Mahavishnu - What does that mean?

[ChubbSubb]

This is a post about A show..

A show that I personally think could ignite most modern-heads imaginations.

It happened when I read a poster

it said

COMFORT ZONE

ASTONISHING DOUBLE BILL

So I read the rest.. and I was astonished.. but then saddened.. I realized that much of the head population might not find this as cool... They do music from the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Which was a little before my non-infant area. Its good stuff

The original players were brilliant.. the arrangments were tough and sick sounding, and It gave alot of the progressive rock of the day a Big Shaking.

John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra is considered by many to be the greatest Jazz-fusion group of all time. The group was formed in late 1970-early 1971 by McLaughlin, a brilliant guitarist with a jazz-rock pedigree that included work with the Graham Bond Organisation in the mid-60s, and with the electrified Miles Davis on his landmark "Bitches Brew" LP in 1969.

The original Orchestra included Jan Hammer (later to score TV's "Miami Vice") on keyboards, Jerry Goodman on violin, Rick Laird on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums. They released two fabulous studio albums, Inner Mounting Flame and Birds of Fire, along with a disappointing live album, Between Nothingness and Eternity.

A reformation of the group in 1974 brought Jean-Luc Ponty on board to play violin, along with a host of new supporting musicians (which McLaughlin went on record as saying was the "real Mahavishnu Orchestra"). The Orchestra faded into the sunset in 1975 with the release of the excellent Visions of the Emerald Beyond album, as McLaughlin went on to greener pastures, including a wealth of solo work and further collaborations with Miles Davis and Carlos Santana.

However the show at the comfort zone isn't the Mahavishnu Orchestra.. its The Mahavishnu Project.

A band that plays their material, I have heard the disc, and its note for note perfect and often better, sicker, faster and wilder.

Get a hold of some Mahavishnu Orchestra material somehow. (audiogalaxy etc.) You'll love it if you like Scoffield or Jazz Is Dead or Jean Luc Ponty.

that sort of stuff.. MMW fans will dig this.. Dead and Phishheads alike will gather in the awe that is mahavishnu.

Organize trips from your city.. get to toronto.. go to the comfort zone and check it out.. the players are all top jazz/rock musicians, many played with people like Pat Metheny and Billy Cobham(Original Mahavishnu Member).

The Comfort Zone probably payed a shitload for that band because they are sure we will like it.. They put their faith in us hehehe we could always return the favor.

Do a few domestic bus trips to TO from places like hamilton, and ottawa, maybe montreal, kitchener, all the heads at Western can come home for the weekend to go.

15$ - April 6th..

The Mahavishnu Project (With The Sanctous Calhoun Duo)

Mahavishnu Project

Steven Crump, Bass (Sonny Fortune, Johnny Copeland)

Todd Reynolds, Violin (Wayne Shorter, Cassandra Wilson)

Steve Hunt, Keyboards (Allan Holdsworth, Bill Cobham)

Pete McCann, Guitar (Brecker Bros., John Patitucci)

Greg Bendian, Drums (Pat Metheny, Ornette Coleman, Bill Frisell)

Sanctious Calhoun Duo

David Sanctious, Guitar/Keys (Sting, Springstein, Clapton, Santana)

Will Calhoun (Black Rock Coalition, Living Color)

Thats alot of talent folks.. sorta a I dunno "ONE TIME THING"

they probably aren't going to book this sort of event again there for a while.. Everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE (Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton, Kitchener, London) gets out for this in droves.. If you can provide rides from any of the following cities to toronto or need a ride to toronto for the event email davefitches@rogers.com before thursday to see what can be arranged, or post in the rides section here. I'll Keep a list of everyone providing rides to try and maybe organize this.. its a worth it show. I assure you no one will leave unsatisfied.

If you are a real head and not just into funky clothes and hot dready guys/girls you'll probably be there.

CHubb

[doubleB]

Everyone should check out this show if you possibly can.

We did try and bring it to Ottawa, but it was way to expensive a show. Be glad that the Comfort Zone has the balls to pay these guys the big bucks so that you all can get a taste.

These guys are high end players and will blow your mind.... Worth what ever ticket price they ask.

[ChubbSubb]

thats precisely it.. the comfort zone paid for top shelf entertainment and it is shamefull to not come out and support it

[ChubbSubb]

Seriously worth the gas money

I am pushing it because it is good music.. and probably our only chance to see this north of the border...

see it for 15$ can here.. or 35$american plus travel.. hmmm

[ChubbSubb]

This article explains it way better than I ever could.. I dunno my intensity on this subject comes from being a longtime fan of this sort of music.. its a roots concert people..

Read this

________

About the Mahavishnu Project

Back in 1971 when guitar-god John McLaughlin left Miles Davis' band to form the Mahavishnu Orchestra, he was the first to combine the fire of Hendrix-drenched rock, the grooving jams of Coltrane-esque jazz & the ethereal Indian ragas of Ravi Shankar. The result was nothing less than a musical revolution. The Mahavishnu Orchestra has since been a major influence on everyone from King Crimson to Phish, and was in many ways the first eclectic, electric jam band.

The New York-based Mahavishnu Project launches directly from where the original band left off, giving their own take on this seminal music. This incendiary unit performs unique arrangements of Mahavishnu classics from Birds of Fire and The Inner Mounting Flame while remaining true to the original band's intensity and musicianship. They've recently begun performing material from The Lost Trident Sessions as well as some classic Jan Hammer tunes.

