Mahavishnu Orchestra

[James]

Years Active: 1971–1976, 1984–1987
Mahavishnu Orchestra - progressive jazz/fusion ensemble

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.

Their musical style was an original blend of genres: they combined the high-volume electrified rock sound that had been pioneered by Jimi Hendrix (whom McLaughlin had jammed with on his initial arrival in New York as part of the Tony Williams Lifetime), complex rhythms in unusual time signatures that reflected McLaughlin's interest in Indian classical music as well as funk, and harmonic influence from European classical music. The group's early music, represented on such albums as The Inner Mounting Flame (1971) and Birds of Fire (1973), was entirely instrumental; their later albums had songs which sometimes featured R&B or even gospel/hymn-styled vocals. In the aforementioned two albums, the group goes from an energetic fusion of upbeat genres (a representative example of which is the song "Vital Transformation") to very serene, chamber music-like tunes, such as "A Lotus On Irish Streams," a composition for acoustic guitar, piano and violin, and "Thousand Island Park," which drops the violin and incorporates double bass; or from low-key to extremely busy in a single piece, such as "Open Country Joy."

The band's original lineup featured "Mahavishnu" John McLaughlin on acoustic and electric guitars, with members Billy Cobham on drums, Rick Laird on bass guitar (although Tony Levin was the first person McLaughlin called to join the band), Jan Hammer on electric and acoustic piano and synthesizer, and Jerry Goodman on violin. This first incarnation of the ensemble was a multinational group: McLaughlin is from Yorkshire, England; Cobham from Panama; Hammer from Prague, Czech Republic; Goodman from Chicago, Illinois; and Laird from Dublin, Ireland. This group was considered an important pioneer in the jazz fusion movement. McLaughlin and Cobham met while performing and recording with Miles Davis during the Bitches Brew sessions. McLaughlin was also influenced in his conception of the band by his studies with Indian guru Sri Chinmoy, who encouraged him to take the name "Mahavishnu" which means "Divine compassion, power and justice." or simply "Great Vishnu", an aspect of Vishnu. 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."

Due to the pressures of sudden fame, exhaustion and a lack of communication, the original band began to tire as 1973 continued.

After the original group dissolved, it reformed in 1974 with a new cast of musicians behind McLaughlin: Jean-Luc Ponty (who had performed with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention) on violin, Gayle Moran on keyboards, Ralphe Armstrong on bass, and Narada Michael Walden on percussion, Steven Kindler and Carol Shive on violin, Marcia Westbrook on viola, Phil Hirschi on cello, Steve Frankevich and Bob Knapp on brass. This "new" Mahavishnu Orchestra (which McLaughlin has reportedly called the "real" Mahavishnu Orchestra) changed personnel slightly between 1974's Apocalypse and Visions of the Emerald Beyond in 1975. Apocalypse was recorded in London with the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas, with George Martin producing and Geoff Emerick engineering the sessions. The band was then reduced to a four-piece for 1976's Inner Worlds, with Jean-Luc Ponty leaving after a heated disagreement about writing credits on the Visions album, and Gayle Moran being replaced with Stu Goldberg. Ponty would later settle over the royalties for the tracks Pegasus and Opus 1 for an undisclosed amount of money.

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.



https://www.youtube.com/v/OMTXjmVd6AI

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[king ubu]

As with most jazz rock groups, I love their first few albums - and find the rest completely unnecessary (McLaughlin found other outlets that I enjoy, caught him live some years ago with Remember Shakti, and that was most enjoyable - seems like a genuinely nice guy).

I love jazz rock, as long as it's "free", as long as it's open for almost anything: original Return to Forever, Lifetime's first two albums, early Weather Report (as good as Jaco was, the band was so settled by the time he enjoyed, the really good albums are earlier ones). Seems like initially - of course under the guidance or following the footsteps of Miles, there was some kind of search for new stuff ... but Miles was the only one to explore up until he disappeared off the scene in the mid seventies.

But sure, I also love Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters (not just his fabulous Mwandishi group that fits what I mean with "free" and "open") - and as far as funk goes, Billy Cobham's first couple of albums for Atlantic are no slouches either. But most of the stuff got so formulaic, it was as bad as the most boring type of hard bop (and mind me, hard bop is my bread and butter ... and it lasted for almost two decades, while jazz rock was fired after what, two or three years?)

Anyway, "Inner Mounting Flame" and "Birds of Fire" are wonderful albums! The "Lost Trident" one I found a bit of a let down, the live album I've yet to fully explore (one of those Sony boxes contained an entire bonus disc, which I've not yet heard, the edition I already had of the album itself was so bad, I never quite gotten into listening to it).

And of course, don't forget some other great McLaughlin albums: "Exploration", "My Goal's Beyond" ... and obviously, he was a major part of the success of such albums as "In a Silent Way", "Bitches Brew", "Live-Evil", "Jack Johnson", "Emergency", "(turn it over)" ... good enough for me!

