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Walter Kolosky

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Power, Passion & Beauty: The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra Paperback – July 31, 2006

by Walter Kolosky (Author)

4.3 100 ratings

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From 1971 to 1976, the Mahavishnu Orchestra forged a controversial new musical direction. The loudest and fastest band in the world, the MO could scare people as well as create music of great beauty. Its influence lives on today across classical, jazz, rock, hip-hop, rap, progressive rock, world, heavy metal, death metal, Indian, jam band, and country music landscapes. All five original band members as well as many other top musicians contributed.

Print length

313 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Abstract Logix Books
Publication date

July 31, 2006
Dimensions

5.5 x 0.5 x 8.25 inches
ISBN-10

0976101629
ISBN-13

978-0976101628
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a terrific story beautifully told." -- Allaboutjazz.com

"One of the greatest books to come out in 2006." -- Tom Gagliardi of the Gagliarchives Radio and Internet show

"a fascinating story of the music, the spirit of the times, and of the people. A must read..." -- Jazzrockworld.com

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abstract Logix Books; 1st edition (July 31, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 313 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0976101629
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0976101628
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.5 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,323,239 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #755 in Classical Musician Biographies
- #4,469 in Classical Music (Books)
- #6,187 in Music History & Criticism (Books)

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4.3 100 ratings

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Walter Kolosky

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Walter Kolosky is best known for his work on the music of the guitarist/composer John McLaughlin. Kolosky is the author of the acclaimed book about the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Power, Passion and Beauty. (In 2013, he updated that work with a special edition ebook.) Follow Your Heart, continued his study of McLaughlin’s music, song by song since 1969. Follow Your Heart is an invaluable listener’s guide, history, reference book and source of inspiration all rolled into one. Kolosky is also co-host of the popular Jazz Rocks Podcast.

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James Caldwell

What You Didn't Know about the Mahavisnu Orchestras, with Walter Koloski will be Pleased to Answer!!!

Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2013

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A ton of information on one of the most influential music groups since the Beatles. It was since I heard Frank Zappa for the first time that I'd began collecting instrumental albums only. Rock started to bore me, and seemed to be going nowhere. For some reason I'd never be able to catch the lyrics anyway - unless they were on linar notes. 'The Inner Mounting Flame' grabbed me by the throat, and told me "....listen; there's a world of music you know nothing of, and it starts here." Of course, I went on to listening to Miles, Coltraine and the greats, but Mc Lauchglin and Mahavishnu Mark I were the gateway to a universe of music which I was going to fall passionately in love with.

This book is so good because of the paucity of information from behind the scenes which followed all Mahavishnu incarnations. Kolosky gives us the inside skinny, and for me I found it an invaluable reference work to find source material, and even YouTube clips I'd never heard of. I knew Mahavishnu Mk I were loud, but it was Kolosky and some YouTube clips I'd not seen before which gave me a clue on exactly how loud they must have been. I would have gladly sacrificed some hearing just to see that lineup, but was eventually most impressed to see Mahavishnu Mk II 3 times - Narada Walden did a 48 minute drum solo on one evening!!!

This is a great read for those who love Mc Laughlin's Mahaviishnu work. It brings disparate work together that the casual reader would probably not find. Koloski's enthusiasm carries the book at a bouncing pace. A great read at a great price - as current material you''ll get from a 2013 release!

3 people found this helpful

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JSG

Essential Read on a Great Band

Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2007

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Walter Kolosky does a terrific job with this book, leaving no stone unturned. All former members of the Mahavishnu Orchestra contribute interviews for the book - mostly candid, plus there are plenty of guest quotes including members of other noted bands and the latter incarnations of the MO. There's plenty of history here - pre band, band and post-band. There's also a good amount of musical analysis and the book interacts with a website - so the work is dynamic and takes advantage of the modern era in technology.

The book is a quick read and entertaining; it's the kind of book you leave laying around and pick up repeatedly and reread over and over. The impact of the original Mahavishnu Orchestra is made clear and there are great stories about the bands that the MO wound up opening up for or co-headlining with. Once you've heard the music of the MO you will feel sympathy for these other bands.

I recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of the MO or for anyone who is interested in music.

I have heavy praise for Walter for putting this book together; the story had to be told and he stepped up. It is clearly the work of an educated fan of the band. I felt like a got a real feel for the personalities of all the musicians in the original band, and that's helped me to understand how things imploded for them.

