iii concert
The Maha vishnu Orchestra
Photo from IF A
Maha vishnu
in
Portland:
loud
but
good
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The highly visceral Maha vishnu Orchestra put on a rousing, if too
loud exhibition of their progressive jazz-rock-space music at
Portland’s near-capacity Paramount Theater mi Sunday last.
John McLaughlin and Co. continue to impress with their technical
virtuosity and their material is both sophisticated and powerful in one.
They are an esoteric, emotional group and if they had been more in
syncopation Sunday, it surely would have been the concert of this or
any year.
The group, inspired by mystic Sri Chinmoy’s Eastern cosmicity,
opened things up with a prayerful minute of silence, during which a
handful of acerbic Portlanders shouted a desire to “boogie” or “get it
on.” The first tune, “Meeting of the Spirits,” rendered such mundane
requests superfluous as the theater shook with a fulsome beauty and
touches of electric schizophrenia. McLaughlin dazzled on his new
double-necked 12-string guitar and Jan Hammer with colorful
keyboard, Jerry Goodman on mostly vibrant'violin, Rick Laird with
booming bass and the magnificent Billy Cobham on drums, provided
intense interplay.
The first half-hour was quite exciting, including mostly new
unannounced material and jazzy jamming. A tune off “Birds of Fire”
struck a familiar chord as “Open Country Joy” then exploded on the
audience. Sounds were too loud, though, to pick up on all of the song’s
sensuousness and violinist Goodman seemed both off-key and drowned
out at intervals.
Another hour of fast-paced hysteria ensued, including a segue-in
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of their towering “One Word.” But I must say that their series of solos
did not always inspire. Yet when McLaughlin and drummer Cobham
engaged in double repartee or Hammer and Cobham exchanged ideas,
the group soared. Laird continued tight on bass but Goodman had his
violin offstage for fully a third of that hour. A bit of ennui was
inescapable, though the time is always too short when Mahavishnu
plays.
A passionate version of “Hope” certainly satisfied and the
following unknown number also awed, then suddenly McLaughlin
mumbled some thanks, the lights were out and the group was gone.
The crowd elicited one encore, the harrowing “Vital Transformation”
off their first album, “The Inner Mounting Flame.” This was perhaps
their finest moment and it seemed to me the flame was ignited as the
inner tension mounted with the searing volume. Alas, that was all for
Portland and a stunned, shattered audience filed out reluctantly
despite their aching ears.
The concert could have been better, it should have been softer
surely (so 8 acoustic McLaughlin guitar and Hammer piano would
have been appreciated periodically).
The boyish-looking, beautifically smiling McLaughlin remains a
guitar genuis with a long and lively past, though he sometimes sounds
human these days and is occasionally repetitive. One hopes his future
foretells more of the eternal beauty he exemplifies.
Cobham is so dynamic on percussion that his talent and speed rate
at the very top of rock, jazz or any style. Here’s one drummer who is
truly the group’s pulse, not just a loud 4-4 thumper.
Hammer is outstanding and very versatile, Laird is solid and
Goodman good, though the latter has been heard in better form.
It is definitely difficult to pass judgement on musical mind
blowers such as the Mahavishnu Orchestra. If something was missing,
I would suggest that a bit of staleness or a two-year-itch is setting in
somewhat. Still, the group is a brilliant musical “sanctuary” for many
people, and for their faithful followers, hearing them erupt in Portland
was of “Paramount” importance. There was no other place I wanted
to be on Sunday night.
Owen Mascott
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