Lotuses On Irish Strings: The Mahavishnu Orchestra

The first time I ever heard the Mahavishnu Orchestra I hated them. But, I persisted, and after only a few listens, my life with John McLaughlin and The Mahavishnu Orchestra began. I stood in concert ticket lines not once, not twice, but three times to see this band. Live is the only way to see and hear this incredible 5-man formation which spans members from around the globe: The Mahavishnu John McLaughlin is from England, Bass guitarist Rick Laird is from Ireland, Drummer Billy Cobham is from Panama, Keyboardist Jan Hammer is from Czechoslovakia, and violinist Jerry Goodman is from the U.S. As a group, they were as cross-cultural as their music.

My first intro to The Mahavishnu Orchestra was with the album The Inner Mounting Flame. My first reaction was "Can't we just listen to Deep Purple instead?" But the record sunk its teeth in me, and I was Mahavishnu-hooked in no time. John McLaughlin's licks are just out of this world. My second favorite player in the band was Jan Hammer. I never much cared for a violin in the band. I've since gotten used to it, but I'm still not sure it works as a collective sound. Two guitars would have been so much better.

First off, I had a really hard time trying to place the style of their music. It wasn't rock, and it wasn't psychedelic. It wasn't jazz, and it certainly wasn't classical. What it was, was a blend of all of these elements. The music was crazy, erratic, and felt out of control. Yet, at the same time, it was all in perfect harmony. I soon found it fascinating.

I always wondered how they could get from point A to point B with their strange accompaniments, wild solos, crazy, almost frenetic climaxes and long songs. But they did, and they did it so well that after the first album, I couldn't get enough. Prog-jam bands like Pink Floyd and Hawkwind had been covering this ground, but not in the way that The Mahavishnu Orchestra did. I couldn't believe how tight they were. "Birds of Fire" is a great album, and the songs "One Word" and "Resolution" are my favorites from that LP. I do favor their live album From Nothingness to Eternity as it reminds me of the three concerts I'd seen from them. The song "Dream" which occupies an entire album side is a magnificent journey through a musical network as intricate as the central nervous system. This album, recorded live, is the last of the original Mahavishnu lineup.