1.Flame Sky 	20:04  
2.Naima 	15:48  			play
3.The Live Divine 	20:10
4.A Love Supreme 	19:33

Line-Up:
John McLaughlin - Guitar
Carlos Santana - Guitar
Larry Young - Organ
Armando Peraza - Percussion
Doug Rouch - Bass
Billy Cobham - Drums

From their Mahavishnu/Devadip days, this recording features Larry Young on organ, Doug Rouch on bass, Armando Pereza on percussion and Billy Cobham on drums. There's some blazing guitar work, but the CD sounds like it was taped on a cassette deck from FM using automatic level control. There's little deep bass or high end above 5KHz or so and you can hear compression kick in all the time. If you can hear past that (and some flutter and phasiness and level irregularities) this is a valuable musical document of some powerful spiritually-driven music from two of the masters of electric guitar (and devotees of Sri Chinmoy, a creative spiritual "guru" who generated seemingly endless streams of poetry, art and music every day) during a period when both were "clean and sober" and channeling their music from a very Coltrane-like consciousness, exemplified by "A Love Supreme" and "Naima." The fact that it's a 1993 (non-Columbia) German release from a 1974 performance may explain some of this. ---Douglas Current, amazon.com

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1. Taurian Matador
2. Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord
3. The Life Divine
4. A Love Supreme
5. Afro Blue
6. Armando Peraza Solo
7. Billy Cobham Solo
8. Flame Sky

Devadip Carlos Santana - Guitars
Mahavishnu John McLaughlin - Guitars
Doug Rauch - Electric Bass
Billy Cobham - Drums
Armando Peraza: Congas, Percussion
Khalid Young – Organ

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01. Dream 27:13
02. Trilogy 18:47
03. Birds Of Fire 11:34
04. Sister Andrea 12:01
05. Dance of Maya 19:24

Musicians:
Billy Cobham - drums
Jerry Goodman - violin
Jan Hammer - keyboards
Rick Laird - bass
John McLaughlin – guitar

This Mahavishnu Orchestra performance, recorded on the first night of a two-night stand at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall, captures one of the very last performances ever by the legendary original lineup. This recording is a fascinating glimpse of the group at the tail end of their existence. In July of 1973, Mahavishnu Orchestra convened at London's Trident Studios to record their ill-fated third studio album. By this point, the relationships within the band were strained and the resulting recordings, which for the first time featured compositions by bandmembers other than McLaughlin, would not see the light of day for several decades. In August and September, McLaughlin and Cobham embarked on a tour with Carlos Santana, further straining the relationships within the band, which would dissolve by the end of the year. The initial classic lineup of the group lasted less than three years and only released two studio albums and one live recording during this era, but these recordings had a profound effect, redefining the jazz/rock fusion movement in the process. Combining the improvisational elements of jazz with the volume and energy of rock music, Mahavishnu Orchestra created music that was often intricate and complex, performed by musicians whose virtuosity thrilled audiences, musicians and critics alike.

Following the captivating take on "Dance Of Maya," they tackle another extended number, "Dream." Again, there is an abundance of exploratory and propulsive playing here, but one of the most interesting aspects of this performance is that McLaughlin plays the first sequence on acoustic guitar, and it is far more compelling than the live version featured on Between Nothingness And Eternity, recorded the previous August. Often this initial sequence was merely a dreamy contemplative introduction to the fireworks to come, but here it is absolutely beautiful and McLaughlin's playing has far more depth and character and Goodman's haunting violin phrases are all the more compelling for it. Despite hollering and rudeness from the audience (which is audible on the recording), McLaughlin remains focused. As the second, faster section begins, Hammer unleashes his trademark barrage of chords and arpeggios on his Fender Rhodes as the band begins building an elegant melody line. This becomes a head-spinning exercise as McLaughlin and Goodman lock together in unison driving the main section of the composition. This is fast and furious playing at its most intense, with various duets emerging in and out of the fray. This is a jaw-dropping performance that is simply overflowing with energy; seemingly superhuman in its seething intensity.

