Track Listing

1. Meeting Of The Spirits
2. Dawn
3. Noonward Race
4. A Lotus On Irish Streams
5. Vital Transformation
6. The Dance Of Maya
7. You Know, You Know
8. Awakening

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6686 in Music
• Released on: 1998-08-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

Amazon.com
Reissued with sparkling audio and exclusive photographs, this first, 1971, Mahavishnu album certainly vies for the title of the greatest of all jazz-rock recordings. Through spiritually questing flights of intense fury and exquisite quiet, it never loses its sense of inexorable force. Jan Hammer (keyboards), Jerry Goodman (violin), and bassist Rick Laird are completely sympathetic with guitarist John McLaughlin's vision as the music abandons the standard jazz format of successive solos in favor of rapid, heightening, braided, interactive contributions--a structure much drawn from Indian classical music. Astoundingly, the music retains discipline. For that, thank Billy Cobham: Through all the expressive, irregular meters, he remains a steady, resolved engine of percussion, vastly resourceful but ultimately reserved. McLaughlin's alchemy distills many worlds of music­-the jazz-guitar masters, flamenco, blues, Indian forms, and his experience in the innovations of the seminal jazz-rock outfits of Miles Davis and Tony Williams. Of course, distortion, feedback, and arena-rock amplification were crucial, as was the influence of Sri Chinmoy, McLaughlin's spiritual guide. "The Noonward Race," "Vital Transformation," and "The Dance of Maya" are music for the ages. -- Peter Monaghan

Customer Reviews

Brilliant!
Ground breaking. A must have addition to any Jazz library. A "desert island disk" for sure.

High-Energy Fusion
The Mahavishnu Orchestra gathered a set of virtuosos to participate in the new genre of Jazz-Rock fusion started by the great Bitches Brew. The musicianship displayed in this album is amazing. For example, the drumming during the first minute of 'Vital Transformation' is simply complex and very technical, and Mahavishnu himself, John McLaughlin, displays great guitar playing throughout. The Mahavishnu Orchestra has a highly complex layered sound, shown off greatly in 'Awakening'. Every song on this album is a masterpiece in my mind. Easily one of my top 5 favorite albums.

Almost Perfect.
From the sinster crash of the opening chord until the sudden end, this album is a helluva ride. By turns strange and fierce("Meeting of the Spirits", "Vital Transformation", "Awakening"), slow and soothing("Lotus on Irish Streams", "Dawn", "You Know You Know"), or just plain out there(Dance of Maya), there's lots of variety and not a bad track on here.

Throughout the album, John McLaughlin simply shines. When you consider the playing field of the time, John was "Miles Beyond" most of his contemporaries. He ripped through scales at lightning speed, in time signatures that would make many guitarists go cross-eyed. He wasn't confined to high speed solos, proving himself capable in an acoustic piece(Lotus). He does tend to go a little fast, even in slow songs, which may be a turn off to some. I just think of it as having a lot to say.

The rhythm section deserves props as well, especially Billy Cobham. He's simply an amazing drummer. Rick Laird doesn't get a solo that I remember but he provides a solid foundation. Even Jan Hammer, who I generally dislike, plays excellently here. The record does have a few flaws. "Noonward Race" is a little lacking in substance. "Awakening" is an obvious attempt to end the album on a high note but loses out to classic tracks like "Meeting of the Spirit" by a hair. However, this is all easily overlooked and I highly recommend "The Inner Mounting Flame" to anyone who enjoys jazz fusion or rock that's a little out there.