Conference mr1pst::music

    next time you are in a record store, ask to see their
    'schwann (sp?) catalog'.
    
    i have a couple of albums at home that i can get the titles
    for but there were a fair number (counting various solo
    efforts).
    
    willie

	There were several versions of the Mahavishnu Orchestra creating
several albums.  To my knowledge the only albums including the line up
of John McLaughlin, Jan Hammer, Billy Cobham, (also Jerry Goodman &
Rick Laird, violin & bass respectively) were:

	the Inner Mounting Flame (first Album)
	Birds Of Fire (second Album)

	There was an album from that period that included John McLaughlin,
Billy Cobham, and Carlos Santana.  I would expect this album to be of 
interest to anyone who like the two above albums, though it is slightly
less orchestrated and a bit heavier on the jamming.  It's called:

	Love, Devotion, Surrender

	I believe all these albums are on Columbia.

	I saw the Mahavishnu Orchestra live on several occasions (they
actually openned for J Geils Band at Shaefer (now Sullivan) Stadium!)  I
can't imagine a worst mismatch of bands.  Somebody must have owed Don Law
a favor.  Anyway, the Mahavishnu Orchestra was very, very good live.
Also, I saw the McLaughlin/Santana thing at the Music Hall (now the 
Wang Center, am I getting old??).  The McLaughlin/Santana show was a 
true mind blower!

/ml

    Saw Mahavishnu open for Jeff Beck one time in the Boston Music hall.
    I do believe Jean Luc-Ponte, sp?, was on violin. I had great seats,
    center seat, center section 12 or 13 rows back. The show was great
    and so was the all night party that I went to afterwards. A night
    to remember. No, the party had nothing to do with the show. 8-))
    
    Jim C.
    

    re: .2
    
    You omitted the live "Between Nothingness and Eternity", which was the
    original band.
    
    							Brian

    
    	Jim, I saw the same tour at the Springfield Civic Center.
    	It was the Blow by Blow tour and yes, that was Ponty.
    	Also, Billy Cobham on drums.
    
    

    I have to say it,  if you like Mahavishnu Orchestra (and I sure do) you
    ought to listen to a band called "The Dregs" who fashioned after
    Mahavishnu Orchestra.
    
    My pick for a 1st Dregs album to try out is "Dregs of the Earth" which 
    is available on CD.
    
    	Dave

    There was an excellent John McLaughlin album called "Devotion" that
    was release around 1970 before he formed the Mahavishnu Orchestra.
    It was on Douglas records (a Columbia subsidiary) and is now available
    on CD.
    
    I can recall seeing a promotional tour in 1971 that featured the
    Mahavishnu Orchestra, Blue Oyster Cult, and Edgar Winter's White Trash.
    Mahavishnu was definitely the best of the three acts. I also remember
    the ticket price--$1.50!

>     You omitted the live "Between Nothingness and Eternity", which was the
>     original band.

	AHA! I *am* getting old.

>     	Jim, I saw the same tour at the Springfield Civic Center.
>     	It was the Blow by Blow tour and yes, that was Ponty.
>     	Also, Billy Cobham on drums.

	I also saw Mahavishnu open for Jeff Beck at the Music Hall in 
Boston.  I believe this was 1975 and was on the blow-by-blow tour.  
Mahavishnu did have Ponte with him but I *think* the drummner was 
Nirada Michael Walden (who Beck also subsequently used), not Billy Cobham.
I could be wrong it was a *long* time ago.  Or perhaps the Spingfield and
Music Hall shows were different tours. Or perhaps McLaughlin was using 
both drummers alternately at the time.  I think both Cobham and Walden 
were living in New York at the time so Springfield was "local"...

	Also, does anyone know if Cobham's 1st album Spectrum has ever been
available on CD?  It was a great record with Tommy Bolan (R.I.P.), Jan
Hammer and Lee Sklar, but I recall seeing it in cut-out bins *years* ago.

/ml

  Other releases nominally by Mahavishnu Orchestra (later lineups), that I
  don't believe were mentioned, include "Apocalypse" ('74) and "Visions of
  the Emerald Beyond".  Not that I recommend them...  - Jay

re .-*  GREAT RESPONSE!!!

