Jazz Articles about Mahavishnu Orchestra

Mahavishnu Orchestra: Apocalypse

by Walter Kolosky
November 15, 2002

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 ...

Mahavishnu Orchestra: Inner Mounting Flame/ Birds of Fire

by Alan Brooks
April 1, 2001

John McLaughlin did more sophisticated offerings after leaving Mahavishnu Orchestra, and these are not my favorite recordings of his; yet The INNER MOUNTING FLAME and BIRDS OF FIRE work nicely as companion albums- I think of them as bookend fusion albums- sister recordings.

Each album begins with its 'best' number ("Meeting Of The Spirits" on TIMF; title track on BOF). “Birds Of Fire" is a remake of “Meeting Of The Spirits", and they both have a bass- violin of slightly ...

Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds Of Fire

by Alan Brooks
April 1, 2001

This review is a brief track-by-track survey of Mahavishnu Orchestra's BIRDS OF FIRE ('73). The title track, which commences the album, opens with cymbal, electric twelve string guitar, and synthesizer; then the bass and violin enter, playing the same ostinato. The machinegun speed 12(?) note guitar-violin duet that follows is the shrieking bird, and though 'blistering' is an over-used word, the first of two guitar solos IS blistering, nonharmonic guitar and synthesizer tones added. The shrieking bird duet is repeated ...

The Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds Of Fire

by John W. Patterson
December 1, 2000

First off, I shall quote my earliest, “first impressions”, upon receiving this remastered re-release, as a special pre-release demo copy,“WOW!, WOW! and WOW! Superb redo of this classic! This sounds as good as I had hoped it would. Grab it as soon as it is ready for release. Levels are way up, great separation of each instrument, no more muddy mix in the ‘squashed mid-range glut’. This sucker kicks! Mean rich, full bass, up-front drums, violin presence good, ...

Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds Of Fire

by Todd S. Jenkins
September 1, 2000

For years it's been said around punk circles that the Velvet Underground's first album only sold a thousand copies, but everyone who bought the album went out and formed a band. The Mahavishnu Orchestra's second album, Birds Of Fire, was equally instrumental in building the popularity of fusion, but along the way it went gold and rode the Billboard charts for 11 weeks. 28 years later, this milestone has resurfaced in 20-bit digitally remastered glory, ready to inspire a new ...

The Mahavishnu Orchestra: The Lost Trident Sessions

by John W. Patterson
April 1, 2000

I need not go into the extended history of how the original tapes were misplaced, forgotten, and now unearthed for this long overdue CD release. What seemed to happen was simply a busy band with internal struggles made a session tape and opted to release a live version instead. Some songs never made it to that live release. Now we have more songs, better sound quality, and a glimpse into a band’s past — nearly 26 years after the fact.

Mahavishnu Orchestra: The Lost Trident Sessions

by David Adler
January 1, 2000

Two words stick in my mind after listening to this album, and those words are Billy Cobham. I’ve always felt that Cobham’s drums and John McLaughlin’s guitar were the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s most exciting and essential elements. Here Cobham leaves everyone, including McLaughlin, in the dust. If for no other reason, this long-lost record deserved to be dug out of the vault in order to highlight some of Cobham’s best playing ever. McLaughlin’s no slouch, of course. He’s fully cranked up, ...