The recording ends with another track from the Trident sessions, "Trilogy." The first passage develops into an elaborate trade-off between McLaughlin and Hammer, with the guitar dominating. The second section features Goodman's violin dominating and Hammer providing birdcall effects with his synthesizers. Cobham's drumming is particularly impressive during this passage. Then the group suddenly launches into the third section—a aggressive hyperactive jam, first featuring a brief violin solo followed by a scorching solo from McLaughlin. The entire group develops an impressive repetition based on McLaughlin's lead riff that remains captivating as the tape stock unfortunately ran out shortly before the conclusion of the show.

This recording, paired with the following night's recording at the same venue, would be the original lineup's final performances in New York City. Taken together, they provide a wonderful picture of the band's later era material performed at the most extreme levels of improvisation.

Read more about the Mahavishnu Orchestra in Crawdaddy!:

This Mahavishnu Orchestra performance, recorded on the first night of a two-night stand at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall, captures one of the very last performances ever by the legendary original lineup. This recording is a fascinating glimpse of the group at the tail end of their existence. In July of 1973, Mahavishnu Orchestra convened at London's Trident Studios to record their ill-fated third studio album. By this point, the relationships within the band were strained and the resulting recordings, which for the first time featured compositions by bandmembers other than McLaughlin, would not see the light of day for several decades. In August and September, McLaughlin and Cobham embarked on a tour with Carlos Santana, further straining the relationships within the band, which would dissolve by the end of the year. The initial classic lineup of the group lasted less than three years and only released two studio albums and one live recording during this era, but these recordings had a profound effect, redefining the jazz/rock fusion movement in the process. Combining the improvisational elements of jazz with the volume and energy of rock music, Mahavishnu Orchestra created music that was often intricate and complex, performed by musicians whose virtuosity thrilled audiences, musicians and critics alike.

While an argument can be made that the band was more cohesive and eloquent earlier in their all-too-brief career, the performances toward the end of 1973 are simply staggering in their ferocity. This night's recording begins with Billy Cobham's massive gong, as McLaughlin's 12-string arpeggios begin washing over the audience. "Birds Of Fire" is a dramatic opener that unfolds into a dynamic exchange between guitar and drums versus violin, keyboards and bass. In the unusual time signature of 18/8, the interwoven nature of the arrangement makes for a thrilling and intense experience, although one unlike anything most jazz or rock music fans had ever heard before. This is followed by the Jan Hammer composition, "Sister Andrea." Uncharacteristically funky, this elastic groovefest features sizzling 12-string solos from McLaughlin, wild bursts of unorthodox sounds from Hammer and highlights the grittier side to Goodman's violin virtuosity, which sashays and swings, as he pumps his signal through a wah-wah pedal.

The group truly begin hitting their stride on "The Dance Of Maya," with its infectious rhythmic pattern complimenting the melodic line. The set continues with a heavily improvised version of "The Dance Of Maya." There are many moments of brilliance here, but what stands out overall is that here the group is obviously having a wonderfully joyous experience. Following the initial theme, the rhythm section drops out completely leaving the remaining trio. The interaction between Goodman's pizzicato violin, McLaughlin guitar and Hammer's electric piano is full of a humor and playfulness that is absolutely delightful. Cobham and Laird eventually join back in and after a few surprising stop/starts to jolt the audience, they launch into a cosmic jamfest with Jerry Goodman as the primary pilot, before McLaughlin rips into a pulverizing solo with Billy Cobham in tow. The unison playing here is thrilling. At times one can sense the musicians toying with each other. Despite McLaughlin's blazing speed and unpredictability, Cobham never misses a beat—another mind-blowing display of musical telepathy. This eventually becomes a delicate call and response with Hammer adding his gurgling mini-moog embellishments, before all converge and reinstate the song's theme, bringing it to a gloriously satisfying close nearly 20 minutes later.

