Power, Passion and Beauty

Great multi-instrumentalist Gary Husband.

I wanted to tell you how much I ENJOYED your book. I took this picture on a whim -- as I found it, the morning after a late night in my studio. Once again, thank you so much for writing this book. When is the movie coming out (the MO in THX!!!), and who will be playing you?… Scott Pottorf

I just wanted to write and say I am thoroughly enjoying your book. No word of a lie, I got the book in the mail on Thursday, haven't picked it up yet today, but I'm already on page 227. I can't seem to put it down. I Really like the way it's written. The way you wrote makes me picture all of the people involved in the book all sitting in the same room together, you in the middle talking, and they interject every once in a while. Great book!... Adam Duncan

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I now have a sense of total renewal...
I just finished reading your book. My son (21 yrs old) bought it as a Christmas present for me. I could not put it down! Your experiences paralleled mine in the essence that I was born too late to totally realize the Mahavishnu Orchestra in person except for a few hour glimpse - I saw them only once live when I was around 13 years old at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (upstate NY) - like so many that you interviewed expressed in your book- it was a life changing experience.
Until reading your book, I thought it was just me who thought this band was something special - I knew they were great but I didn't have anyone else around me who had the same level of awe. Your book confirmed after all of these years that I was right and finally I am not alone.
I have been playing drums since 5 years old (I'm now in my late 40's) and I still remain engaged to the music of Mahavishnu along with all the music of members from both MO 1 and 2. I have been following and seeing Billy Cobham perform anytime he is within 100 miles.
So, I just want to say thanks again for writing this book - it is truly a work of art - the only thing that could top it would be a movie based on it.
Regards and long live Mahavishnu Orchestra! … Ed Donohue

I just wanted to say that the Power, passion and beauty book is awesome...it takes me back to an incredible time in music...an era that I wish I could've experienced..thank you so much for making that book and getting the history out..I loved every page of it and about to read it again.. Sean Ghannam

I received my signed copy of Power, Passion & Beauty in today's mail and my wife commented that I hadn't put it down since it arrived. So, I did, but just long enough to send you this note to thank you for this amazing and inspiring book. I thought I knew a lot about the Mahavishnu Orchestra but there is new insight about the band with each turn of the page… John Herkimer

I finished PPB some time ago. Really a great book. … it really did a great job of truly showing how important the band really was. As much as I love them, I didn't grasp how revolutionary they were. That is a testament to the book. …Joe Lang

What a long overdue book! Being a listener and enthusiast of the Mahavishnu Orchestra for WAY too short of a time (since hearing Birds Of Fire in 1984, yet being previously very familiar with McLaughlin, Hammer, and Cobham; wish I had heard the band MUCH earlier!) there had been so LITTLE I knew about the band itself and its history. Well, this is no longer since reading Walter Kolosky's absolute masterpiece on "the greatest band that ever was". I am amazed at his dedication and endless research about the ins and outs of the band, its musicians, and the countless musicians it influenced.
Had it not been for Walter, it is uncertain to know whether anyone would have the time or devotion to pursue such a huge project. His efforts to communicate and reach out to so many people and convince them to open up is to be applauded, as are those who helped him to be applauded.
So much is to be learned about the band and its members, their history and their current endeavors! Not just about the music, but how the music relates to so many OTHER things and places (read the book to see what I am talking about!). The Mahavishnu Orchestra is not just music, it is part of life itself!
Finally, I wish to thank all the members of the Mahavishnu Orchestra for willing to share with Walter and indeed with all of us their stories, anecdotes and feelings about the band. You all made this book possible as well!...Douglas Walsh-(Amazon Reader Comment)

… I went back home and started reading it and finished the entire book in one sitting. It took me four hours and I forgot to have dinner. The most beautifully told story of the greatest band that ever was. …Purely electrifying and a completely gratifying experience to read the book with the music of the band playing along on your system LOUD!!! Thank you for the lovely presentation. May you have many more editions… Sridhar H – India

I stayed up until 2am and read it in one shot. Brilliant … With the help of your book I realize that this band changed my way of thinking. Excellent work! ... Richard Allen

Can't put the book down....some of it really choked me up...THANK YOU for all your fine labor... Kenny Soule

Thank you for your wonderful book. I carry it like other people carry a Bible… Thomas Klees - Germany.
Power, Passion and Beauty is a great book! Hi, my name is Mario Eduardo and I'm from Bolivia. I just got a copy of Power, Passion and Beauty and am thrilled. It was about time someone had the balls to honor the greatest band ever...Mario Eduardo-Bolivia.

