Mahavishnu Orchestra

sargebaker · #1 08-25-2004, 08:31 PM

I bought their debut album "The Inner Mounting Flame" a while back and i adore it, real genious. I can't imagine where so many of the bands I listen to would be if it weren't for them. Anyone got any thoughts to share on this album or any other great albums by them that you suggest i pick up?

Baker

lbanks · #2 08-25-2004, 08:52 PM

Most of the Orchestra stuff is great; its when John started his spritual journey things got a little strange. Even at his weirdest, Mclaughlin is a monster.

narud · #3 08-25-2004, 09:51 PM

check out the lost trident tapes. thats a great cd. also worth picking up is john mclaughlin's-heart of things live in paris. thats one of his best albums hes put out in the last couple of decades.

funny, as i type this im listening to the mahavishnu revisited band from 84 with jonas hellborg,bill evans,mitch forman and cobham. its not very good at all and shouldnt even be referred to as a mahavishnu album.

DigMe · #4 08-25-2004, 10:20 PM

MO is incredible. I never tire of listening to them. Check out Birds of Fire as well. IMF and BoF are both great albums and if you like one you'll most likely enjoy the other as well.

Tony Levin tells a story of how he missed out on playing with them because when John McLaughlin called his mother took the message and told him that "Murray Vishnu and his Orchestra" (or something like that) were looking for a bassist.

brad cook

sargebaker · #5 08-25-2004, 10:24 PM

thnks for the suggestion, omg that blows... Tony in Mahavishnu woulda been.....

kinda funny though. Oh well he did alright in King Crimson

Wrong Robot · #6 08-26-2004, 12:37 AM

John Mclaughlin is one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Not only is a phenomenal player, but he has done such an amazing job fusing western music with indian classical.

If you like Mclaughlin, be sure to check out Shakti.

JimK · #7 08-26-2004, 04:56 AM

Couple of other McLaughlin suggestions-

Extrapolation...his debut album(NOT Fusion, per se).
Jack Johnson...with Miles

+ the first couple Lifetime records(the '1st Fusion band'?)

JimK · #8 08-26-2004, 05:08 AM

...and McLaughlin's Devotion.
Post-Miles & pre-MO. Raw & rockin' with Larry Young.

Peter Parker · #9 08-26-2004, 07:24 AM

I have an older JM live recording in a trio format that features Trilok Gurtu and Kai Ekhardt. I can't remember the name and I can't find it right now but i think it is an incredbile performance and the amount of music the three of them make is astounding.

godoze · #10 08-26-2004, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Parker

I have an older JM live recording in a trio format that features Trilok Gurtu and Kai Ekhardt. I can't remember the name and I can't find it right now but i think it is an incredbile performance and the amount of music the three of them make is astounding.

Trilok Gurtu is THE stuff...

MO was a big influence on me when i was a kid.

Peter Parker · #11 08-26-2004, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Zebrauskas

Trilok Gurtu is THE stuff...

MO was a big influence on me when i was a kid.

Yeah, Trilok's great. He's got a very unique and original style that worked so well with how Kai Ekhardt plays bass.

godoze · #12 08-26-2004, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Parker

Yeah, Trilok's great. He's got a very unique and original style that worked so well with how Kai Ekhardt plays bass.

Plus I think you can count all of the Tibetan jazz drummers we know of on one hand.

Nick Bassman · #13 08-26-2004, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Zebrauskas

Plus I think you can count all of the Tibetan jazz drummers we know of on one hand.

Unfortunately Trilok isn't one of them

According to his website he was born in Bombay (Mumbai) in India.

DigMe · #14 08-26-2004, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Bassman

Unfortunately Trilok isn't one of them

According to his website he was born in Bombay (Mumbai) in India.

But that doesn't mean that you can't count all the tibetan jazz drummers on one hand.

brad cook

Nick Bassman · #15 08-26-2004, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigMe

But that doesn't mean that you can't count all the tibetan jazz drummers on one hand.

brad cook

True ............ very true

Bruce Lindfield · #16 08-26-2004, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Parker

I have an older JM live recording in a trio format that features Trilok Gurtu and Kai Ekhardt. I can't remember the name and I can't find it right now but i think it is an incredbile performance and the amount of music the three of them make is astounding.

I have the studio album "Que Alegria" with that trio and it is definitely worth buying - an album I often return to!!

godoze · #17 08-26-2004, 10:06 AM

he may have been bornm in bombay but he sports a Tibetan name.

brianrost · #18 08-26-2004, 10:08 AM

The original Mahavishnu only recorded four albums:

Inner Mounting Flame
Birds of Fire
Between Nothingness and Eternity (live)
Trident Sessions (this went unreleased until a few years ago; it's mostly studio versions of the same songs on the live album).

McLaughlin reused the M.O. name a few times for totally different bands, none of which are nearly as essential to hear IMHO.

BTW, original M.O. bassist Rick Laird is no longer playing music. He now works as a professional pohotographer.

Nick Bassman · #19 08-26-2004, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

I have the studio album "Que Alegria" with that trio and it is definitely worth buying - an album I often return to!!

I agree, this is a great album.

cgworkman · #20 08-26-2004, 10:42 AM

Everything by Mahavishnu is great.

Visions of The Emerald Beyond is my favorite though...