The Mahavishnu Orchestra

The first band to combine space rock, space jazz, free jazz, free rock and free-space jazz-rock with spiritualism and flat-out intergalactic travel. McLaughlin's nova-like playing soars like the birds of the album title, and Jan Hammer keeps up with equally ecstatic synth work. Together, they completely shattered the notions of how rock and jazz were supposed to be played.

McLaughlin and company have been playing as a unit for a little more than a year as of this
writing, but from the sound of their most recent performances and especially the new
Birds Of Fire it seems they are as attuned to each other as a group of five musicians are
ever going to get. McLaughlin, violinist Jerry Goodman and pianist Jan Hammer all command
such quick improvisatory skills that when the three trade riffs on amplified instr... More >

In which the inner mounting flame is made flesh? Something like that. The celestial raveups are more self-possessed, the lyrical interludes less swoony, and the modal themes are as grand as ever. (Grade - A-)