Nice work. I've been revisiting MO lately, thanks for even MOre!

...here's a splendid slideshow of pics from a Sheffield 1975 show by the MO (9 piece version, or maybe it was 11 - I'm sure there's a pic of Jean Luc Ponty in there!) set to audio from the Bilzen Festival, Belgium, in August 1975, by which point the MO were a 4-piece.

I have a bootleg CD of the entire gig, and thought the band had become a self-indulgent drag by that point... but here's part of a review by the great Charles Shaar Murray, who was there in person and clearly has a (sort of) different view of its greatness.

(The festival, incidentally, was one stop on a 'Startruckin' '75' package tour, run by Miles Copeland, which featured Lou Reed, the MO, Wishbone Ash. Climax Blues Band, Caravan, Soft Machine and, er, Ike & Tina Turner. Murray spent an amusing part of his write-up wondering out loud what on earth Lou & John M would find to talk about...)

Here's an extract of CSM writing in NME a week after the audio recording above:

"The band that McLaughlin has right now is undoubtedly his most outstanding since the now-legendary Cobham-Laird-Goodman line-up. The main revelation was ex-Motown bassist Ralph Armstrong, who's been in the band sometime, but is definitely shown to tremendous advantage in the new, slimmed-down quartet version.

"He can't feel that fast," muttered Mike Ratledge (no slouch himself) during one particular deadly waiting-around session in the coach. It's easy to see what Ratledge means, but McLaughlin's intensely radical sound and technique are inextricably linked not only to his particular worldview but to the way he hears guitar, themselves inseparable. Playing as he does in a state of transported ecstasy – God playing through him, as it were – his music expresses a view of religion as heroic, epic, large-scale, of almost unbearable passion and grandeur. His YMCA swimming instructor features either wreathed in a beatific grin or contorted with the righteous efforts of a Good Man wrestling with the Devil, he radiates an incongruous air of preternatural calm in the midst of the unbelievably violent electronic/percussive sturm und drang of the music – like a man serenely bathing in lightning because he knows that it's on his side and will never hurt him.

His dazzling sheet-lightning guitar, as stated above, is at least as much a different way of listening to the guitar as of playing it. While most blues-reared rock guitarists like to dig in and wail even at their speediest, McLaughlin treats his axe as if it were a horn that handled like a keyboard. His left band is all over the fretboard, and his fingers seem to be moving languidly and gracefully even when he's playing more notes than any other guitarist I've ever heard. He seems to glance a finger over a fret, just brushing it on his way to the next note – and the next and the nextandthenextand the – but he still hits it straight and true; and his playing has all of the elegance and grace associated with more economical guitarists simply because, like the saxophonists who've clearly inspired him, he hits the notes so fast that they cease to be separate notes and become a curious kind of articulated undulation.

To put it another way, he was amazing. I'm still not sure if I liked it, but I was awed by the sheer intensity and passion of the music."

...this, from Wishbone Ash drummer Steve Upton's online diary/memoir explains a lot:

5th August 1975
Started Startrucking across Europe with headlining over the likes
of Lou Reed, John McGlaughlin, Climax Blues Band, and Tina Turner.
Three days before the Lou Reed was due to arrive his boyfriend, Rachel, called Miles on Lou's behalf to ask about the "rumored tour." Rumored?
Lou was to be there in 3 days time! Rachel informed Miles that Lou was locked in the toilet, had been there 3 days and was not expected out in time for the tour. The William Morris Agency had signed the contract, had just been fired by Lou. This was the first bad omen for the tour.
The promoters took advantage of Lou's non-appearance to not pay the
contracted fees. Although the tour was a sell out in most places, it
ended up in a financial disaster for Miles, forcing him to liquidate all his companies and skirt with bankruptcy for the next two years.

One of the greatest things about the MO Mk2 - and perhaps the most underappreciated - is the bass playing Ralphe Armstrong. Trained in conservatoires and subsequently a jazz legend, the MO was Ralphe's first major platform (1974-76) - from then on he played with Jean Luc Ponty's band, Frank Zappa and on into the fusion stratosphere.

Here he is, firstly, in action with the MO in Switzerland, 1974 [bass solo starts c. 6:12] ; and secondly, in an extract from terrific 2010 interview with the website 'For Bass Players Only' recounting his amazing journey from nowheresville to the MO/stages of the world:

FBPO: How did you manage to get that audition for John McLaughlin? And you were how old?

