Yeah Hi, I'm new here. But I'll be a regular on the jazz forum, so I hope you don't mind newbs. I came over from MX because MX got really crappy really fast.

So about MO.

Formed: 1971.
Group Members: Jerry Goodman, Jan Hammer, Rick Laird, John McLaughlin, Jean-Luc Ponty, Stu Goldberg, Bill Evans, Ralph Armstrong, Danny Gottlieb, Billy Cobham, Jonas Hellborg, Narada Michael Walden, Gayle Moran.
Genres: Jazz.
Styles: Jazz-Rock, Fusion

One of the premiere fusion groups, the Mahavishnu Orchestra was considered by most observers during its prime to be a rock band but its sophisticated improvisations actually put its high-powered music between rock and jazz. Founder and leader John McLaughlin had recently played with Miles Davis and Tony Williams's Lifetime. The original lineup of the group was McLaughlin on electric guitar, violinist Jerry Goodman, keyboardist Jan Hammer, electric bassist Rick Laird and drummer Billy Cobham. They recorded three intense albums for Columbia during 1971-73 and then the personnel changed completely for the second version of the group. In 1974 the band consisted of violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, Gayle Moran on keyboards and vocals, electric bassist Ralphe Armstrong and drummer Michael Warden; by 1975 Stu Goldberg had replaced Moran and Ponty had left. John McLaughlin's dual interests in Eastern religion and playing acoustic guitar resulted in the band breaking up in 1975. Surprisingly an attempt to revive the Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1984 (using Cobham, saxophonist Bill Evans, keyboardist Mitchell Forman and electric bassist Jonas Hellborg and percussionist Danny Gottlieb) was unsuccessful; one Warner Bros. album resulted. However when one thinks of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, it is of the original lineup which was very influential throughout the 1970s.
John Mclaughlin is considered possibly the single premier guitarist of the world of jazz, and his improvisational and written skills are unparralled by others. The Mahavishnu Orchestra's original lineup was it's most skilled, resulting in rock influnenced jazz tunes, complete with complex indian rythms.

Recommendations:
Albums: Birds Of Fire, Inner Mounting Flame, Lost Trident Sessions.
Songs: Everything off these albums.
Must Listen: Meeting Of The Spirits, Celestial Terrestial Commuters, John's Song.



Anyone else love this band?

I absolutely love the playing of John McLaughlin...he's great on Miles Davis's "*****es Brew" and also the album he did with Carlos Santana...I agree they are great, love the avatar by the way

I love Mahavishnu Orchestra....The guitar playing is so out there and just simply interesting. I have to thank you(if youre who I think you are) for getting me into them.

yeah, they are really good. Thanx for bringing them up....jazz forum GROW....GROW!!

I'm really into their improvisations, especially the album inner moutain flame, love it
I don't have all of their albums only that one, but I've heard the other one's, and when my financial status is a bit better, I'll buy them too.

Maha Is the single best band ever. John McLaughlin is the best electric player ever exepting Wes Montgomery. And Billy Cobham is the best drummer ever. I love them

I am really impressed by some of John McLaughlin's solo material, such as "My Goals Beyond."

There was a point when I liked Mahavishnu Orchestra. However, their music wore on me quickly. It's got a little too much prog-rock pomposity for my liking. There is to much flash and not enough grace in their music. They remind me of ELP, who were a band that was more content on showing off their musical virtuosity than making creative music.

Of course Mahavishnu was composed of all excellent musicians - especially McLaughlin and Cobham. They were just maybe too skilled for their own good.

Alone, however, they are great.

If you want to hear some great, funky fusion, check out some of Herbie Hancock's early 70s "Head Hunters" era material.

1974 to be exact, I believe..."Thrust" is also a great album after "Headhunters" but that's going off topic...