Episode 22: 2024 Jean Luc Ponty Interview

Brian Tarquin's Guitar Trax Show

Jean-Luc Ponty is a pioneer and undisputed master of violin in the arena of jazz and rock. He is widely regarded as an innovator who has applied his unique visionary spin that has expanded the vocabulary of modern music. In 1969, Frank Zappa composed the music for Jean-Luc’s solo album King Kong (Blue Note). In 1972, Elton John invited Ponty to contribute to his Honky Chateau #1 hit album. Within a year - at the urging of Zappa who wanted him to join his band the Mothers of Invention - Ponty emigrated with his wife and two young daughters to America and made his home in Los Angeles. He continued to work on a variety of projects - including a pair of John McLaughlin/Mahavishnu Orchestra albums/tours (Apocalypse, Visions of the Emerald Beyond). In the meantime he became a prolific composer, signed on as a solo artist with Atlantic Records in early 1975, released his first album Upon The Wings Of Music that same year and started touring with his own band.

From the 80s to this day Ponty has been recording and touring around the world with his own groups and has done collaborations with other great musicians such as guitarists Allan Holdsworth, Al Di Meola, bassist Stanley Clarke, West African musicians, banjo player Bela Fleck, Lalo Schifrin, Chick Corea and Return To Forever IV, violinists Nigel Kennedy, Mark O'Connor, L. Subramaniam from India, classical violist and conductor Yuri Bashmet from Russia, pianist Wolfgang Dauner, guitarist Bireli Lagrene and singer Jon Anderson from Yes, and his daughter pianist-singer-composer Clara Ponty. Jean Luc has also performed his music with symphony orchestras in the U.S.A, Canada, Japan, Western and Eastern Europe, Brazil and Russia.
GUITAR TRAX is hosted by mulit-Emmy award winning guitarist Brian Tarquin featuring in- depth interviews with today’s hottest guitar legends and airs every Monday night from 10pm-12pm on NPR's WFIT 89.5FM on the Florida space coast and can be streamed on WFIT.org. Brian Tarquin & Heavy Friends lifted up the spirits of our veterans through music with Beyond The Warrior’s Eyes which peaked at #1 Top Fusion Album on Roots Music Reports and #5 on Relix/Jambands charts. In 2023 Brian’s music video “Speed of Sound” featuring Joe Satriani won Best Video of the Year by the Josie Music Awards. His all star album Brothers In Arms topped the metal radio charts peaking #7 on the NACC Loud Rock charts and #11 on the Metal Contraband charts. Both in 2022 & 2023 the Josie Music Awards nominated Tarquin for "Musician of the Year (Guitar)" and "Music Producer of the Year." In 2023 the Hollywood Independent Music Awards nominated his company BHP Music-Guitar Trax Records for "Independent Record Label of the Year."