RA: I was 16. Bass Player magazine did a story about that. I’m glad I’m talking to you, man, because I want to get some things straight. I was coming from Cass Tech High School in Detroit with this Czechoslovakian bass. I was on a bus and I got off at Seminole Street and I went by Michael Henderson’s house. And at that time, Michael Henderson was playing with Miles Davis. So I went by Michael’s house and I brought the bass. And he said, “Man, I know these bad guys up in Connecticut. They need a bass player.” So he put me on the phone and I played over the phone with this Czech bass.

The next thing I knew, four days later, I got an airplane ticket, my first airplane ticket, to go to New Marlborough, Massachusetts. Actually, I landed in Hartford, Connecticut. They picked me up in this old ’61 Cadillac limousine and I met Narada Michael Walden, the great drummer/producer. This was 1973. And I met a guy named Sandy Torano. He was from Miami. And we played together. I had brought my fretless Precision bass. It was candy-apple red. This is the one I recorded with John McLaughlin. So we were playing in this group. Believe it or not, the group was called the New McGuire Sisters. That’s crazy! I don’t know why they had that crazy name. We weren’t gay or anything!

I had a good experience there and then I returned home to Detroit. That summer, I went back to Connecticut and stayed on a farm in Canaan, Connecticut. During that time, Michael Walden told me that Mahavishnu was coming. Next thing I knew Michael had changed his name to Narada and he was wearing all this white stuff and burning incense. John McLaughlin came up there and I played with him and Narada with my fretless Precision bass. I’m pretty sure I’m one of the first musicians that ever recorded with a fretless Precision. John liked the bass so much that he invited me to join the group.

Now, on that same day, Jaco Pastorius came with his “bass of doom.” He came and auditioned after me and John gave me the gig because he loved the sound of the fretless Precision bass. And Jaco got mad and ripped all the frets out of his bass and put epoxy in there! I played his bass like three months later, man. You’d play G on it and sounded like F. It was out. It was so out! Jaco was a good cat, but he was kind of mad he didn’t get the gig. I also found it funny that he never had a case for that bass. He and Michael Henderson were very similar. They’d each walk around with the bass without a case.

After the audition, John said, "I’m going to call you to play bass. I want you to play." In my mind I’m thinking, “Man, this cat is not going to call a black kid from Detroit to play. He’s full of shit!” So I went on home and it was a kind of snowy day in February 1974. I was living on the east side of Detroit and I got a call and it was him on the phone, Mahavishnu! I almost fell out! He says, I got somebody who wants to talk to you. He wants you to play bass with him and me and whatever. He said, “him.” Guess who was on the phone?

FBPO: Tell me...

RA: Carlos Santana! I’m 16-and-a-half and, you know, I worshiped Santana as a kid and I almost fell out. And Carlos said, "I’m going to have you play bass." But guess what happened? I don’t know if they flipped a coin, but we all ended up with John McLaughlin. And I ended up flying to New York and rehearsing for about two months straight. We had one concert before we flew to London. That was with the Buffalo Philharmonic. And then we flew to London. I think it was the fall of 1974. I recorded with George Martin of the Beatles.

FBPO: What was it like performing with a music legend like John McLaughlin, especially at such a young age?

RA: Well, it was a blessing to me. It was a great thrill. I learned so much about music from him. He was a real disciplinarian with us. He made us play, man. We had rehearsals after the gig. He really worked on Narada and me to get us to play and I thank him for that. He worked our tongues out!

FBPO: What about the Jean-Luc Ponty gig? How did that come about?

RA: At the end of the Mahavishnu group, Jean-Luc Ponty kept came up to me and said [Ralph’s best French accent!], “You know, the group is going to end and I want you to play with me!” I was young and I promised I would play with him. I knew I would, eventually, but when the Mahavishnu group disbanded, I went out with Frank Zappa. That was in ’76. I did a Canadian tour with him. We did some recordings but I don’t know what happened to them.

