Jean-Luc Ponty

Born: September 29, 1942, in Avranches, France A pioneer of jazz/fusion violin, PONTY has played with FRANK ZAPPA and the MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA among others.

Selected Discography INDIVIDUAL CHOICE (1983) ENIGMATIC OCEAN (1977) IMAGINARY VOYAGE (1976) AURORA (1976) KING KONG (1969) (music composed and arranged by FRANK ZAPPA)

"If I listened to all the advice I was getting when I started, I wouldn't be here today. The same thing doesn't always work for other people. It's always inspiring to listen to what other great musicians have done. I myself tried to collect as many albums as I could on the jazz side, the old guys should never be forgotten, Stuff Smith has been a big one, of course, Stephane Grappelli. For me, my concept throughout my life has been to try to come up with new things by building on the work of my predecessors. We can always pass something on to others. I'm delighted that it doesn't stop with me and that young string players find me worth pursuing as well."

"There was a kind of prejudice and preconceived idea about the violin not fitting in to the jazz culture. In the '60s, the only electric instrument in jazz was a jazz guitar, but even that was regarded as a secondary instrument. I had such a strong concept in my mind that the violin could be a suitable jazz and rock instrument. By the time I came to America, I was welcomed."

THE INCREDIBLY RIDICULOUS MTV-ROLLING STONE'S 100 TOP SONGS (1963-2000): 53. FAITH, GEORGE MICHAEL (1987) (I think I've blocked this song from my memory.) MY TOP 100 SONGS: BORN TO BE WILD, STEPPENWOLF

POSTSCRIPT "Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist." G. K. CHESTERTON

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