I would give the book 4 1/2 stars if I could. Some of the quotes from the "guest musicians" are kind of self-gratifying and not really essential to the story - they don't add anything important. Instead of focusing wholeheartedly on Mahavishnu we get to read egoed out stories by people like Steve Lukather and a couple others. But it's a small part of the book, still entertaining and says more about the "quotees". I would have loved to see the members go through the records track by track and mention their recollections - but I'm sure Walter probably just felt fortunate to get the band members inputs on the book, so I may be asking too much!

2 people found this helpful

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Jonathan Sacks

A stupendous book about a stupendous band

Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2007

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Walter Kolosky takes us into the heart, soul, and universe of the Mahavishnu Orchestra in a piercingly frank and personal way that provides us with a lot more than a glimpse of the characters, personalities, and energy that were at the core of the world's fastest and loudest jazz-rock fusion band; indeed, a band that was at the very cutting (bleeding!) edge of a fantastmagorical brand of music the likes of which had never been played before or since. He has actually achieved something that the band itself could never have done because of the tension and rivalries that both held the band together and blew them apart after less than three power-packed years. He has described the Mahavishnu Orchestra (TMO) in a riveting, stark, and exciting manner that is thrilling and profoundly nostalgic. For people such as myself, who loved the band 30+ years ago and who have "rediscovered" it periodically since, the issuance of this book was perfectly timed as I had spent scores of hours during the spring and summer of 2006 studying TMO's music and the sheet music in huge detail with my eldest son. Having this book was the next best thing to having TMO right there is my living room or basement studio. It completed our exploration of TMO and of our own musical abilities (or lack thereof!). This is a book for the ages written about a band for the ages, a band which I fear and regret we shall never see the likes of again. Rock on, TMO and Walter Kolosky!

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P. L Schmelzer

An important book, with flaws

Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2006

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The good news is you have to agree with most of Kolosky's conclusions regarding the place of the MO in the history of music. They remain unique, spanning the improvisation of jazz, the compositional sensibility of classicism, the rhythmic variation of Indian music and the energy and power of Rock. The bad news is Kolosky's methodology and his own limitations prevent a completely satisfying book. The book consists almost entirely of interviews, which in and of itself is not a problem. but in telling the story Kolosky doesn't always ask the right questions. He does effectively trace the careers of the key participants and the interviews provide a wealth of anecdotal information detailing the short life of the Mo, but his lack of technical knowledge leave us still guessing at the processes that created this unique band, its triumphs and limitations.

11 people found this helpful

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Rayman

Interesting and informative read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2023

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Well written and full of interesting facts and features about the various incarnations of the band. Recommended.

Azlee

Highly recommended

Reviewed in Germany on March 26, 2016

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Finally a concise precise book of one of the groundbreaking bands in music. The Mahavishnu Orchestra is pretty aptly in all its facets. Highly recommended!!!

strangerbytheminute

BIRDS OF FIRE

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 12, 2015

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This is a lovingly crafted book, albeit a little chaotic at times, interspersed as it is with tributes from musicians past and present. If you want the band members to dish the dirt on each other, don't look here. One of the pleasant features of this book is the level of respect that exists between the band members even if they're not on each others Christmas card lists anymore.

But, the over arching emotion is one of envy. For all the people here who saw this band when they were 'birds of fire'. 'The Inner Mounting Flame' must be one of the greatest albums of all time in any genre and it's creation and the band's short lived fuse is here described with great care and love.

One person found this helpful

Guitar Loco

Informativ!

Reviewed in Germany on April 9, 2015

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Manchmal etwas zu viel Beschreibung von Musik, was fast immer eine schlechte Idee ist, sofern der Autor nicht selbst Musiker ist. Nichtsdestotrotz ein informatives Buch über eine der wichtigsten Bands der Jazzgeschichte.

One person found this helpful

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Jay Paine

The Greatest Book Ever Written about The Greatest Band That Ever Was.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 16, 2014

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The Greatest Book Ever Written about The Greatest Band That Ever Was. An absolute must for anyone interested in Great Music. While John McLaughlin is generally recognized for his guitar playing skills, I feel he is still underrated, or even unrecognized, as a great contemporary composer, especially his compositions for The Mahavishnu Orchestra. Fortunately, this book goes some way to correct that lack of understanding. Mr. Kolosky uses a chronological format to great effect. He skillfully traces the evolution of JM's music journey. We see McLaughlin's earliest influences and then the evolutionary (or should it be revolutionary?) path he has taken. Please do yourself a favor and get this eBook 2013 Edition.

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