I am reading (avidly) your wonderful book, and have been richly enlightened and entertained. It seems that those brief early 1970 years, (that were, on reflection, incidentally, the most pivotal in my life), are now recalled by me with a lot more clarity. Was it really so long ago when it all happened? I am happy to be in that time-warp. Your book has brought the M.O., and those times, alive to me once again! Thank you.…Alan Smith

I have read your book... and you're right. They are the best band ever! Thanks so much...Robert L. Perkinson

Thank you for writing such a lovely book about The Mahavishnu Orchestra (TMO) and John McLaughlin (JM). It brought back many good memories and I've been passing on a lot of this collective cultural consciousness about TMO and JM to my eldest son, Sammy, who is 15 and knows all of the "classic" TMO music by now.
Your book included language that expresses the feeling and the thoughts as well as the visual experience of seeing TMO with great accuracy and most vividly…
…Thank you again for producing this delightful book. It's been a splendid read. You did a masterful job worthy of great respect and gratitude… Jonathan Sacks- McLean, VA.

I devoured your book in 2 days and still wanted more . You hit a nerve, not only with me , but I'm sure with the thousands of fans who were waiting for such a book. I thank you from all of us. Your dedication to the band and your thorough research are to be commended, and on top of all that you made the book a delight to read - as if from one fan to another. I look forward to your next project... Robert Coffin

I'm very pleased to say that I'm really enjoying the reading of your Mahavishnu book. Thanks a lot for your valued contribution to world civilization; We need something beside MTV-brainwashing. I am looking forward to seeing your further releases. Thanks again... Alexander Konviz -Zurich, Switzerland.

You have taken a wonderful approach to covering this incredible group. I'm learning things about the Mahavishnu Orchestra I certainly never knew. This book is a unique and valuable contribution to music history. Your book is a tremendous page turner that I'll enjoy for years to come ...Don Ross

I sat down with the book yesterday in my favorite reading chair and didn’t get up until I finished the book some 5 hours later. What a read! It brought back SO many memories. I had seen MO on a number of occasions. The most memorable show was at the – now defunct – Felt Forum in NYC. It was mind bending!! Thanks for taking me back to a great time. ...Bill Tesar

I can't put the book down now that I have started it! I just showed it to my good guitar friend and I'm ordering one on line tonight for him. Great format - hear it from the guys who were there. I hit the interactive site for updates. ...Nils Hansen

Congratulations to Walter on a wonderful book. I just couldn't put it down, even on the stairmaster. So it even proved to be a health aid. ...Leo Mankiewicz (From the PPB Forum.)

I bought the book as soon as it came out and must say that I was thrilled by it. Love the narrative pattern (with the initial setting at Bendian's Mahavishnu Project date). ...Gregory Dobrov

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your great book about my favorite group ever! I have literally swallowed the book, it's has been pure pleasure, especially if to accompany reading with listening to old good Mahavishnu Orchestra albums on vinyl (this was my way of reading your book).
I was pleasantly surprised to see in the book a couple of photos made by Pavel Korbut, a Russian photographer. I met him last week at the concert of Kenny Barron Trio in Moscow and showed him your book. He signed my page 249 :-)
Thank you once again for the book which now occupies one of the most honorable places in my home library.

It looks like the Mahavishnu Orchestra's music finds second wind these days. I am sure that we are still at the very beginning of the process. Interest to their music will grow further in the future. It really deserves it.
Warmest regards from cold pre-winter Moscow. …Nick

"Walter Kolosky, like me, was never the same after seeing the MO for the first time. But, unlike me, he wrote a wonderful book about the group that I am now reading. The book is titled Power, Passion and Beauty: The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra: The greatest band that ever was. It tells the whole story of the group by seamlessly weaving revealing interviews with all of the group members, supporting personnel, and other famous musicians into Kolosky's spare but enchanting history and commentary. If you have any interest in the Mahavishnu Orchestra or in the jazz fusion genre of music of which they, along with Weather Report and Return to Forever, were undoubtedly the greatest exponents, you owe it to yourself to read this outstanding book about the "greatest band that ever was." ... Nagarjuna (Naked Reflections Blog)