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01. You Know, You Know 5:42 
02. I Wonder 9:10 
03. Awakening 19:52 
04. Hope 1:48 
05. Vital Transformation 7:06 
06. Dream 24:31

Line Up:
Billy Cobham - drums
Jerry Goodman - violin
Jan Hammer - keyboards
Rick Laird - bass
John McLaughlin – guitar

This Mahavishnu Orchestra performance, recorded on the second night of a two-night stand at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall, captures one of the very last performances ever by the legendary original lineup. Although missing the beginning of the set, what is available here is a fascinating glimpse of the group at the tail end of their existence. In July of 1973, Mahavishnu Orchestra convened at London's Trident Studios to record their ill-fated third studio album. By this point, the relationships within the band were strained and the resulting recordings, which for the first time featured compositions by band members other than McLaughlin, would not see the light of day for several decades. In August and September, McLaughlin and Cobham embarked on a tour with Carlos Santana, further straining the relationships within the band, which would dissolve by the end of the year. The initial classic lineup of the group lasted less than three years and only released two studio albums and one live recording during this era, but these recordings had a profound effect, redefining the jazz/rock fusion movement in the process. Combining the improvisational elements of jazz with the volume and energy of rock music, Mahavishnu Orchestra created music that was often intricate and complex, performed by musicians whose virtuosity thrilled audiences, musicians and critics alike.

While an argument can be made that the band was more cohesive and eloquent earlier in their all-too-brief career, the performances toward the end of 1973 are simply staggering in their ferocity. This night's recording begins in progress, with the group exploring the infectious groove of "You Know, You Know," one of the most popular compositions from their debut album, The Inner Mounting Flame. Next up is Jerry Goodman's composition, "I Wonder." Recorded during the Trident sessions several months prior and recorded again in 1974 by Goodman and Hammer for their Like Children album following the breakup, this version features expansive improvisations, beginning with an emotional solo from McLaughlin that relies more on bluesy string bends and a fat biting tone as opposed to speed. Goodman and Hammer both take impressive solos as well. Shortly after the nine-minute mark, Cobham launches the band into a furious version of "Awakening." A tape change misses a few seconds of this (approximately 1:15 in), but it is otherwise complete. "Awakening" is divided into three distinct sections, each focused around an outstanding solo from one of the band members, bridged together by reinstatements of the original theme. First up is Jan Hammer. The entire band drops out to allow him free reign and he begins by establishing a bubbling foundation with his sequencer and then builds layers of demented synthesizer solos on top of it. This entire section is quite remarkable, not only for its originality and extended length, but also for the fact that only one musician is creating such a barrage of sound. As the band begins joining back in, an intense jam leads into McLaughlin's solo. This solo is so ferocious that it defies description and is well beyond the usual intensity level, bordering on the transcendent. One of the most fascinating facets of this section is that McLaughlin repeatedly references John Coltrane's classic "A Love Supreme," which was fully explored on the recent tour with Santana and obviously still on his mind. Following McLaughlin's explosive solo, Cobham joins back in for a monumental guitar/drum duel that is simply jaw-dropping. Nearly 20 minutes after it began, the original theme of "Awakening" is reinstated and they bring it to a climactic close.

The version of "Hope" that follows unfolds in an elegant, magisterial way and provides listeners with a brief break in the relentless intensity that preceded it. However, this lasts less than two minutes before Cobham signals one of their classic turn-on-a-dime transitions. To fully pummel the audience into submission, they close the set with "Vital Transformation." In 9/8 time, this contains some of the most furious playing that the band would ever achieve. Charismatic, powerful and blazing with energy, this is a tour-de-force blend of all the elements that comprised the bands music; jazz, rock, funk and R&B condensed into six minutes of pure power. Jerry Goodman's violin flights are particularly aggressive here, and both he and McLaughlin, who has a deliciously nasty tone to his guitar, are blazing. Herein also lies a distinct difference in the band's playing toward the end of 1973. While they were always masters of call and response, here they sound like they are engaged in battle, trying to cut each other with every line. While many fans of the group prefer the more cohesive nature of the improvisations earlier in their career, there is no denying that they are playing at a frighteningly intense level here.

