Mahavishnu

Chinmoy, whose path was paved with "peace, light, and bliss," had several hundred followers worldwide, including rock musicians John "Mahavishnu" McLaughlin and

Take Me for a Ride: coming of age in a destructive cult Mark Eliot Laxer

Listen, and you'll hear white-robed leader "Mahavishnu" John McLaughlin's fiery, speed-demon guitar, Jan Hammer's keyboards, Jerry Goodman's electric violin, Rick Laird's bass and Billy Cobham's drums swirling together, as closely attuned and interconnected as birds in a flock.

StarTribune.com rss feed 2010

AD: Well, if you listen to Miles' records, they're just jam session, but Mahavishnu, Weather Report, and especially Return To Forever were compositional bands.

Mike Ragogna: Crosstalk Thursday: Conversations with Billy Currington, Brett Dennen, Al DiMeola, and Yellowjackets' Bob Mintzer Mike Ragogna 2011

At the time, I think the big bands out there were the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report, and of course others.

Mike Ragogna: Return To Return To Forever: Chatting With Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke, Plus John Common and Author Dr. Tony Youn Mike Ragogna 2011

AD: Well, if you listen to Miles' records, they're just jam session, but Mahavishnu, Weather Report, and especially Return To Forever were compositional bands.

Mike Ragogna: Crosstalk Thursday: Conversations with Billy Currington, Brett Dennen, Al DiMeola, and Yellowjackets' Bob Mintzer Mike Ragogna 2011

It was kind of like the beginning of a movement of music--fusion was like the pioneering days, and they were one of the three main groups, along with Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Weather Report was another.

Mike Ragogna: Crosstalk Thursday: Conversations with Billy Currington, Brett Dennen, Al DiMeola, and Yellowjackets' Bob Mintzer Mike Ragogna 2011

At the time, I think the big bands out there were the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report, and of course others.

Mike Ragogna: Return To Return To Forever: Chatting With Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke, Plus John Common and Author Dr. Tony Youn Mike Ragogna 2011

Plus, he came from that growing era in the '70s, when all those bands were out on the road--he was playing with the Mahavishnu Orchestra--so we have a track together there, you know?

Mike Ragogna: Return To Return To Forever: Chatting With Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke, Plus John Common and Author Dr. Tony Youn Mike Ragogna 2011

Plus, he came from that growing era in the '70s, when all those bands were out on the road--he was playing with the Mahavishnu Orchestra--so we have a track together there, you know?

Mike Ragogna: Return To Return To Forever: Chatting With Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke, Plus John Common and Author Dr. Tony Youn Mike Ragogna 2011

There's a Headhunters-like bravura to some of bass-guitar virtuoso Raja's dynamically funky music, and last year's Mystic Radikal album was greeted in some quarters by the suggestion that if the Mahavishnu Orchestra were reformed with a reincarnated Jaco Pastorius in charge it would sound pretty similar.

This week's new live music 2011