I received my copy of the book last week and devoured it over the long weekend. A thoroughly enjoyable and engrossing read -- it is great to have the history of the MO's formation, recording, touring and breakup told in the voices of the people who lived it. It was fascinating to hear so many of the key musicians of the jazz-rock era talk about how the MO impacted them and their music. The book also has some great pictures and other tidbits of information too numerous to mention. I will definitely go back and read the book again to pick up things I missed in my first reading. ...Mark

Biographies can be so boring - sometimes little more than lists and dates - but this one is refreshingly alive, especially as 98% are fresh recollections. It's interesting to see how little hindsight has tempered the almost religious fervor! ... Nic

EXCLUSIVE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA ART FOR SALE!

Museum quality prints and photos available for the first time ever! Details below:

Own a Piece of the Legacy!

Original Mahavishnu bassist Rick Laird is an accomplished artist and photographer. You can own a signed print of this historic shot taken on stage by Rick of John McLaughlin and Billy Cobham during another explosive performance of the Mahavishnu Orchestra! This is the first time this image, published in the book, has been seen or offered to the public!
“Thank you so much for the photo of Billy Cobham/ John McLaughlin. It is a beautiful and powerful image. It is sharp and clear, perfectly composed, and electrifying. The black and white format just adds to the intensity of the moment as the stage lights and shadows created halos and auras around the artists. I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I was to see this picture offered for sale, and even more so to have it personally dedicated to me from Rick Laird!” - Eric Jeska

"The photo arrived today, inscribed to me personally by Rick. Wow, what a beautiful piece of work. It's going to the framing store tomorrow!"-Jonathan Sacks

"What a great photo. You feel like you're right on stage during the "wonder years" of Mahavishnu, standing right behind Billy, just as Rick Laird was when he took this photo! And you get Rick's autograph! How great is that? Wonderful. Thanks to all for making this available." - Mark Chapman

Artist Chris Poisson.

Print of original artwork.

Print of original artwork.

Print of original artwork.
Available commercially for the first time ever! These historic prints are "must haves" for any true Mahavishnu Orchestra fan or album cover art collector!

Artist Chris Poisson talks about two of the original paintings that he created for Mahavishnu albums. Museum quality prints of these historic paintings are available for purchase. For more details read the left column of this page. (Please remember to turn the music player off if you want to hear Chris).
"The print is truly magnificent! The vibrant colours and detail add a whole new dimension to what was already an amazing record cover. I bought Visions of the Emerald Beyond 30 years ago and this image has always been the perfect embodiment of Mahavishnu’s music, capturing and amplifying the artistic concepts of the band. Owning this print has upgraded the image from record cover to work of art and made me very happy. It’s pure joy to look at." – Daniel Biro of Sargasso.com.
50% off Special on Mahavishnu Portraits!

Gifted artist Ken McIntyre is a Mahavishnu Orchestra fan and the creative mind behind soon to be seen new Comedy Central programming. He drew wonderful sketch portraits of each of the band members exclusively for the book. You can own your own signed limited edition prints!

For Mahavishnu Orchestra fans, artists and designers- unique Mahavishnu Font! Available for purchase for the first time ever!
To find out more about all of the art goto label.abstractlogix.com/mahavishnu-shop.htm (You have to copy and paste the url due to Myspace's recent technical changes which make it more difficult to create image and text links :-( )

While supplies last! Own a Power, Passion and Beauty promotional t-shirt just like the one Bill Bacon is wearing above. Channel some of the spirit. Sorry. Sold out.

I'm also the author of a book (unfortunately not related to music) and I know how difficult it can be to pull something like this together. I finished the book in about a day and a half. The author did an outstanding job of making the book very readable by using so many different sources and having them tell entertaining story after entertaining story. I have many other jazz fusion related books and none of them are as entertaining as this one. ... Al

I can only imagine how long it took to gather all this material, and get all of them to sign on too.Great stories, great writing, and all about a great band. Very captiving, that's the quickest I've read a book in a long time.Thank you again, I enjoyed it very much. I'll be reading it again too. And, I plan to order it as gifts for a few of my friends who are big fans also. Now I'm off to the interactive and myspace sites.Wonderful book. - Gennation

