For those in the know, guitarist John McLaughlin’s name is uttered alongside those of Hendrix, Richards, Santana and Clapton.

A former protégé of Miles Davis and the true pioneer of electric jazz, McLaughlin wields a fiercely virtuosic style that straddles everything from R’n’B groove to rock’n’roll skronk to the razor-sharp rhythms of traditional Indian music.

Renowned for technically precise and blisteringly fast guitar work, McLaughlin’s live shows have become a thing of legend—bursting with improvisational energy, unexpected textures and moments of transcendent beauty.

Now in his 70s, McLaughlin has lost none of his passion or power, as he draws on almost five decades of experimentation and creative reinvention to continually push at the boundaries of sonic possibility.

Alongside his acclaimed 4th Dimension trio, McLaughlin returns to Melbourne for the first time in more than five years to showcase the remarkable, genre-defying compositions from his new album Black Light—a globe-spanning journey to the frontiers of sound.

The 4th Dimension

McLaughlin’s latest creative venture with The 4th Dimension reflects a slight, yet significant, alteration of the dynamic, specifically the recruitment of powerhouse Indian drummer Ranjit Barot. Cameroon-born/Paris-resident bassist Etienne M’Bappe is back from To the One, as is keyboardist/drummer Gary Husband. This 8-track set of McLaughlin originals, recorded at Studio 26 in Antibes, France, testifies to the guitarist’s decades-long fascination with Indian music, through his effortless virtuosity, and relentless lyricism, even when the guitarist is shredding at near-light speed.