven't heard a lot of his solo work for a long time but I admire his skill. Some of his solo work I find good, like the things with Holdsworth, some is a little too predictable. But then that's how you make money. Glad I started exploring him, though.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)




----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)




----------