I think I met Zappa on a show. We opened for him. And he was freaking out at how I played the bass. And what’s so funny about when I worked with Zappa [laughing] was that Zappa had me bring every damn instrument I had on the road! It was so funny. I had my bass violin with the Barcus Berry pickup on it, digital effects with it, I had an electric sitar John McLaughlin gave me. He had me play that [laughing]. All the shit I had on the stage! All kinds of basses! I was 19 when I played with Zappa. And what’s so funny is that Zappa was a character, man. He called me when he came to Detroit in ’76 because I was burnt out from traveling, you know. We worked so much. And I came to Cobo Hall and played with him right in Detroit. He had me sit in on stage with him. The next thing I knew, he was sending me an airplane ticket. He also put me on salary, like John McLaughlin did. Back then, it was different. They would put you on salary. I was part of his company.

FBPO: Tell me more about Frank Zappa, the man.

RA: He was a good guy. I got some music of his that I’m holding on to that was never played. I’ve never seen a human being write as fine as Frank Zappa, no human being. And I’ve seen some of the great writers. I mean the penmanship was like a computer, a work of art. It was incredible that way he could write.

...was Narada Michael Walden, on drums.

Imagine being a 21 year old nobody who has to fill the shoes of Billy Cobham at his zenith? Yikes!

Here's NMW on the matter from an interview with 'Drummer' magazine 2010:

"I don't feel that I filled Billy Cobham's shoes.
In my mind, I could never compete with Billy Cobham:
no one can, so what I did was compete with myself.
My teacher , Sri Chinmoy taught me to compete
with myself, and that helped me so much because
then I was not trying to judge my performance.
We aren't the best judges of ourselves and the best
thing we can do is to just play and get out of the way.
Thats what I learn't and I needed that ,
because otherwise the ego and the mind would tell me,
'No way can I follow Billy Cobham' You know
you go there: you're human and you can be afraid"

As Billy puts it, reminiscing on the last days of the MO Mk1 in Walter Kolosky's splendid MO biog, "I wondered why Michael Walden was always hanging around behind me at shows..."

...here's an extract from a 'Melody Maker' piece by the splendid Chris Charlesworth, from an interview conducted in New York, January 1974 (just three weeks after the MO Mk1 had crashed and burned.

MO Mk1 drummer Billy Cobham was already gettting his 'Spectrum' band and record together.

John plays it close to his chest about his own plans, which still seem fluid at this point, but as we know from Ralphe's recollections above - hinted at here by John - he wasn't letting the grass grow under his feet.

He had the new rhythm section; he wanted to tour America in April; he just needed some new music and the rest of a new band...

Things moved faster in the music world of the '70s, didn't they?

Extract from John McLaughlin MM interview, Jan 1974:

"I'm doing some homework at the moment, which is a change, because the Mahavishnu did a lot of touring.

"I'm not taking it easy because there is no such thing as taking it easy in a spiritual life. I am working just as hard, but in a different way.

"I'm writing a lot and thinking much about what new forms of music I can make and what different textures of music are available to me.

"There are so many fine musicians around at the moment, especially in America, and I'm obviously searching for the right ones to work with.

"I'm also interested in breaking down barriers between musicians who play different types of music whether it be classical, jazz or rock.

"I believe there are no real barriers in music, just barriers between people and these are barriers I want to remove.

"All I can say is that I have found an incredible rhythm section and I want to put together a band for both touring and recording which will be my primary outlet. But there are different things I want to get into at the same time.

"I am looking for something more flexible than the Orchestra. The Orchestra was five people and to add something to the five people would have taken away from of changed the character of the band and that was kind of taboo.

"There were times when I felt like adding more instruments but the others didn't take kindly to this, so my new group will be able to add different instrument whenever I feel like it.

"It'll be a rhythm section plus myself plus anything. I like to surprise people and I think people like to be surprised, just as Tony Williams has surprised me tonight. [Chris & John had just been to see Tony Williams playing live]

"The basic plan is to record first then start a tour of America around the end of April. I also want to take the new band to Europe afterwards."

...let me present, if I may, a MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA (Mk 2) CONCERT CHRONOLOGY (1974-75)!

There is already, online, a comprehensive MO Mk1 (1971-73) concertology, compiled by Walter Kolosky with reference to the MO tour manager's diaries. This was a key source for the MO Mk 1 concert recordings guide I compiled on the sister thread to this: wordmagazine.co.uk/.../the-mahavishnu-orchestra-greatest-band-ever-was

I was fascinated to find, in working on that listing, that so many full or partial MO Mk1 concerts still existed, and were readily available via a number of online sources.