  I didn't know there were so many...
  I used to have "Spectrum" and "Love, Devotion, Surrender" on tape, but
  the tapes are completely worn out :-(
  The only playable thing I have is "Inner Mounting Flame" which indeed
  is still superb music to listen to.

  I saw Billy Cobham (behind a huge wall of drums equipment) in Antwerp
  round 1972 or so. Very good concert!

  I was kind of forgotten all about John McLaughlin until I saw the
  absolutely great Sevilla-'92 concerts series on BBC ("Guitar Legends")
  (Btw: I only missed Frank Zappa there!!!)
  Especially spectacular was the Jazz Night, featuring, among others, JM,
  Larry Corryel (sp?), Paco De Lucia (sp?), Stanley Clarke (sp?), George
  Benson, George Duke (!) on keyboards, and 2 unbelievable
  drummers/percussionists (anyone know their names?)...

  Anyhow, John McLaughlin was brilliant there, playing together with Paco
  and others. It was NOT a showing off thing ('Hey Look How Many Notes
  I Can Play In One Little Second!)
  it was simply fast and beautiful... 


>
>    I do believe Jean Luc-Ponte, sp?, was on violin. I had great seats,
>
  correct sp is:  Jean-Luc Ponti


>
>    next time you are in a record store, ask to see their
>    'schwann (sp?) catalog'.
>
  I'll do that...
  I sure hope to find any old vinyls (don't have a CD yet!)

  It's nice to know that JM has not been forgotten yet :-)

    
    	He also has an interesting solo ablum - Johnny Mclaughlin - where
    	he plays with different musicians on different tracks.  I remember
    	really liking the feel of that one.  It wasn't polished or over
    	rehearsed.  Maybe sloppy is the word but I liked it for that
    	reason.
    
    	I always felt that he was great because he seemed to take chances
    	in his playing.  He sometimes sounded sloppy when he went for it,
    	but never bad.  
    
    	Tom
    

    I have seen Cobham's "Spectrum" on cd, it is available

>>
>>    I do believe Jean Luc-Ponte, sp?, was on violin. I had great seats,
>>
>  correct sp is:  Jean-Luc Ponti
    
    Wrong, it's Ponty with a "y".

    
    	John McLaughlin also has a recent new CD out called "que allegria"
    it came out the end of 1992. He plays mostly acoustic, very good CD.
    Out of all the MO stuff I like "Birds of Fire" the best.
    
    	Alot of "Spectrum" is also on "Best of Billy Cobham" which is also
    out on CD.
    
    Vinny

    
     In a recent Aerosmith interview Steven Tyler said their
    1st tour was backing up the Mahavishnu Orchestra. John M.
    would come out before each of his performances and ask for
    a moment of silence. Eventually he had to ask Aerosmith not
    to play anymore because he couldn't get his moment of silence
    after they played.

    That's gotta be one of the weirdest double bills I've ever heard of.

    Ok, how's this for a triple bill show that I saw back in '73:
    
    	Leo Kottke
    	Mahavishnu Orchestra
    	Frank Zappa & The Mothers
    
    Cheers,
    Ken
    

    Yeah. Here's a bad double bill I went to back around '72:

    opening act: J. Geils Band
    headliner:   Van Morrison

    Van sounded pretty tame after Geils' set.

     
      There's also Shakti with John Mclaughlin to add to your collection.
      Shakti means: creative intelligence, beauty & power.

    mahavishnu and loggins and messina on the
    boston common, summer of 1972.
    
    willie

    I also saw the Geils/Mahavishnu tour.  At the show I attended the
    opening act was Peter Frampton!  Actually a bill like that is only
    mismatched to people who only like one kind of music.  I thought the
    show was great, although Geils paled after Mahavishnu as far as I was
    concerned.
    
    							Brian

    Okay, this isn't Mahavishnu but the same idea.  I once saw
    a double bill of Return to Forever and Al Green!  This was
    around '76; RTF was the opener btw.

    
    I had forgotten that Kottke opened up for Mahavishnu and the Mothers. I
    managed to catch that bill at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, sometime
    around summer of '74. I do remember seeing McLaughlin, Hammer, Cobham
    and Goodman off to the side of the stage behind the PA bins watching
    Zappa's set.
    
