Genres: Fusion, Jazz-Rock Active: 70's, 80's Formed: 1971
Alexis Korner, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Kenny Burrell, Howlin' Wolf, Graham Bond, Danny Thompson, Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery, Tal Farlow, Don Ellis, Miles Davis, Charlie Christian, Ravi Shankar, Jimi Hendrix Elements, Ten Wheel Drive, Compost, Dreams, Weather Report, Return to Forever, John McLaughlin, The Eleventh House, Bill Connors, The Brecker Brothers, Lifetime, Al di Meola Squarepusher, Finnforest, The Slip, The Dixie Dregs, Discus, Rainbow Theatre, Aquarium Rescue Unit, Push-Pull, Accordo dei Contrari, Al Garcia, Tortoise, Level 42, Niacin, The Fall of Troy, David Sancious, Brand X, The Mars Volta, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Battles |  |
One of the premiere fusion groups, the Mahavishnu Orchestra were considered by most observers during their prime to be a rock band, but their sophisticated improvisations actually put their high-powered music between rock and jazz. Founder and leader John McLaughlin had recently played with Miles Davis and Tony Williams' 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 1971-1973 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 Narada Michael Walden; 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.
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Release: October 29, 2007
Label: Columbia, Columbia/Legacy
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Release: October 2, 2007
Label: Eagle Vision
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