Mahavishnu John McLaughlin

Dedicated to Mahavishnu's guru, Sri Chinmoy: "His instrument is the living soul. First he tunes it and from there he is able to sing and play the song, of which all other songs are but variables. And that song is God's endless love for man."

The Mahavishnu Orchestra: INNER MOUNTING FLAME
Columbia Records 197(2)?. Produced by Mahavishnu John McLaughlin.
Track list Meeting Of The Spirits Dawn The Noonward Race A Lotus On Irish Streams Vital Transformation The Dance Of Maya You Know You Know Awakening Musicians Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, guitar Billy Cobham, drums Rick Laird, bass Jan Hammer, piano Jerry Goodman, violin

Capsule info: Some beautifully meditative work in between the fusion, from the first incarnation of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. "The soul aspires through the perfection of God's manifestation," says Sri Chinmoy in the liner notes.

Carlos Santana/Mahavishnu John McLaughlin: LOVE DEVOTION SURRENDER
Columbia Records 1973. Produced by Carlos Santana and Mahavishnu John McLaughlin.
Track list A Love Supreme Naima The Life Divine Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord Meditation Musicians Carlos Santana, guitars, perc Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, guitars, piano Khalid Yasin (Larry Young), organ Armando Peraza, congas Billy Cobham, drums Don Alias, drums Jan Hammer, drums Doug Rauch, bass Mike Shrieve, drums uncredited vocals

Capsule Info: Santana's most completely spiritual album was made with Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, the English guitarist who might be considered the driving force of Jazz-Rock Fusion music. Both Mahavishnu and Santana shared the same guru, Sri Chinmoy. Here they cover John Coltrane tunes including "A Love Supreme" (with chanting) and a number of spiritually-focused Mahavishnu songs. Musically it's what a Santana/Mahavishnu Orchestra summit might sound like. The photo at right shows Sri Chinmoy flanked by his two guitar-playing disciples.

The Mahavishnu Orchestra: BIRDS OF FIRE
Columbia Records 1973. Produced by Mahavishnu John McLaughlin.
Track list Birds Of Fire Miles Beyond Celestial Terrestrial Commuters Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love Thousand Island Park Hope One Word Sanctuary Open Country Joy Resolution Musicians Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, guitar Billy Cobham, drums Rick Laird, bass Jan Hammer, keyboards Jerry Goodman, violin

Capsule info: More Sri Chinmoy inspired fusion; beautiful interplay of violin and guitar.

The Mahavishnu Orchestra: BETWEEN NOTHINGNESS AND ETERNITY
Columbia Records 1973. Produced by Mahavishnu John McLaughlin.
Track list Trilogy Sister Andrea Dream Musicians Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, guitar Billy Cobham, drums Rick Laird, bass Jan Hammer, keyboards Jerry Goodman, violin

Capsule info: Mahavishnu Ochestra's live album.

The Mahavishnu Orchestra: APOCALYPSE
Columbia Records 1974. Produced by George Martin.
Track list Power Of Love Vision Is A Naked Sword Smile Of The Beyond Wings Of Karma Hymn To Him Musicians Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, guitars Jean-Luc Ponty, violin Gayle Moran, keyboards, vocals Narada Michael Walden, drums Ralphe Armstrong, bass, vocals plus small string ensemble plus the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas

Capsule Info: My own favorite Mahavishnu orchestra album. Richly spiritual, orchestra meets jazz fusion meets Sri Chinmoy.

The Mahavishnu Orchestra: VISIONS OF THE EMERALD BEYOND
Columbia Records 1975. Produced by Ken Scott and Mahavishnu John McLaughlin.
Track list Eternity's Breath Lila's Dance Can't Stand Your Funk Pastoral Faith Cosmic Strut If I Could See Be Happy Earth Ship Pegasus Opus On The Way Home To Earth Musicians Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, guitars Jean-Luc Ponty, violin Gayle Moran, keyboards, vocals Narada Michael Walden, drums Ralphe Armstrong, bass, vocals plus small string ensemble and horns

Capsule Info: The second installment of the second incarnation of the Mahavishnu orchestra.

The Mahavishnu Orchestra: INNER WORLDS
Columbia Records 1976. Produced by Mahavishnu John McLaughlin.
Track list All In The Family Miles Out In My Life Gita Morning Calls The Way Of The Pilgrim River Of My Heart Planetary Citizen Lotus Feet Inner Worlds Musicians Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, guitars Stu Goldberg, keyboards Narada Michael Walden, drums, vocals, perc Ralphe Armstrong, bass, vocals

Capsule Info: The final incarnation of the Mahavishnu orchestra.

Shakti with John McLaughlin: SHAKTI
Columbia Records 1976. Produced by John McLaughlin.
Track list Joy Lotus Feet What Need Have I For This...I Am Dancing At The Feet Of My Lord... Musicians Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, guitar L. Shankar, violin R. Raghavan, mridangam Zakir Hussein, tabla T.S. Vinayakaram, ghatam and mridangam

Capsule Info: John McLaughlin walks away from electric fusion to explore the forms of Indian music with Indian musicians.

A Jazz Supreme