Any modern band that comes close to Mahavishnu Orchestra ?

I think Oz has all the technique he needs to do what he does.  McLaughlin has long been my fave electric guy but as far as the last 20 years go I like Oz.  I appreciate the musicanship of all those other cats but his music reaches me and theirs does not.   Same with George Harrison--hardly virtuosic but IMO he always did the right thing in the allotted space.  I realize other people have their favorites and may not care for mine.  I've been around the diMeola faction at a concert of "the trio" and I've seen people who thought Eric Johnson put on a clinic jamming with Oz Noy.  They could not believe that I or anyone else could have found Oz more musically satisfying than Eric.   

I would go with Gilmour not Harrison given the choice.

I love Gilmour's playing, too.  So much taste and such great ideas.

So, we are in agreement regarding McLaughlin and Gilmour.

inna, no good ideas regarding your original question.  In fact, I now find little to no interest in some of the fusion I enjoyed back in the '70s.  Still, MO stands up to the test of time.

I just wanted to share that in spite of a few other comments here, seeing MO live was one of the very best concerts I ever attended.  It was early in their career (so included Goodman) at a small club in San Diego called Funky Quarters.  My date and I had a table (cabaret seating) up front with close views of all the band.  It was one of those special moments when everyone was just on.  The energy and interplay between each of them was just magical.  Lines were traded back and forth and challenged all evening.  And Cobham was simply a coiled spring that seemed to drive the intensity of their music more as they worked through their set.

I only wish now I had been able to find a recording with that intensity and creativity.

For me the closest thing to early MO may be some of the later, instrumental Zappa, but that is not really the same.  Anyway, it is fun to see so many who still appreciate McLaughlin and company.