As far as I know, however, no one has compiled either a comprehensive Mahavishnu Orchestra Mk 2 concert chronology or live recordings guide... until now!

"What is The Word blog for," you may ask, "if not for the publishing of arcane information on fusion orchestras?" What indeed!

Easily the less celebrated of the 'two' Mahavishnu Orchestras, the 1974-75 band was in fact at least three different bands, possibly four or five, diminishing in numbers from 11-piece to 4-piece as the two years went on. It was also, however, a much more internationally focused touring operation. MO Mk2 rarely left the USA (only performing a handful of shows during two trips to Europe); MO Mk2 traversed the globe! One can only imagine the cost of the air fares and hotel bills...

This listing - and there are undoubtedly many dates yet missing - is drawn from many online reference sites including blogspot.drfusion.com ; jazzfusion.tv ; dawsonsworld.com ; milesago.com ; the John McLaughlin Archives site; and other sites associated with Frank Zappa, Australian rock tours and artists on the Star Truckin' 75 tour. Gaps may yet be filled with a bit more web trawling (feel free to help out there...).

As before, I've indicated where concert recordings are available online as follows:

JF - at jazfusion.tv (free streaming or download)
DrF - blogspot.drfusion.com (free download)
DS - Dawson Sound (recorded by soundman Dinky Dawson; owned by Wolfgangsvault; not yet available there, but hopefully soon)
FM - an FM broadcast (two French radio broadcasts of excerpts)
Filmed - a concert film (50 mins of the 2+ hour Montreux concert is available on the official MO DVD 'Live At Montreux', the rest plus the 50 minute French TV Antibes concert is available 'elsewhere')

If we count the forthcoming Dinky Dawson/Wolfgangs Vault shows, I reckon 52 MO Mk2 concerts are/will be available online. And certainly audience tapes of other shows exist (eg Knebworth 1974 and Croydon 1975). Nevertheless, notwithstanding the two terrific films of the 1974 line-up - 'Wings Of Karma' from the Montreux film is excerpted above - until the Dawson recordings become available the MO Mk 2 will remain the lesser-known and less appreciated of the MOs.

What is most surprisingly - having listened to a couple of the 1975 shows at jazzfusion.tv - is not how much of the 'Visions Of The Emerald Beyond' LP was performed live, but how much of the MO Mk1 material was performed live! The reinventions, with such a different bunch of players, are fascinating and exciting - not better, but funkier! Anyway, more of that in a later post...

So, here it is: A MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA (Mk 2) CONCERTOLOGY (1974-75):

3/74 ‘Apocalypse’ recording sessions

11-Piece Band:

6/5/74 Detroit, MI (JF)

11/6/74 Dallas, TX
19/6/74 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA (JF)
24/6/74 Central Park, NYC (JF)

5/7/74 Frankfurt, GERMANY [might be confusion with 9/7 date below]
7/7/74 Montreux Jazz Festival, MONTREUX [Filmed]
9/7/74 Frankfurt, GERMANY (JF)
15/7/74 Olympia Theatre, Paris, FRANCE
20/7/74 Knebworth Festival, ENGLAND
23/7/74 Gothenburg, GERMANY (JF)
29/7/74 Juan Le Pins, Antibes, FRANCE [FM/Filmed] (DrF)

11/8/74 Wichita, KS (JF)

30/10/74 Royce Hall, UCLA

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND TOUR – 9-piece or 11-piece band:
8/11/74 Concert Hall, Perth, AUSTRALIA (NB date mis-credied elsewhere as Cessna Stadium, Wichita, Kansas)
10/11/74 Festival Hall, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
12/11/74 Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
14/11/74 Festival Hall, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
15/11/74 Thebarton Hall, Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
17/11/74 Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
19/11/74 Festival Hall, Brisbane, AUSTRALIA
?/11/74 Wellington, NEW ZEALAND
?/11/74 Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND

?/11-12/74 Houston, TX ?
?/11-12/74 Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas?

