In a career that spans over five decades, John McLaughlin, one of music’s most influential and prolific guitarists, composers and bandleaders, will embark on his farewell U.S. tour, which includes a stop at Ruth Eckerd Hall on Saturday, November 25 at 8 pm. McLaughlin will be joined by Jimmy Herring, who has been in the creative forefront of the American rock-jam movement for 25 years. The Meeting of the Spirits tour will hit 23 cities. For a complete list of dates, visit: www.johnmclaughlin.com or www.jimmyherring.net.
Highlighting this musical adventure will be John McLaughlin revisiting the pioneering music he introduced with his genre-defying Mahavishnu Orchestra. In addition, McLaughlin is expected to release a new album just before the tour launches. More details to be announced. McLaughlin’s first extensive U.S. tour in seven years, The Meeting of the Spirits also marks his first extended exploration of the Mahavishnu Orchestra material from seminal albums such as Inner Mounting Flame, Birds of Fire, Between Nothingness and Eternity, Visions of the Emerald Beyond and more since the band’s original heyday in the 1970s.
Jimmy Herring, best known for his inspired contributions to the Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Allman Brothers, Widespread Panic, The Dead and others, will be co-headlining each show with his new band The Invisible Whip, comprised of Jeff Sipe-Apt Q258 (drums), Matt Slocum (B3 and Clavinet), Jason Crosby (Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer) and Kevin Scott (bass).
On The Meeting of the Spirits Tour, separate sets by Herring and McLaughlin will be followed by the two joining forces for an expansive closing jam based on classic Mahavishnu Orchestra material. The tour will feature the first extended collaborations between two of the world’s foremost guitarists. McLaughlin will be backed by his current band, the 4th Dimension – Ranjit Barot (drums), Gary Husband (keyboards, drums) and Etienne M’Bappé (bass) – each an established composer and recording artist in his own right. Expect special surprise guests to be added when available. Tickets are available at the Ruth Eckerd Hall Ticket Office, by calling 727.791.7400 or visiting www.RuthEckerdHall.com. Pre-show dining is also available. The Ruth Eckerd Hall Ticket Office is open Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm and one hour prior to show time.