Cosmic Strut - Mahavishnu Orchestra

[dangardinerx1]

Hey 'theory nerds', keep it going!

Without people who are passionate about music and delight in the subtley, complexity and magic of different music we'd just end up with a world full of "ug - drummer him hitting drum" type neanderthals.

[1m2a3t4t5]

@dangardinerx1

It amazes me how people are that concerned about the notes being played, I think its great.

[McGowanSam]

The Coltrane of F.U.N.K.

[nclempark1]

Haha theory nerds.

[schlepworld]

There may be "better" editions of Mahavishnu, but this is still my favorite album. The vinyl still sounds great turned up loud - love NMWalden's drumming.

[sinfoneura]

The intro and principal figure is 9/4..

[StingraysElectroGram]

Kick'in Funk Jazz !!

[musicanonatempo]

Only for rhythm genius if you can play this you are one of them

[tjdinvt]

tx for posting this wonderful music!

[ianadels]

The song isn't all in 9/8. The guitar solo is 3 bars of 4/4, a bar of 9/4 and a bar of 6/4. This repeats until it goes back to the interlude section which then goes into the 9/4 violin solo.

[drummingforever]

@ianadels actually, the guitar solo is an alternation between a bar of 7/4 and a bar of 13/8. Or, you could think about it as a bar of 4/4, and a bar of 3/4 (together a larger group of 7/4) followed by a bar of 4/4 and a bar of 5/8 (together a larger group of 13/8).

[ianadels]

@drummingforever False. First off, why would you change from a 4th note to an 8th note count? It should all be a quarter note. And by your count, there are only 21 beats in the repeated measure, when actually there are 27 beats. You could subdivide these 27 in various ways but I chose my way. I could say a bar of 7/4 13/4 and 6/4(The 6/4 is the ascending line that the rhythm section repeats) make up the whole grouping- it wouldn't really matter.

[drummingforever]

Actually, no. It can't all be a quarter note count because there are 27 EIGHTH NOTES. This means there must be an asymmetrical measure. In my assessment, the first large grouping is 7/4 (4/4 + 3/4, a total of 14 eighth notes) and the second large grouping is 13/8 (4/4 + 5/8, a total of 13 eighth notes). Try counting 12121212 / 121212 / 12121212 / 12123 at the 8th note level (what you call the "beat", which is actually the beat division level) and I promise you it will line up very nicely.

[sinfoneura]

@drummingforever Intro:9/4..medial progresion7/4 or (3,2,2 from mnemotecnia) Solo or free section in a balcanic structure..

[drummingforever]

@sinfoneura You're right, intro is in 9 (9/8 with snare on beats 2 + 4:: 1+2+3+4++ repeated). The "medial" section is the guitar solo section which DOES have a measure of 7/4 but it's followed by a measure of 13/8 (In other words, the largest grouping structure that is repeated is a "measure" of 27/8). No clue what you mean by balcanic structure or mnemotecnia for that matter.

[petermcintyre100]

michael walden & ralph armstrong on drums & bass respectively, along with the other equally brilliant musicians. Glad I was listening to this back in 75. Class act !

[kevfullo]

cosmicfunkjazzmania, nice

[zephyreubizzle]

Nice Dice! BRAO/BROW.

[zephyreubizzle]

Nice Dice! BRAO/BROW.

[zephyreubizzle]

Nice Dice! BRAO/BROW.

[zephyreubizzle]

NICE DICE!!!! Brow.

[mo9504]

Saw them in concert ( John M ) at Suffolk Downs ( Boston 1973 ) backing up J. Giels Band, they were OUTSTANDING, believe it or not, I have still their album. It has been played 3 times, you never know it may be worth something someday. Thank you for the music.

[69MC97gc]

@mo9504 When you say thank  you I hope you mean Mahavishnu,not the J Geils Band.

[TheGolif]

acid coolness

[sgilh001]

vef444 check out umphreys mcgee, they have alot of influence from these guys

[kylefuckingretallack]

The Time signature is 9/4.

[vef444]

Are there any modern bands like this?

[BadAssMotha5000]

what time signature is this in?? thanks, peace!

[madtiger111]

One of the better tunes from this lineup.

[HEMPFESTdotORG]

This album changed my life also.

[TheMenghi1]

@HEMPFESTdotORG --May I ask how this album changed your life, if not too personal?

[retrogamah]

One of my top favorite fleamarket treasures!!!

[cerelepe]

muito incrível

[chillichomper]

Mahavishnu, Herbie Hancock and many others.... I miss the 70s!

[bloozemc]

awesomepost ty..these guys are somewhat overlooked i think

[1959child]

are there any bands style jazz fusioning today who can be recommended??