4-14/12/74 ‘Visions Of The Emerald Beyond’ recording sessions, NYC

(1/75 Buddhist Temple, Chicago – John & Eve McLaughlin concert)

EUROPEAN TOUR (Jan 19 – Feb 27) – 9-Piece Band:
19/1/75 Fairfield Halls, Croydon, ENGLAND
21/1/75 Portsmouth, ENGLAND
22/1/75 London, ENGLAND
23/1/75 Birmingham, ENGLAND
24/1/75 Bristol, ENGLAND
25/1/75 Free Trade Hall, Manchester, ENGLAND
26/1/75 Glasgow, SCOTLAND
28/1/75 Edinburgh, SCOTLAND
29/1/75 Newcastle, ENGLAND
30/1/75 Sheffield, ENGLAND

2/2/75 Brussels, BELGIUM
4/2/75 Concertgebow, Amsterdam, HOLLAND
6/2/75 Falconer, Copenhagen, DENMARK
7/2/75 Concerthaus, Stockholm, SWEDEN (JF)
9/2/75 Congresshalle, Hamburg, GERMANY
11/2/75 Palais de Beaulieu, Lausanne, FRANCE
12/2/75 Salle Pleyel, Paris, FRANCE [FM] (JF, DrF)
13/2/75 (venue ?), Paris, FRANCE
15/2/75 Palais de Sports, Barcelona, SPAIN
17/2/75 Real Madrid, Madrid, SPAIN - 2 shows
20/2/75 Palasport, Turin, ITALY
21/2/75 Palasport, Udine, ITALY
22/2/75 Palasport, Milan, ITALY – 2 shows
23/2/75 Thetro Genova, Genova, ITALY – 2 shows
24/2/75 Palasport, Bologna, ITALY
25/2/75 Palasport, Rome, ITALY
27/2/75 Thetro Petruzelli, Bari, ITALY – 2 shows

[JEAN-LUC PONTY & GAYLE MORAN LEAVE]

Possibly 9-, 7- or 5-Piece Band:

12/4/75 Penn State (DS)
13/4/75 SUNY, NY (DS)
14/4/75 Allentown, NY (DS)
17/4/75 Georgetown University, WDC (DS)
18/4/75 College Park, MD (DS)
19/4/75 State College, Millersville, PA (DS)
20/4/75 Clark University, Worcester, MA (DS)

MO + JEFF BECK TOUR (April 24 – June 15) – 5-Piece Band:
24/4/75 Buffalo, NY (DS)
25/4/75 Rochester, NY (DS)
26/4/75 Springfield, MA (DS)
27/4/75 Capital Theatre, Passaic, NJ (DS)
29/4/75 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY (DS)
30/4/75 Avery Fisher Hall, NYC (DS)
1/5/75 Avery Fisher Hall, NYC (DS)
2/5/75 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA (DS)
3/5/75 Music Hall, Boston, MA (JF, DrF, DS)
4/5/75 Coliseum, New Haven, CN (DS)
6/5/75 Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh (DS)
7/5/75 Music Hall, Cleveland, OH (DS)
8/5/75 Aerie Crown Theatre, Chicago, Il (DS)
9/5/75 Masonic Temple, Detroit, Mich (DS)
10/5/75 Auditorium Theatre, Milwaukee, WI (DS)
11/5/75 Ambassador Theatre, St Louis, MO (DS)
28/5/75 Civic Plaza Exposition Hall, Phoenix, AZ (DS)
29/5/75 Golden Hall, San Diego (DS)
30/5/75 Shrine Auditorium, LA, CA (DS)
31/5/75 Winterland, San Francisco (DS)
1/6/75 Civic Centre, San Jose, CA (DS)
3/6/75 Paramount Theatre, Portland, OR (DS)
4/6/75 Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA (DS)
7/6/75 Ice Arena, Denver, CO (DS)
8/6/75 UNM, Albuquerque, NM (DS)
9/6/75 Civic Centre, El Paso, NM (DS)
11/6/75 Memorial Hall, Dallas, TX (DS)
12/6/75 Municipal Hall, San Antonio, TX (DS)
13/6/75 Music Hall, Oklahoma City, OK (DS)
14/6/75 Assembly Centre, Tulsa, OK (DS)
15/6/75 Music Hall, Houston, TX (DS)

(5/7/75 Southampton College, Long Island – Shakti concert)

