John McLaughlin

John McLaughlin (born 1942) is a British jazz guitarist from Yorkshire who became one of the most technically accomplished and stylistically influential figures in jazz fusion. After sessions with Miles Davis on In a Silent Way (1969) and Bitches Brew (1970), he founded the Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1971 — a quintet of extraordinary technical ferocity whose albums The Inner Mounting Flame (1971) and Birds of Fire (1973) are landmark records of jazz-rock fusion. He later formed Shakti, exploring Indian classical music with acoustic guitar, and has continued to perform and record in jazz, fusion, and Indian-influenced contexts across more than six decades.