What was interesting to me is how he melded the quotes from a great many of the contemporaries of the band like Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, etc. along with quotes from the members of the various incarnations of the band into a complete story ! The book mainly focuses on the first Mahavishnu with Cobham, Hammer, Goodman, Laird and of course McLaughlin as they were really the best of all the versions. My humble opinion of course, and I'm sure there will be many who will disagree. Mr. Kolosky has interviewed all of them, as well as later members like Ponty, Narada, Moran, and Armstrong. So you really get a total picture of how the band evolved and changed over the years.
Even though the cover calls them "the greatest band that ever was", Mr. Kolosky didn't let his obvious affection for the band interfere with his journalistic acumen. He asked the tough questions and tackled the tough issues, especially about the acrimonious breakup of the first unit.
The photos in the book were ones I have never seen before like Billy Cobham in his Army drumming days or John McLaughlin's first real band to Jan Hammer's early group with Miroslav Vitous on bass called The Junior Trio.

Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down and it took about a day and a half to read it all. I'm already reading it for the second time. My thanks to Mr. Kolosky for doing such a superb job. If any of you like this band at all, or are fans of fusion in general, this is a must-have. Thanks ! - Drumminfool

I just loved the book (and the t-shirt!!!), and got more intrigued about the MO than I previously have been. So I have been listening a lot to them lately...just re-absorbing the vibe and the intensity and passion of some pure heartfelt art! Wonderful! – Sturla

I've read this book several times and continue to read it again and again. Thank you, Mr. Kolosky, for writing this long overdue book, and let's hope that it's publishing will generate interest in the future release of archival live concert recordings and DVD's of the MO in flight. A younger generation of music enthusiasts could benefit greatly from such releases. Let's open the vaults. – Ryan Hall
Being a HUGE fan of the MO since '73- I was amazed to even SEE a book like this come out, and even MORE amazed when I read it. This is truly the STORY of the MO- not a boring, highbrow or drug-induced fantasy from someone whose cousin once met John or Billy. The author interviewed EVERYONE, including people you wouldn't expect about how this band impacted their lives. The story of the MO is told through anecdotes, photos and quotes with a good dose of wit and sarcasm, as though a friend was letting you in on something that no one else knew. Once I started reading this book- I could not put it down. For true fans of the MO, buying this book will be a no-brainer. This book also has a great accompanying website for even more photos and in-depth musical analysis. 5 stars!!- (MO Fan from Amazon.com comments.)

Brilliant book! Read it as soon as I got it in the mail. The story of the world's greatest band is finally told. Excellent work! –Cranium

I just want to say THANK YOU for your wonderful book. It made me relive with nostalgia some of the beautiful feelings and memories from my youth. I'm a drummer/composer; reading your book gave me some new incentives for my musical goals. – Massimo

I loved reading the book. You rekindled my interest in their music and I learned a lot about the individual personalities, influences and struggles to keep a band together. All my favorite artists, Beatles, Hendrix, Yes, Jeff Beck were mentioned so I was excited to read it. I liked the format because it was easy to pick up after a few days and get right back into it. I was bummed when it was finished. The 2 best things I have read this year were your book and the Geoff Emerick Beatles book.– Ray Nassr

Well done. I'm on my second time through. Appreciate your time and effort. I waited half of my life for PP&B and you pulled it off with charm and style.. Again, thanks… – Bill Bacon

I couldn't put it down. Literally. I read the entire book in one sitting (something I have not done for years). I was completely drawn in. I think this is because a splendid amount of the text comprises actual quotes from members of the band - I like to hear it straight from the horse's mouth - you feel that you are part of the experience. But the text is also really well balanced - quotes, analysis, interesting (and to me new) information. I loved the way each album is described in detail. I actually sat there with my headphones on and listened to all the albums as I read. I feel that I understand the music much better now. Furthermore, the level of research was, I thought, exceptional. I used to think I knew a fair bit about the MO but Walter's the man.Walter - great work, sir. Your engaging enthusiasm for the MO is reflected in every page. I think Power, Passion and Beauty relates not only to the MO but also to your book. - Morrid (Frank Gambale Board)

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.- JSG (Amazon Review)

Walter Kolosky and Mahavishnu bassist Rick Laird at a book signing.

Walter with John McLaughlin a few years ago.

Walter with 1980's Mahavishnu bassist Jonas Hellborg.