They return for an encore and deliver a version of "Dream" that again takes the improvisational approach to the extreme. There is an abundance of exploratory and propulsive playing here, but one of the most interesting aspects of this performance is that McLaughlin plays the first sequence on acoustic guitar. He only did this toward the tail end of the original lineup's existence and it is far more compelling than the live version featured on Between Nothingness And Eternity, recorded the previous August. Often this initial sequence was merely a dreamy contemplative introduction to the fireworks to come, but here it is absolutely beautiful and McLaughlin's playing has far more depth and character and Goodman's haunting violin phrases are all the more compelling for it. As the second, faster section begins, Hammer unleashes his trademark unusual chords and arpeggios on his Fender Rhodes as the band begins building an elegant melody line. This becomes a head-spinning exercise as McLaughlin and Goodman lock together in unison driving the main section of the composition. This is fast and furious playing at its most intense, with various duets emerging in and out of the fray. This is a jaw-dropping performance that is simply overflowing with energy; seemingly superhuman in its seething intensity.

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1. Birds Of Fire
2. Miles Beyond
3. Celestial Terrestrial Commuters
4. Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love
5. Thousand Island Park
6. Hope
7. One Word
8. Sanctuary
9. Open Country Joy
10. Resolution

- John McLaughlin - guitar
- Jerry Goodman - violin
- Jan Hammer - piano
- Rick Laird - bass
- Billy Cobham – drums

Emboldened by the popularity of Inner Mounting Flame among rock audiences, the first Mahavishnu Orchestra set out to further define and refine its blistering jazz-rock direction in its second -- and, no thanks to internal feuding, last -- studio album. Although it has much of the screaming rock energy and sometimes exaggerated competitive frenzy of its predecessor, Birds of Fire is audibly more varied in texture, even more tightly organized, and thankfully more musical in content. A remarkable example of precisely choreographed, high-speed solo trading -- with John McLaughlin, Jerry Goodman, and Jan Hammer all of one mind, supported by Billy Cobham's machine-gun drumming and Rick Laird's dancing bass -- can be heard on the aptly named "One Word," and the title track is a defining moment of the group's nearly atonal fury. The band also takes time out for a brief bit of spaced-out electronic burbling and static called "Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love." Yet the most enticing pieces of music on the record are the gorgeous, almost pastoral opening and closing sections to "Open Country Joy," a relaxed, jocular bit of communal jamming that they ought to have pursued further. This album actually became a major crossover hit, rising to number 15 on the pop album charts, and it remains the key item in the first Mahavishnu Orchestra's slim discography. ---Richard S. Ginell, Rovi

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CD 1
01 Meditation 1:52
02 The Life Divine 18:36
03 A Love Supreme 19:59
04 Afro Blue 28:43
05 Introductions 1:24
06 Naima 6:14				play

CD 2
01 Flame Sky 16:33
02 Taurian Matador 13:36
03 Armando Peraza Solo 6:54
04 Billy Cobham Solo 5:14		play
05 Taurian Matador Reprise 3:24
06 Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord 25:23

Musicians:
Devadip Carlos Santana - Guitars
Mahavishnu John McLaughlin - Guitars
Doug Rauch - Electric Bass
Billy Cobham - Drums
Armando Peraza - Congas, Percussion
Khalid Yasin (aka Larry Young) – Organ

According to JML's website: "...I got a phone call from Claude asking if I could be jamming that evening with Billy Cobham... The opening act...couldn’t make their flight from Canada, and Claude needed a ‘replacement’. I hadn’t seen Billy for 25 years and immediately liked the idea. Claude called Billy, who lives in Bern and he also was happy to play. I didn’t have my guitar, and there was no rehearsal, it was a very spontaneous jam and we had lots of fun!"

