Mahavishnu Orchestra fans...?


Which album/s would you recommend for the heavier/fusion type stuff? Thanks. I own one live recording and would like studio recordings.
mnnc

Showing 2 responses by ghostrider45

Got to agree with Siliab. Also try The Lost Trident Sessions to hear studio versions of some of the tunes on the live album Between Nothingness and Eternity.

The original band consisted of John Mclaughlin, Jan Hammer (keyboards), Jerry Goodman (violin), Billy Cobham (drums) and Rick Laird (bass).

I think that Jan Hammer was a major contributor to the original Mahavishnu sound. You might check out Spectrum (with Billy Cobham and Jan Hammer) and Like Children (Jan Hammer and Jerry Goodman) for some other examples of his work. Later he went commercial doing music for Miami Vice.

Tensions between McLaughlin and Hammer broke up the original band after The Lost Trident Sessions, and subsequent Mahavishnu albums lack the raw passion of the earlier ones.

John McLaughlin has had an eclectic career and has changed styles many times. Try Johnny McLaughlin Electric Guitarist as well.

I also love Alan Holdsworth, and you might check out some of his work (Velvet Darkness) for more mind bending fusion guitar.
Mnnc:
You could try McLaughlin's 2008 release Floating Point. Fusion music recorded in India with Indian musicians.

There's also Chick Corea's fusion efforts, both solo and with Return To Forever and Elektric Band. His catalog is huge, but some personal faves are Romantic Warrior and My Spanish Heart.

I'm also a fan of Jean Luc Ponty's (electric violin) bands from the 70's and 80's. Try Aurora, Imaginary Voyage, Enigmatic Ocean, and Cosmic Messenger for starters.

Tribal Tech is good, but no one has ever reached the same peak as Mahavishnu.

Gammajo: Both Inner Mounting Flame and Birds of Fire were remastered a few years ago and sound better. In addition Mofi issued Inner Mounting Flame on CD in 1999.