Jean-Luc Ponty

Electric Fusion "The Atlantic Years"
Jean-Luc Ponty is an undisputed pioneer of the electric violin in modern jazz and rock. Originally trained as a classical musician in his native France, Ponty caught the “jazz bug” in college and never looked back. His successful appearance at the 1967 Monterey Jazz Festival led to recordings with Gerald Wilson and George Duke. It was rock composer Frank Zappa who wrote the music for Ponty's 1969 recording King Kong, giving the talented violinist greater exposure to young audiences. Ponty also appeared as a special guest on a number of Zappa albums and became a member of John McLaughlin's second Mahavishnu Orchestra. But it was the release of Upon the Wings of Music in 1975, that sent Ponty’s career into orbit for a successful ten year run as a jazz-rock icon playing large concert halls and recording twelve chart-topping albums. The tour’s name is a nod to the band accompanying Ponty on the road, who recorded several albums with the artist for Atlantic Records in the late ’70s and ’80s.