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Mahavishnu Orchestra

John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra is considered by many to be the greatest Jazz-fusion group of all time. The group was formed in late 1970-early 1971 by McLaughlin, a brilliant guitarist with a jazz-rock pedigree that included work with the Graham Bond Organization in the mid-60s, and with the electrified Miles Davis on his landmark "Bitches Brew" LP in 1969. The original Orchestra included Jan Hammer (later to score TV's "Miami Vice") on keyboards, Jerry Goodman on violin, Rick Laird on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums. Signed with much hoopla to Columbia in 1971, they released two fabulous studio albums, “Inner Mounting Flame,” (’71) and “Birds of Fire,” (’72) along with a live ‘73 album, “Between Nothingness and Eternity.” A reformation of the group in 1974 brought Jean-Luc Ponty on board to play violin, Gayle Moran on keyboards and vocals, Ralphe Armstrong on bass, and drummer Michael Warden. This lineup recorded “Apocalpyse, in ’74. There were other personnel changes but by 1975 the band had disbanded after the album “Visions of the Emerald Beyond.” There was another attempt in 1984 to revive the band with Cobham again on drums, Bill Evans on saxophone, Mitchell Forman, keyboards, Jonas Hellborg on bass and Danny Gottlieb on drums. This lineup released “Mahavishnu,” on Warner Brothers, to lukewarm responses from the audience. The original Mahavishnu Orchestra and its debut album “The Inner Mounting Flame,” was a extremely innovative and high energy hallmark in the development of progressive jazz fusion.

The '70s with Mahavishnu Orchestra, return to Forever and Miles Davis

by Len Davis
June 16, 2023

A visit to the '70s with Return To Forever, Billy Cobham, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Soft Machine, Brand X, Jeff Beck and Miles Davis. Playlist Return To Forever “Celebration Suite" from No Mystery (Polydor) 00:00 Billy Cobham “Stratus" from Spectrum (Atlantic) 07:59 The Mahavishnu Orchestra “Noonward Race" from The Inner Mounting Flame (CBS)16:03 Soft Machine “Gesoireut Jam" from The Dutch Lesson (Cuneiform) 24:01 Brand X “Miserable Virgin" from Missing Period (Outer Music) 32:00 Jeff Beck “Blue Wind" from Wired (Epic) ...

Top Ten List

Top Jazz-Rock Fusion Recordings

by Douglas Groothuis
April 27, 2021

The emergence of jazz-rock fusion in American music in the late 1960s was controversial. To some, those who played it were traitors to the cause of jazz. Others thought it has saved jazz from extinction. Sometime in the 1960s, rock had eclipsed jazz in popularity in America, and many jazz aficionados were none too happy about that. Even folk had gone electric when Bob Dylan plugged in his guitar at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. At that, some shouted ...

Album Review

Mahavishnu Orchestra: Apocalypse

Read "Apocalypse" reviewed by Julian Derry

by Julian Derry
February 26, 2017

Well, there's not much to say about the new release of Apocalypse. Well, not as much as many Mahavishnu fans had hoped; rumours of a long awaited and much needed remastering of this legendary album, making the rounds of the mailing lists were alas, premature. So what is this CD? Answer: it's the exact same, level-for-level digital copy as Sony (né Columbia)'s previous release--slapping the audio files into your favourite audio comparison remastering detection software, and positioning the track profiles ...

Book Review

Walter Kolosky: Power, Beauty and Passion - The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra

by Ian Patterson
January 5, 2013

Power, Passion and Beauty: The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra Walter Kolosky Pages: 325 ISBN:978-0-9761016-8-0 Self-published e-book 2012 Walter Kolosky's Power, Passion and Beauty: The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra (Abstract Logix Books, 2005) now finds its way into e-book format, which is good news for trees as well as for die-hard Mahavishnu Orchestra fans. In the interval since publication of the original book, Kolosky has conducted further interviews with ...

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Film Review

Mahavishnu Orchestra: Live at Montreux 1984/1974

by John Kelman
November 14, 2007

With the completion of legendary guitarist John McLaughlin's 2007 tour with his new group The 4th Dimension--his first fusion tour in North America in nearly a decade, there are plenty of opportunities to reexamine the tour in the context of earlier groups. While for some, the litmus test will always be his first, groundbreaking Mahavishnu Orchestra that recorded the classic The Inner Mounting Flame (Columbia, 1971), the truth is that McLaughlin has continued to evolve in a myriad of contexts. ...

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Book Review

Power, Passion And Beauty: The Story Of The Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra

by Marco Anderson
August 20, 2006

Power, Passion And Beauty: The Story Of The Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra Walter Kolosky Paperback; 313 pages ISBN 0-9761016-2-9 Abstract Logix Books 2005

Before the corporate whitewash of the disco plague obliterated a golden age of musical creativity, there was a time when artists with a musical vision, fired by spiritual fervour, could reach a global audience with the full backing of a multi national record label.