[chuckbyf]

Saw them at the Morris Civic Auditorium in South Bend in 75. Second best concert I've ever seen, and a very memorable afternoon. I love Jean Luc Ponty's solos on this album. Favorite is the last tune on first side. I wish they could keep that up forever.

[funkydrumr51]

Narada.

[AssOnAPlate187]

GOD DAMN I AIN'T GOT ENOUGH BUCKETS TO CONTAIN ALL THE FUNK OOZING OUT THIS TRACK.

[petermcintyre100]

It does not matter what note they are playing in; it just sounds soooo good. This and the next track were great ones to put on when I returned home from the pub. My mum came down from her bed one night to complain of the noise I was making on the sideboard!!! :-)

[teledeluxe75]

This is the album that changed my life in 1975.

[weewilly49]

@teledeluxe75 Don't doubt it for a second!

[atl2maryland]

all time signatures are easy tho.. the way I look it 9/8 is the same way Id look at 4/4.. just an extra eighth until you get back to the 1. or Id break it down into groups of 3 8th notes and work with it from there

[pcjenkin]

That drum roll at the end of the 1st measure is so smooth it's not even funny!!

[pcjenkin]

Can any of us really jam in 9/8 like these guys can? I don't think soooooo....

[TheLiesette]

@pcjenkin 9/8 isn't too complicated...

[pcjenkin]

@TheLiesette. I didn't comment on the piece being either too complicated or too simple. I said, "Can any of us really jam ( i.e. ad lib, solo, improvise, etc.) like these guys ( i.e. Jean Luc Ponty, Michael Walden, John Mclaughlin, et al) can? I don't thing soooooo...." Sorry if my assertion was ambiguous or lacked clarity in some way; It had been 27 years since I had heard this piece it.

[eurekabach]

@TheLiesette Listen to Genesis Supper's Ready Apocalypse 9/8...it's really difficult to keep the rhythm

[juanbarros88]

@eurekabach I know the title says 9/8, but it's actually 9/4, unless they eight notes r that slow. some ppl dont know if what they tap are quarters or eight notes. I know cause as a drummer I must know. Obviously u dont count that piece and this 1 the same way. probably cause this 1 is in 9/8 n the genesis 1 in 9/4. in 9/8(1&2&3&4&51&2&3&4&51) you feel like you skip something not so much in 9/4(1&2&3&4&5&6&7&8&9&1) 9/4 has all the &s. 9/8 is missing an & every measure.

[juanbarros88]

the missing the & thing depends on the way you count. i know the difference between qurters and eight notes using the snare as a reference. Usually the snare goes in every other quarter. of course two 9/8 measure = one 9/4 but apocalypse is obviously not two 9/8 measure together in a measure unlike the song seven days, which can be felt as 5/8 or 5/4. ppl have trouble with the value of the notes and its relation with the tempo. 8th notes at 40bpm are quarters at 80bpm... stuff like that

[juanbarros88]

@pcjenkin I think I could, I just have to pracitce the way I practice 4/4; most of the time. if u can jam in 4/4 w/ no problem, u can do 9/8. I would recommend start w/ 5/4 then 7/8. 9/8 is 5/4 w/ an 8th less. a great way to count: tap 5 quarters and on the 5th omit the & u aren't tapping and go right into the next measure (just for practice until u get use to it) oh im a drummer hahah

1(&),2(&),3(&),4(&)51(&)2(&)3(­&)4(&)5... count, but just tap the numbers not the &s

[pcjenkin]

@juanbarros88 Some good observations. Personally I don't have a problem with 7/8, I can hear the timing in my head. Like Dance on a Volcano and one of the cuts on Selling England by the Pound. However I'm used to 7/8, but I'll admit I'm not so used to playing in 9/8.

[juanbarros88]

@pcjenkin yeah, I think 7/8 is the easiest after 4/4, just one eight less. do you think 7/8 is more common than 9/8? i'm not sure. oh, 3/4 is probably easier.

[pcjenkin]

@juanbarros88 @pcjenkin I am beginning to understand a little more about 9/8, but I think bands like Genesis, Brand X, Rush, and Queensryche seemed to be comfortable with 7/8. Apocalyspe in 9/8 woundn't have been easy for me to improvise in, back when I used to play. Oh yeah, 3/4 and 6/8 were kind of easy because they were like pulses, i.e. 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 or in 6/8 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4.

[atl2maryland]

@juanbarros88 6/8 and 3/4 are easy. 6/8 is easy because its "even time".. 7 is an odd feel so the repition its just weird

[juanbarros88]

@atl2maryland I know, 3/4 is basic, so it's 6/8, which can also be counted as 3/4. 6/8 can either be compound or not.