The source of this recording was uploaded in August 2008 by overendwatts (thanks a lot!), who took it from another site. The original source is a bootleg CD made from a very nice-sounding sbd, which however has one major problem throughout: a crackling noise that appears with higher levels, mostly in the drums and Santana's guitar. This is not too difficult to remedy with the appropriate software (ProTools LE with various pro-level plug-ins). In order not to degrade the audio unnecessarily, I applied three different levels of filtering and reassembled the music from the three versions according to my ears, always choosing the one with just as much filtering as necessary to remove the noise. I manually removed a few minor glitches and, lastly, did a pitch correction (from 38 to 48 cent on CD 1, 52 cent on CD 2), the original source running slightly flat. This is an amazing performance (check out Mr. Cobhams drumming!) Enjoy !! --- drfusion.blogspot.com

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1 	Power Of Love 	4:13
2 	Vision Is A Naked Sword	14:18
3 	Smile Of The Beyond	8:00
4 	Wings Of Karma 	6:06
5 	Hymn To Him 	19:19

Bass, Bass Guitar, Vocals – Ralphe Armstrong
Cello, Vocals – Philip Hirschi
Conductor – Michael Tilson Thomas
Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Michael Walden
Guitar [Guitars], Electronics [Vocal Composer] – Mahavishnu
Keyboards, Vocals – Gayle Moran
Leader [The London Symphony Orchestra] – Hugh Beau
Orchestra – The London Symphony Orchestra
Piano – Michael Tilson Thomas
Viola – Marsha Westbrook
Violin [Electric, Electric Baritone] – Jean-Luc Ponty
Violin, Vocals – Carol Shive 

Wow! This 1974 recording had a great pedigree. First, you had Beatles producer George Martin. Then Michael Tilson Thomas, the young and gifted classical conductor, waving his magic wand in front of the London Symphony Orchestra. Jazz violin superstar Jean Luc Ponty stepped up as part of a newly expanded Mahavishnu Orchestra, and the teenage bass phenom Ralphe Armstrong more than capably held down the bottom end. Gayle Moran, Chick Corea's girlfriend, handled the keyboards and vocals, and Narada Michael Walden played drums. Last, of course, the guitar master Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, leading an Orchestra that was augmented by an impressive string section of its own. Producer Martin has stated in interviews that he considers this album to be one of the greatest he's ever produced. And that's saying a lot considering the landmark albums he produced for the Fab Four.

McLaughlin's compositional skills stand out on Apocalypse. Jean Luc Ponty made his debut with the Mahavishnu Orchestra on this album, and added energy to McLaughlin's inspired tunes. In a precious moment on "Hymn to Him," McLaughlin and Ponty achieve hyper stellar overdrive.

The true sleeper on this album is the opening "Power of Love." McLaughlin wields his acoustic guitar to front the LSO on this piece, a deliberate and uplifting tune. The remainder of the album features a highly charged McLaughlin. His electric playing is reminiscent of a finely tuned car engine: it purrs as smooth as a kitten, but can accelerate or stop abruptly when necessary. Ponty, McLaughlin's original choice for the first Mahavishnu Orchestra, really excels on Apocalypse. Years later he would say he probably left this band too soon. One only has to hear his musical interaction with McLaughlin to quickly agree.

The album does have one low moment, the misinformed "Smile of the Beyond". Despite some great playing on this tune, you have to suffer through a lengthy build-up which includes a vocal section. Moran's vocals are very nice, but because they are part of an overlong introduction, they are lost a bit. If McLaughlin had shortened the tune by three minutes, it would be a classic!

