I remember being in a record store in E. Lansing, Mich circa 1974 and they were playing some jazz quartet on the stereo. The drummer was fantastic, and I asked the owners what the band was and who the drummer was. I can't remember the band, but they said the drummer was named Sunship (Sonship). I would always keep my eye out for a record he was on but never saw one. I never knew he played with Mahavishnu. Wow. Now I know his last name and can Google him. RIP.

Oh Really! There's a clip with him and McLaughlin at Montreaux, probably about this time. Where Mr. Theus recites on mike, behind the drum kit, a kind of spiritual poem that McLaughlin knew because he was reciting it off mike with him on stage.

@@shootfirst2097 My Brother Woody "Sonship" Theus have played and recorded with many Jazz Legends Charles Lloyd, McCoy Tyner, Woody Shaw, Horace Tapscott, James Newton and Marvin Gaye just to name a few.

@@Sugarpoo47 Hi Loretta, Sonship was your brother?

Yes!! I was his baby sister!!

So beautiful saw this gig in Melbourne at the lovely Palais St .Kilda

If this is being off, then John has always been off. KZfaq experts are wrong, yet again. This is how he has always played, and still plays.

And I like it just fine. John is a master.

and live at royal albert hall 1990, in trio with trilok gurtu and kai eckhardt ?

@@XanAxDdu absolutely and totally.....

@@XanAxDdu I even had Stefan Zirnbauer make me a replica of JM’s Wechter Guitar, albeit as a 7 string classical which I play a lot in my studio.....

for me royal albert hall is in top 3, or top 5 lol with mahavishnu and shakti

That's my problem with any live versions of "Friendship", they pretty much always leave out the melody. The recording on "Electric Guitarist" is a great song on a on a great record. BTW, I saw this very lineup, up close, in 1978. I think they performed 5 songs over 90 minutes - it was one of the best concerts I've seen. Almost a spiritual event.

Better than Alzheimer. Too many of them.

Stu Goldberg - Keyboards, L Shankar - Violin, TM Stevens - bass, W. "Sonship" Theus - Drums

I think it's T.M. Stevens on bass instead of Fernando Saunders. Normally it's Fernando, but not during this performance. And it's Sonship Theus on drums.

DiamondDogZ Correct, my brother the Late Great Sonship Theus.

Criticizing one of the musical geniuses of the XX century with grammatical errors. Bravo.

@@diamonddogz389 On Electric Guitarist version the bassist is Neil Jason.

@@Sugarpoo47 Yes Great Drummer, Bigger Drum kit that Tony Smith had. This Track on The Mega CD Box Set