7-8/75 ‘Inner Worlds’ recording sessions, FRANCE

STAR TRUCKIN’ PACKAGE TOUR (Aug 5-24) + Caravan, Wishbone Ash, Soft Machine etc - 4 Piece Band:
5/8/75 Falkener Theatre, Copenhagen, DENMARK
7/8/75 Chateau Neux, Oslo, NORWAY
9/8/75 Runsala Folk Park, Turku, FINLAND
11/8/75 Tivoli, Stockholm, SWEDEN (JF)
14/8/75 Groenoordhal, Lieden, HOLLAND
15/8/75 Bilzen Festival, BELGIUM (JF)
16/8/75 Stadion Galende, Ludwigsburg, GERMANY (DrF)
17/8/75 Roman Amphitheatre, Orange, FRANCE
18/8/75 Plaza De Toros, Marbella, SPAIN
24/8/75 Reading Festival, ENGLAND

16/10/75 Providence, RI (JF)
29/10/75 Palace Theatre, Waterbury, CN – 2 shows (+ Frank Zappa)

29/11/75 Toledo University, OH (JF, DrF)

...in the absence of any 'Visions Of The Emerald Beyond'-era live footage, let us enjoy MO Mk2 drums-meister Narada Michael Walden reprising the 'Visions...' album-opener 'Eternity's Breath' recently with Jeff Beck - this is a great clip from Japan, and leads into 'Stratus' and 'Led Boots':

And, lest we lose Dave Amitri's interest, here's Narada with his own band recently reprising one of his 80s pop hits (written for Aretha Franklin) 'Freeway Of Love'. It funks - and dig the unapologetic fusion drumming intro!

Would you believe I've just spent weeks doing exactly the same thing!!I now have 40 pages of A4 covering the entire MO gig list from 71-75 including concert pics, set lists, bootleg artwork etc and your fine work filled a few gaps. Here's a few others you missed - can't fault the rest of it :D

1974
Feb 21 Buffalo, NJ with Buffalo Philharmonic
May 1 Washington DC
May 2 Columbus, OH
May 3 Cincinnatti,OH
May 4 Cleveland,OH
The May dates are from an audio download site called Sugarmegs which has some fab MO1 gigs inc The Roxy from Nov 73 which I haven't seen elsewhere
May 15 Centre For The Arts, Regina, Saskatchewan
Google images threw up a handbill kept by support band Wascana and signed by John in the '90s
Jul 2 Pine Knob Music Theater,Clarkston, MI
???Random Google hit
Jul 27 Hilversum, Holland
Mentioned in Paul Stumps's book "Go Ahead John" - Van Morrison on same bill
Oct 15 Durham, NH
1975
Feb 26 Palasport,Naples,Italy
Jul 7 Albuquerque,NM
Aug 29 Vienna, Austria
The Vienna gig is (I think) an FM broadcast but as I don't get on with torrents (WTF?) I can't get it. Per the track list it starts with a version of "A Love Supreme" but I'll believe it when I hear it. A quick Google search and you'll have it.

Anyone still awake out there?
Incidentally, a guy I work with saw the Jan 75 Sheffield gig and had to put up with his girlfriend mooning over Jean-Luc Ponty :)
I would love to hear the Croydon 75 gig but it's not been posted - seems someone would like to keep it to themselves meh :/

Faced with Colin's relentless enthusiasm, I can hold out no longer. I've invested £10.99 in the boxed set of 5 MO albums.

Playing the first one right now and, do you know, it *is* rather good.

...it's wonderful stuff, isn't it? :-D If you can get on with 'The Inner Mounting Flame' right away, you're already ahead of the game - it can only get more blissful from here on in...

Fishbender - wonderful stuff. 10 years ago it wouldn't have been possible to do this kind of research via the net (and with online postings of primary materials like handbills, tour programs etc as well as chunks of already distilled bits of info here and there); now, it seems, one can do significant work online before turning to primary print sources (if one had the time/inclination/resources) to confirm info and fill in gaps.

I should have known to look out for the Buffalo 74 date (though I'm surprised it predates the 'Apocalypse' recording sessions), as this must be the show - seen in a number of photos - where the MO dressed in black/white traditional orchestra gear and the 'real' orchestra dressed in jeans to premiere the fully orchestral 'Apocalypse' album.

I'm no good at posting stills, but perhaps some kind soul will seek out one of the pics of John McL with black tie, tails and double-neck guitar and post it for our delectation!

As for the Croydon show, I'm sure I have a copy on cassette somewhere. I'll seek it out and if it's any good I'll have it transferred to CD and let you know, Fishmeister...