The London Symphony Orchestra deserves recognition as well. Yes, I know these guys would play just about anything for a paycheck. There was even some complaining about a few arrogant string players. But they did take advantage of these compositions and the orchestral arrangements, in which McLaughlin was greatly aided by Michael Gibbs. Many times on recordings like this—by Emerson, Lake and Palmer for example—the orchestra seems to be there for the effect only. In this case, the LSO had some really interesting things to say.

To perform this music live with a symphony orchestra was a nightmare. McLaughlin occasionally speaks upon the impossible technical requirements of the day, and in particular an unpleasant but eventually rewarding last minute experience with America's Buffalo Symphony Orchestra. ---Walter Kolosky, allaboutjazz.com

The first recording of the second Mahavishnu Orchestra was a real stretch for John McLaughlin, an encounter with Michael Tilson Thomas and the London Symphony Orchestra. The union wasn't taken seriously at the time, and it ended up harming the reputation of Thomas -- a remarkably adventurous young conductor who defied the stuffy classical powers-that-be and thus probably delayed his eventual rise to the top -- more than McLaughlin. But those with ears, then and now, beheld a remarkable series of pieces that neatly juxtapose and occasionally combine the combustion of McLaughlin's group with rich, tasteful symphonic statements orchestrated for McLaughlin by Michael Gibbs. The new Mahavishnu-ites, electric violinist Jean-Luc Ponty and keyboardist/vocalist Gayle Moran, have their moments, but the real focus of this disc is the quality of the symphonic conceptions and how well McLaughlin blends his lyrical and fiery guitar into the mixture. The best stretch is the breathtakingly ethereal opening of "Hymn to Him"; the promise of fusing rock, jazz, and classical elements had never been executed so alluringly before -- and wouldn't you know, an old experienced hand at introducing classical textures into rock, the Beatles' George Martin, is the producer. Don't let old, outworn preconceptions on either side of the fence prevent you from checking out this beautiful record. ---Richard S. Ginell, AllMusic Review

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A1 	Meeting Of The Spirits 	6:50
A2 	Dawn 	5:15
A3 	The Noonward Race 	6:27
A4 	A Lotus On Irish Streams 	5:41
B1 	Vital Transformation 	6:14
B2 	The Dance Of Maya 	7:15
B3 	You Know You Know 	5:06
B4 	Awakening 	3:30

Bass – Rick Laird
Drums – Billy Cobham
Guitar – John McLaughlin
Piano – Jan Hammer
Violin – Jerry Goodman

This is the album that made John McLaughlin a semi-household name, a furious, high-energy, yet rigorously conceived meeting of virtuosos that, for all intents and purposes, defined the fusion of jazz and rock a year after Miles Davis' Bitches Brew breakthrough. It also inadvertently led to the derogatory connotation of the word fusion, for it paved the way for an army of imitators, many of whose excesses and commercial panderings devalued the entire movement. Though much was made of the influence of jazz-influenced improvisation in the Mahavishnu band, it is the rock element that predominates, stemming directly from the electronic innovations of Jimi Hendrix. The improvisations, particularly McLaughlin's post-Hendrix machine-gun assaults on double-necked electric guitar and Jerry Goodman's flights on electric violin, owe more to the freakouts that had been circulating in progressive rock circles than to jazz, based as they often are on ostinatos on one chord. These still sound genuinely thrilling today on CD, as McLaughlin and Goodman battle Jan Hammer's keyboards, Rick Laird's bass, and especially Billy Cobham's hard-charging drums, whose jazz-trained technique pushed the envelope for all rock drummers. What doesn't date so well are the composed medium- and high-velocity unison passages that are played in such tight lockstep that they can't breathe. There is also time out for quieter, reflective numbers that are drenched in studied spirituality ("A Lotus on Irish Streams") or irony ("You Know You Know"); McLaughlin was to do better in that department with less-driven colleagues elsewhere in his career. Aimed with absolute precision at young rock fans, this record was wildly popular in its day, and it may have been the cause of more blown-out home amplifiers than any other record this side of Deep Purple. ---Richard S. Ginell, AllMusic Review

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