Mahavishnu/John

[Ozzman]

Wow...that's all I can say, I just got into this stuff. Can anyone tell me anything about his playing style, gear, scales he uses, stuff like that.

[Black Mariah]

Re: Mahavishnu/John

Gear was usually an ES-335 into Marshalls, although I've heard he used Sunns on tour a lot. I've also seen him with Les Pauls and the occasional ES-135.

[Outlander]

Re: Mahavishnu/John

If you're getting into John you may want to check out Al DiMeola as well. They are both great guitar players but I always prefered Al over John because he was more melodic.John however was awesome with his technical technique I just could't listen to him for very long at a time.
especially his later albums.

They both did an album, or maybe 2, together which was ahead of it's time. Listen to some of John's acoustic stuff. Both of these artists could only be found in the jazz category back in the day. Maybe still so......... [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[Ozzman]

Re: Mahavishnu/John

Birds of Fire just slays...I was listening to it and I was like wow...this is fairly technical...and the double bass is cool, some of the drumming is nice to...then I saw the date...and I was like...holy crap...man...that's crazy for the year. I didn't think the technique got notched up like that till like 78 or 79 at earliest...again...wow...then......wow

[Tetsuo]

Re: Mahavishnu/John

I know inner mouting flame was with a LP.. Awesome album John is insane. You hear teh guitar Trie with Luca John and Al?

[pro-fusion]

Re: Mahavishnu/John

In Mahavishnu Orchestra he also used a Gibson 6/12 doubleneck, and then a custom-made doubleneck when the money started rolling in. He does quite of bit of 12-string playing on those albums--most of the clean electric sounds, seemingly. My favorite of his is Mahavishnu's "Visions of the Emerald Beyond". Not with the 'classic lineup', I guess, but it has Jean-Luc Ponty on violin and his duelling leads with John on that album just kill. Plus, it's a little funkier than the first two albums (which are definitely classics).

Speaking of Jean-Luc Ponty--if you like Mahavishnu Orchestra, check out Ponty's "Enigmatic Ocean" album. It has a young Allan Holdsworth playing some of his most intense work. Great album!