    Another one, and this was a great show: Mahavishnu and Gentle Giant at
    the Felt Forum, NYC, Fall of '72, I believe. Giant was touring
    to support 'Octopus' and MO was performing 'Inner Mounting Flame'. It
    was the first time I saw Mahavishnu, and remember remarking that the
    stage looked like a funeral was going to take place, what with all the
    flowers all over the place. McLaughlin at times would look as if he was 
    possesed while he was playing--his eyes were rolled back in his head,
    and he'd gently sway that double necked monstrosity back and forth...
    blazing a thousand notes a minute, like a machine gun.
     

    Seems to me Jimi Hendrix opened for the Monkees once... or is
    it my imagination

    No it is not your imagination. It was his first tour of the States
    with the Experience. Not sure how many double bills they put on
    but those teenyboppers must have been floored by the specter of
    Mr. Hendrix. 
    
    Jim C.
    

    Re: .24
    
    That bit about the flowers reminds me of the big dichotomy in the M.O.
    repertoire.  Most of the material had titles reflecting peace,
    tranquility, yearning, etc. but a lot of it was incredibly brutal
    sounding.   To me it suggested the turmoil involved in trying to cast
    off the world for the spiritual life.  When the music did become more
    tranquil, it was that much more beautiful because of the contrast.
    
    							Brian 

    
    I agree, some of it did come out sounding pretty violent, and it was no
    doubt written that way. But Billy Cobham had a lot to do with it, and I
    think inadvertently. His melodic toms were always recorded like they were 
    50-gallon drums, or something. They'd be recorded with a lot of
    sustain, and he played them vicious loud, to boot. When he'd do a roll
    across them (and he did that a hell of a lot) you'd just hear this
    roar. Stick that underneath those hyperfast, high range melodic lines 
    that McL and Goodman would play in unison (and sometimes Goodman's 
    intonation was a little off), and you'd get this screeching blast of
    notes that sounded like all hell was breaking loose for a bar and a
    half and then would be gone. I'm thinking of things like 'Noonward
    Race', 'Celestial Terrestrial Travelers', 'Birds of Fire', things like
    that, in particular.
    
    I guess it sonically complimented McL's vision, i.e. love
    can be gentle, but ardent enough to be extremely intense.
    
    It's funny--compare the first couple of MO albums with things like 
    'Apocalypse' and 'Visions of the Emerald Beyond'. Although I'm sure his
    personal/religious concepts hadn't changed, the band personnel did, and
    the sound became a hell of a lot more controlled. Of course, Gayle Moran's 
    voice made a difference, and Mike Walden was a little more precise than
    Cobham (but just as loud, live).
    
    The more gentle tunes, like 'A Lotus on Irish Streams', were welcome
    listening after 15 minutes of rapid-fire assault on one's ears. Beautiful 
    playing.
    
    Peter
     
      

    re. 27
    
    is there a firesign theater notes file?
    
    "occocor ykcor"

    The Jimi Hendrix Experience was the opening act on the Monkees *TOUR*. I
    think they only did 3 or 4 shows before everyone realized that it was a
    big mistake and the Monkees tour continued sans Hendrix.

    ? for the pros. Did Billy Cobhams Spectrum albumn contain the cut
    storm? If not, what was the title of the albumn.
    
    If this belongs in the "who performed this" string, please move mod.
    Gary

    
    re -last:
    
    the release you are looking for is called 'Crosswinds', and was the 2nd
    Cobham solo effort (after 'Spectrum'). "Storm" is on it. It's the drum 
    solo that connects (I think) 'Savannah the Serene' and 'Flash Flood'.
    
    My favorite BC solo album....
    
    Peter 

    
    Not to deepen a rathole, but ...
    
    I saw Al DiMeola (the Elegant Gypsy tour) open for Renaissance !
    
    Al blew us away, and we had to walk out during Renaisaance's first
    number ... Quite the odd pairing.
    
    - acp

    re:32
    Thanks Peter. I agree, probably his best solo work. Now a call
    to Noteworthy to see if its available on CD.
    Gary