[pcjenkin]

@pcjenkin I am beginning to understand a little more about 9/8, but I think bands like Genesis, Brand X, Rush, and Queensryche seemed to be comfortable with it. Apocalyspe in 9/8 woundn't have been easy for me to improvise in, back when I used to play. Oh yeah, 3/4 and 6/8 were kind of easy because they were like pulses, i.e. 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 or in 6/8 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4.

[raccoonlord]

haha "but still good"

yeah, you know, it's like... all right. nowhere near Rolling Stone top 20 status though.

[douchebag21]

acid jazz 

[kevfullo]

best funkvishnu bar none!

[Opqosite]

i like the drumming

[TokenRah]

This is the track that got me into Mahavishnu Orchestra. So funky and amazing!

[EEETREE]

seems like Narada gave it the more dancy rock drumming sound that Mclaughlin and the record label cronies were looking for

[luigiB612]

great Michael "Narada"Walden at the drums,but i dnt like this formazion ,im likè

Billy Cobham groove and ispirations in this music each other

[BabeReport]

Yeah, I much prefer Cobham too but I love this track.

[boobj]

that came to N. Carolina,.Asheville

[boobj]

Written by Walden,.,I remember him well.There is a cover tribute band that cant N. Carolina ,.that did a great job,.google it

[goldenchopsticks]

Does anyone know a band that does funk instrumentals as insane as this? This is Mahavishnu's only song like this, I need more!!!

[XguitarrockerX]

Maybe Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the song 'Please Heat This Eventually', or the albums from the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quintet.

[mrgreen05]

fuck ya omar!!!!!!!!!!! love mars volta

[Lachlanau]

jean luc ponty "enigmatic ocean" would be a good place to stary

[BabeReport]

try "can't stand your funk"

[SupernalOne]

@goldenchopsticks

James "Blood" Ulmer had a jazz/funk/rock trio in the early 80's - he didn't stay in that genre forever, but he did some nice work - see what you can find by him -- I saw him in DC at the 9:30 Club, and it was mind-warping - same fast funky percussive syncopated bottm and harmonically-distorted dissonant lead work - made one want to howl !

[fusionsmarty]

this tune is so crazy.... transcribed it yesterday, man this was some tough job... i´m looking forward to play this with some of my fellow students at my prediploma-concert...

[goldenchopsticks]

This would be insane at a show.

[drumminginchicago9]

Im sure either of them Billy C or Mike Walden can put there own twist on any of each others tunes and they both have great respect for each other i would imagine

[xanderlev1]

The lost prog funk of the century!

[viidiot]

"but hey, still good". Are you kidding me?! Good? They are super awsome! Not as good as the first line up, ok, I can live with that....but c'mon.

[drummerofchicago]

there both super talented drummers Billy C and Walden just unreal chops

[mandrew81]

best song on this album..i used to wear it out

[taxiboysdrummer]

I did tons of PCP to this as a kid!

Before Hockey games....

Luv it!

taxiboysdrummer

also cooked pcp on weed in the oven...

Angel Dust?

Thank God I'm Normal!

pussypowervideo

[DreamingOfBaba]

YEAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! This was IT for me in my teenage years!! Mahavishnu Orchestra!!

[tphilp74]

I'm actually torn between Billy Cobham and Narada Michael Walden. A better piece of work, IMO, is his drumming on Eternity's Breath. OMG.. that song is so amazing.

[themccookinator]

haha I perfectly agree, that's one of Cobham's finest works

[eskimoposh]

didn't walden write this one?

[krysztoph]

Greatest <jazz-fonk-vision-fusion°° ever!!!!

[Robokiller80]

This tone and playing john uses for this solo is so otherworldly

[Rhythmicons]

Oh this is Funky Insane!

Moog Lives!

Rhythmicons

[xHarry2112x]

2:30 is amazing!

[otisbermuda]

Jean-Luc-Ponty's solo is funkin awesome !!!!!!!

[noadmax]

Walden VS Cobham. Hmmmn.... Cobham is like Earl Cambell, smashmouth speed and power, very effective with John in that group. Walden is like Gale Sayers speed and finesse. What was needed in the 2nd band. Both are great just different styles and bands.

[joncoltrain]

eternitys breath part 2 is one of the heaviest jams ever did i realize the power of this music when i first heard it no way i loved it but when i heard it years later i couldnt stop listening to some of these songs like this one over and over again i suggest another acquired taste which really really gets me off is weather report and anything zawinul did after that get past the "cheesiness" if u think thats what u r hearing because he is a genius

[Keppisankari]

I think it's bs that this lineup would have been any worse than the first lineup. Okay, Walden may not be Cobham, but he's still friggin' awesome drummer!

[hughes945]

Cheers!