[NJ Joe]

All of Mahavishnu's 70s albums are well worth owning & exploring, they are all wonderful. It's hard to believe this music used to fill stadiums, and was what popular music once was. Of course the initial band was one of the best in the history of music. Truly phenomenal & deep players/playing .. backed by great material/songs. Loads of fire, passion & brains! There hasn't been anything quite like that since.

+1

Along with all their 70's albums, I also own several live downloaded recordings of the original line-up, as well as the "Unreleased Tracks from Between Nothingness and Eternity",  which was originally available as part of a box set, but which I was able to buy on iTunes as a single release.

Every note is worthwhile.

I read this thread at work today and cranked Visions of the Emerald Beyond otw home. Fantastic!

[Mirror Image]

They're an interesting band, but nowhere near my favorite if we're talking about jazz fusion. Give me Jean-Luc Ponty or Al Di Meola any day of the week over the Mahavishnu Orchestra or even John McLaughlin's solo efforts. On the other side of jazz fusion, Pat Metheny Group remains my favorite.

[king ubu]

Give me Jean-Luc Ponty or Al Di Meola any day of the week over the Mahavishnu Orchestra

No way!

[king ubu]

that's almost like: give me André Rieux instead of [name yo favorite] 

[escher]

that's almost like: give me André Rieux instead of [name yo favorite] 

Anyway I've always had a soft spot for Ponty's The Gardens of Babylon, maybe the piece in itself it's not perfect to me it's one of the most memorable melodies in all jazz rock. Between McLaughlin and Di Meola, I prefer Mclaughlin by a mile.

[king ubu]

Anyway I've always had a soft spot for Ponty's The Gardens of Babylon, maybe the piece in itself it's not perfect to me it's one of the most memorable melodies in all jazz rock. Between McLaughlin and Di Meola, I prefer Mclaughlin by a mile.

I guess with my first statement above, it's pretty clear that posts such as the above are to be taken with more than a grain of salt ... I really don't have a horse in this race, as I tend to (probably in some cases unfairly, I admit) do away with the entire genre latest in the mid seventies. I really don't have any use for, say, Billy Cobham flexin' his muscles with his current bands (however, I love his "Art of Three" album!) ... and I will *always* pull a joke on the hideous covers of that hideously named band making hideous music (Chikk Korea's Elekktrik Band, that is, if you didn't yet get it - and no, in his case, the Akkustikk Band is almost as bad, Dave Weckl just doesn't do it, he don't swing, he don't groove, he don't nothing, he robot  ).

But as for Ponty, his early album (with a very young Michel Portal) reissued in Universal/EmArcy's "Jazz in Paris" series came as a pleasant surprise, and of course I love some other of his stuff ("King Kong" for one is pretty nice).

I at least try and not be dismissive of musicians mostly, but of their music (and I keep my ears open for stutt they do that IS working for me, but then that is usually outside the so-called "fusion" area).

[king ubu]

"king udu", do you play? While I agree that neither Di Meola or Ponty really match what Mahavishnu did .. you're sounding like a total ignoramus now. Just sayin'. 

Ha ha ... I spent the last 20 years mainly listening to jazz (before getting into classical, three years ago - by now, my time is split between the two, and some other stuff as well). Give me anything from the twenties to say 1975 and I'll most likely prefer it over most of that these jazz rock dudes produced in the years after - I just don't warm to it, I'm afraid (or only to some of it, as I said above). If we're talking more recent, give me Braxton, Threadgill, Hemphill and the like. Cecil Taylor, too, of course. But that goes off topic here, would be another thread.

EDIT: not sure how serious this all is, I've got my online watering holes for jazz and certainly didn't come here to discuss jazz, but if you care, this list (on a German site, so some comments will be German, but the list is a list is a list ) will give you some idea about my idea of jazz.

[king ubu]

I don't know man, you sound awfully full of shit to me. Just sayin'. 

Well that's great to know, thank you.

[Robert]

All of Mahavishnu's 70s albums are well worth owning & exploring, they are all wonderful. It's hard to believe this music used to fill stadiums, and was what popular music once was. Of course the initial band was one of the best in the history of music. Truly phenomenal & deep players/playing .. backed by great material/songs. Loads of fire, passion & brains! There hasn't been anything quite like that since. Shakti is truly great, though completely different, and that deserves it's own thread. In fact, I was listening to "Natural Elements" a few days back, it hasn't aged at all, so ahead of the times and very, very refreshing from the norm.
[/quoteJ
James, thanks for this.  Mahavishnu was the tightest band I ever saw.  I believe one of the reasons the band tired was because McLaughlin had them practice endlessly.   I guess thats what made them so tight....

[San Antone]

Main Discography
The Inner Mounting Flame (1971)
Birds of Fire (1973)
Between Nothingness & Eternity (1973)
Apocalypse (with London Symphony Orchestra) (1974)
Visions of the Emerald Beyond (1975)
Inner Worlds (1976)

While the first two are the ones I listen most; all are really good.  A unique and great band.  Thanks for the thread.