mjzee Posted July 6, 2021 Report Share Posted July 6, 2021 https://musicfestnews.com/2021/07/rick-laird-bassist-for-mahavishnu-orchestra-dead-at-80/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted July 6, 2021 Report Share Posted July 6, 2021 RIP. Solid player, selflessly anchored a legendary group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted July 6, 2021 Report Share Posted July 6, 2021 RIP indeed. It was interesting to find out just how much of a "straight ahead" player he had been before Mahavishnu, not at all one of the chomping-at-the-bit type who were compelled to push the barriers and add the rock electric. But there he was, and there he did. and then there he wasn't. I went on a mini-OG MAhavishnu binge last year, too just a few days (those records weren't very long, so total-immersion in all 4 (yes, counting Trident) was not difficult, and yes, they were more or less all the same record when you get down to it, but, still, powerful and certainly paradigm-changing music. And there Rick Laird was, holding it down like a rock (no pun intended). I still wonder...here he was, walking the upright and all of a sudden, 17/8 and shit, loud music and loud egos...how many times did he ask himself how the hell did I get here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted July 6, 2021 Report Share Posted July 6, 2021 (edited) Victor Feldman (pno), Rick Laird (bs), Ronnie Stephenson (dms) Edited July 7, 2021 by BillF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted July 6, 2021 Report Share Posted July 6, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, BillF said: Victor Feldman (pno), Rick Laird (bs), Ronnie Stevenson (dms) Yes, he was in the Ronnie Scott house rhythm section in the mid 60s. That one is from Jazz 625 I think. Venue - the Marquee? RIP - a very solid bassist. Edited July 6, 2021 by sidewinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HutchFan Posted July 6, 2021 Report Share Posted July 6, 2021 R.I.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 8 hours ago, JSngry said: RIP indeed. It was interesting to find out just how much of a "straight ahead" player he had been before Mahavishnu, not at all one of the chomping-at-the-bit type who were compelled to push the barriers and add the rock electric. But there he was, and there he did. and then there he wasn't. I went on a mini-OG MAhavishnu binge last year, too just a few days (those records weren't very long, so total-immersion in all 4 (yes, counting Trident) was not difficult, and yes, they were more or less all the same record when you get down to it, but, still, powerful and certainly paradigm-changing music. And there Rick Laird was, holding it down like a rock (no pun intended). I still wonder...here he was, walking the upright and all of a sudden, 17/8 and shit, loud music and loud egos...how many times did he ask himself how the hell did I get here? IMHO the presence of relatively low key band members like Laird and Jerry Goodman is part of what made the 1st MO lineup the best one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 Jerry Goodman had at least been in a sort-of rock band (with a Columbia deal, no less!!!) so he already knew what the deal could be... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgcim Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 12 hours ago, JSngry said: RIP indeed. It was interesting to find out just how much of a "straight ahead" player he had been before Mahavishnu, not at all one of the chomping-at-the-bit type who were compelled to push the barriers and add the rock electric. But there he was, and there he did. and then there he wasn't. I went on a mini-OG MAhavishnu binge last year, too just a few days (those records weren't very long, so total-immersion in all 4 (yes, counting Trident) was not difficult, and yes, they were more or less all the same record when you get down to it, but, still, powerful and certainly paradigm-changing music. And there Rick Laird was, holding it down like a rock (no pun intended). I still wonder...here he was, walking the upright and all of a sudden, 17/8 and shit, loud music and loud egos...how many times did he ask himself how the hell did I get here? Probably drove him into photography. RIP, Mr Laird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 18 hours ago, JSngry said: RIP indeed. It was interesting to find out just how much of a "straight ahead" player he had been before Mahavishnu, not at all one of the chomping-at-the-bit type who were compelled to push the barriers and add the rock electric. He was that after Mahavishnu just as well. I remember hearing him in a local club in the 1980's backing Joe Henderson . IIRC he made an LP as a leader around that time, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Bivins Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 6 hours ago, mikeweil said: He was that after Mahavishnu just as well. I remember hearing him in a local club in the 1980's backing Joe Henderson . IIRC he made an LP as a leader around that time, too. with Joe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 (edited) Yes, that's the one. That was the quartet Joe took on tour. So it was 1976 ... Joe toured here so often. I knew it with a different cover: The same quartet recorded another LP under pianist Tom Grant's name for Timeless: m Laird plays nicely on this Gerry Niewood LP, too: Edited July 8, 2021 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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