Fuelled by previously unheard ...

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Book Review

Power, Passion and Beauty: The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra

by John Kelman
June 8, 2006

Power, Passion and Beauty: The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra Walter Kolosky Paperback; 313 pages ISBN 0-9761016-2-9 Abstract Logix Books 2005 Anyone who's old enough to have experienced the Mahavishnu Orchestra's debut The Inner Mounting Flame (Columbia/Legacy, 1971) when it was first released knew--whether they liked it or not, whether they understood it or not--that a sudden and monumental shift in modern music had just taken ...

Video / DVD

Unknown Mahavishnu Orchestra Video Unearthed

Source: Walter Kolosky
September 15, 2014

An investigative reporter, doing research for a book about an aspect of the Beatles, has discovered a long-forgotten and very rare professionally produced video performance of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The video was literally on its way to the trash bin to be lost forever when Paul Larosa eyed it amongst a treasure trove of musical memorabilia that had been in storage at CBS in New York. LaRosa was not a fan of the trailblazing jazz-rock band of the 1970s, however, ...
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Recording

Bass Player Antoine Fafard To Release Second Album Occultus Tramitis Featuring Former Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson Members

Source: Glass Onyon PR - William James
May 8, 2013

London, UK - Much to the excitent of music aficionados across the globe, the second solo album by composer and bassist Antoine Fafard, 'Occultus Tramitis', will be released digitally on May 15 and on CD June 1, 2013. Featuring the contributions of a number of jazz- rock legends including Terry Bozzio (Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa), Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Gavin Harrison (King Crimson, Porcupine Tree), Scott Henderson (Tribal Tech), Simon Phillips (Jeff Beck, Toto), Chad Wackerman (Allan Holdsworth, Frank Zappa) ...
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Book / Magazine

2013 Special Edition eBook "Power, Passion And Beauty - The Story Of The Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra"

Source: Walter Kolosky
November 28, 2012

2013 marks the 40th anniversary of the tumultuous break-up of the greatest band that ever was, the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The group, founded by British guitarist John McLaughlin, was the first to fuse jazz, rock and world music into critical and commercial success. In a remarkable feat, its strictly instrumental albums were able to find their way into the Top 20 of the Billboard rock charts. The Special Edition eBook “Power, Passion and Beauty - The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu ...
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Video / DVD

Wolfgang's Vault Releases New Mahavishnu Orchestra Shows

Source: Wolfgang's Vault
August 5, 2009

WolfgangsVault.com, home of one of the largest collection of Mahavishnu Orchestra concert recordings, has released new shows today. The 1973 shows feature the band at a high point, opening for Frank Zappa on tour. All 2,500 rare, exclusive and classic vintage concerts in Wolfgang's Vault's famed Concert Vault can be streamed free with unlimited free registration. Concerts are just as easily accessible on the award-winning free iPhone app called Concert Vault for iPhone, and some shows are available for download. ...
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Recording

Sun Spin: Mahavishnu Orchestra

Source: JamBase
November 10, 2008

OUR CLASSIC ALBUM SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON A CORNERSTONE OF MODERN MUSC

This week in 1985, the theme song to Miami Vice was the No. 1 song in the U.S. and a whole generation got to see one of the last truly homely people to ever grace MTV as Jan Hammer briefly rose to the top of the pop culture cesspool. It was like seeing one's Dungeon Master or beloved video store clerk walking the red carpet. But, ...
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Video / DVD

Eagle Flies Oct. 2 with Mahavishnu Orchestra Live at Montreux

Source: Kayos Productions, Inc.
September 19, 2007

Eagle Eye Media will release on October 2 a special 2-DVD set by The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Live At Montreux 1974-1984 [retail price: $19.98] featuring world-renowned guitarist John “Mahavishnu" McLaughlin.

Formed in 1971, and highly inspired from his time playing in the late '60s electric bands of Miles Davis, McLaughlin formed The Mahavishnu Orchestra, a band that quickly rose to international stardom upon the release of The Inner Mounting Flame. Highly regarded as a guitarist's guitarist, and equally adept at jazz, ...
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Book / Magazine

First Full-Length Book About Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra Available May 22, 2006

Source: All About Jazz
May 22, 2006

Jazz historian, published author and devoted fan Walter Kolosky has a self-proclaimed mission: “to promote jazz and progressive music." His new book, Power, Passion and Beauty: The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra, published by Abstract Logix Books and available May 22, is no exception.

A year in writing, but a lifetime in planning, Power, Passion and Beauty is the first full-length book about the incredible yet elusive MO to include collaborations with the five original members of the legendary ...
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Recording