Right Off
Miles Davis, 1971, from A Tribute to Jack Johnson. Solo by John McLaughlin.
From A Tribute to Jack Johnson; McLaughlin's rock-rhythm guitar drives nearly half an hour of improvisation.
Right Off, from A Tribute to Jack Johnson, is almost half an hour of improvisation, and John McLaughlin's guitar is its engine. He opens with a gritty, rocking rhythm figure that the band locks onto, and Miles Davis weaves his trumpet above it. McLaughlin's solos are raw and bluesy, mixing chords and single lines with a rock drive that was still unusual in jazz. The track captures Miles pushing toward rock and funk, and it is one of the clearest statements of the fusion idea. Listen for how McLaughlin shifts from choppy rhythm playing into long, stinging lead lines without the groove ever faltering.
Right Off by Miles Davis is featured in our Fusion (#10) list. The solo is played by John McLaughlin and the song was released in 1971.
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Who played the guitar solo on Right Off?
John McLaughlin played the solo on Miles Davis's Right Off (1971).