The Mahavishnu Project is made up of some of the hottest players on the jazz fusion scene today. They're led by extraordinary drummer Gregg Bendian (known for his work with Pat Metheny, Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Bill Frisell & Joe Lovano), described as "one of the most exciting & innovative drummers on the planet" by Avant magazine. Bendian's Interstellar Space Revisited: The Music of John Coltrane was recently nominated for Best Tribute CD of 2000 by The International Association of Jazz Journalists. He's joined by guitar phenomenon Pete McCann (who's worked with Dave Liebman & Kenny Wheeler), long-time Allan Holdsworth & Billy Cobham keyboardist Steve Hunt, Stephan Crump (bassist extraordinaire with Sonny Fortune and Bobby Previte), and violinist Todd Reynolds, who has played with Weather Report's Wayne Shorter and vocalist Cassandra Wilson.

Described as "an avant-jazz electric dream team" by the Philadelphia City Paper, The Mahavishnu Project is not merely a tribute band, but an electrifying, spontaneous live show that stirringly resurrects the spirit of the original Mahavishnu's intricate melodies, super-funky grooves and all-out jamming while bringing new life to seminal classics.

"A not-to-be-missed live band....."

About Sanctious/Calhoun The Warm Up BAnd

David Sancious

David Sancious has blazed progressive, funk, rock, fusion and electronic trails since the early 70s. From his amazing fusion classics like TRANSFORMATION to his recording work and countless world tours, including with Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Jon Anderson, Seal, Peter Gabriel and Eric Clapton, to this unique tour, David continues to be a complete original.

Will Calhoun

Will Calhoun came to national notoriety thru his work with the groundbreaking band LIVING COLOUR. After a hiatus of almost a decade, that band is back on the road and in studio. In the interim, Will has carved a niche for himself in jazz, experimental dub and electronica, african percussion, and has made a pile of classic recordings with Wayne Shorter, Jack DeJohnnette, Mos Def, Herb Alpert, Doug Wimbish and his own Jazz Quartet. Will and Doug Wimbish regularly perform as a duo called HEADFAKE.

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see thats why I am ranting and raving people.. this is a big show.. the venue is the best kept secret in canada because they constantly throw little hidden curve balls like this in..

Think about it

Jazz is Dead

Lo-Faber

Project Object

Soulive

recent

Back in the day

Merl Saunders

Jazz is Dead (big big party)

New Deal

I mean these cover charges rarely were over 20$,

its a good venue. if we give them a big party consistantly you can bet your ass that they will clean the place up and fix it up.. our presence will provide them the cash to do it..

Here's the bottom line.. they already like our crowd.. they already book our bands.. the prices are so cheap.. most weeks it is 5$ or free..

But its rundown a bit.. And rightly so its been in operation for what a decade? providing funky tunes.. the venue is older than most of us "scene seniority" wise.. we owe it to them kinda.. hehehhe

well it is a must see show.. thats for damn sure. see what inspired so many bands that we love.

Peace

[Tela]

This sounds like an awesome show!

I am seriously considering leaving my school work behind for an evening and driving down to Toronto to see it. This is the only Canadian date for these guys and they rock!! Who is with me?

[ChubbSubb]

Tela makes a strong point that I forgot to bring up.. this IS the only date in Canada for the Mahavishnu project.. if you want to see them again in the next year, you are goin stateside and paying 4x as much.

Tela, if you decide to come in for the show, can you email me where you are going from, and how many available seats in your car you have.

[Jojo]

just for the record "mahavishnu" is hindi for "creator"

[bradm]

I remember hearing somewhere the "maha" was the creator and "vishnu" the preserver, so "mahavishnu" = creator + preserver (which is a good combo: creating something without being able to preserve it is kinda useless, and you can't preserve what can't be created).

Aloha,

Brad

[ChubbSubb]

I'm not sure the reason why but it was sort of a musical pseudonym for john mclachlan

hmmm maybe I should look that up.

[bradm]

John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana both came under the influence of Sri Chinmoy in the early '70s. McLaughlin adopted the name "Mahavishnu" and Santana the name "Devadip" ("the eye, the light of the lamp of God"). The names were chosen by Chinmoy, and McLaughlin and Santana collaborated on an album, "Love Devotion Surrender", inspired by Chinmoy (there's a photo of the three of them together).

(I pulled all of this together by doing a Google search on "sri chinmoy" with either "john mclaughlin" and "carlos santana".)

Aloha,

Brad

[ChubbSubb]

yeah there we go =)

that saved me the trouble

I am so looking forward to this show tho, I heard the project's versions of several of the tracks.. and they kick ass.. I dunno why they charged 15 for this and 20 for jazz is dead.. this is the vastly more exciting show

[Tela]

Hey chubb, you hear of any other people coming in from out of town for this weekend's mahavishnu show at the cozo??

[ChubbSubb]

A bunch of people emailed, not sure how serious they were.. tomorrow will bear that out..

[Tela]

Hey chubb, get back to me on that...

I am leaving town tomorrow afternoon to get into toronto in time for the show... I ahve a car adn I am willing to pick people up on my way

:-)

[ChubbSubb]

Tela: check your email. cool of you to offer.. there might be a couple of people as I said in the email =)

I really hope someone tapes tonites show.. because I know it will be in my stereo forever.. music like this is really a once in a long while type deal..