Meanwhile, let's enjoy Julie Oakes' amazing cover (posted on this site a few months back in its own thread) of the MO's 'Earth Ship', from their 'Visions Of The Emerald Beyond' LP.

Dim your lights - it's truly blissful stuff.

one of the best tracks on 'VOTEB' and one I usually skip, but not anymore - lovely melody and a perfect prologue to 'On The Way Home To Earth' which sounds like a big spaceshipp landing on the Himalayas or something. I love that album,it's prob my fave. A trip,like "Electric Ladyland".
I'd like to take issue with Walter Kolosky's claim that MO2 were 'quite good'. Eh?!?!?! Their version of 'Sanctuary' was heartbreaking - listen to the Copenhagen gig from 1975. Pity they didn't tackle something like 'Binky's'- that would have sounded cool with strings & horns.
The Croydon gig would be fantastic to hear. Perhap you could post it someplacce?
The internet is great indeed. Thanks for the pic of the Rex Bogue Double Rainbow above. I Googled it a couple of years ago and got a hit on the Sotheby's site who seemed to think they were selling the real thing (huh?) Does Elliott Sears know about this?

...custom made double-neck, but Dinky Dawson (soundman extraordinaie) has a fascinating tale about it first published in the online 'Crawdaddy', c/o Wolfgangs Vault (and probably also in his autobiography 'My Life Is The Road'). After it, one wouldn't be surprised if John got rid of it. Here's the relevant extract (the scene is the summer 1975 MO/Jeff Beck tour of the US, where everyone onstage seemed to have new electronic devices which were causing a flattening of the dynamics in the sound and other issues). Dinky refers to the double-neck as a Gibson, but I suspect he means the Rex Bogue:

'By late May at the Shrine in LA, the reviewers were writing that there were sound problems with feedback during every tune of Mahavishnu Orchestra’s set. Even John complained that all he could hear during his playing was constant feedback. After the show in Albuquerque, John again complained. I had to explain to him that it was really the incessant drone of Morley pedals being overused. John seemed to take my observation under consideration and slowly walked off in the direction of the dressing room, grabbing his sturdy double-neck Gibson on the way. He placed the six- and 12-string combination instrument on a heavy-duty stand and left to take a shower. Moments later, the stand pitched over and the guitar’s neck shattered into several pieces on the concrete floor. John nearly cried at the accident, a surprising one since the Gibson was not a poorly made product and hadn’t fallen from any height. One of John’s crew shook his head in disbelief. “That was weird. It just tipped over and completely shattered the end. Bad karma!’”

The next night in El Paso, John walked into his dressing room carrying a backup Les Paul, a guitar so sturdy you could practically use it to drive nails into the wall. Once again, he placed the instrument carefully on a stand and, once again, as soon as he was out of sight, the guitar promptly fell over, the instrument’s neck fracturing into a dozen pieces. John borrowed Jeff Beck’s spare, another Les Paul, for the show. As the rest of the band slid into a series of lengthy solos during the second song, John came out to the house console. It was the first time he’d come out during a concert and my first talk with him since his two guitars had broken.

“So, how are you, lad?” he said, slipping into his cheerful Yorkshire accent.

“A little better than you, I imagine, but not much,” I replied.

I motioned him to listen to the music. After a few moments, he turned and said, “You know, it sounds bloody awful!”

“Well, that’s not me, John,” I said defensively, “It’s those damn Morley pedals. Everyone sounds the same, no dynamics, no tone.”

John thought about this for a minute or so.

“You’re right,” he said finally, realization crossing his face. “Can you believe what happened to my guitars, the only two I’ve got on tour?”

“Oh yes, I can. You know what that’s telling you?” I replied. “Your guitars have had enough of you and your effects. You’ve burned this music out. It’s telling you to move on.”

At first he looked quizzically at me, his eyes widening. I could see he was thinking.

“Right, lad,” he said after a few moments, jauntily putting his Yorkshire accent back on and smiling broadly now as he returned to play. Back on stage, John turned off his Morley and played the rest of the night without any effects.

The tour finished in Houston on June 15th. John was very reserved, even when jamming with Jeff on the last night of the tour. Nothing was said, but it was inevitable that the electronic Mahavishnu Orchestra would be moving on.'

Within 6 months the MO was no more. Photos from the August 'Strar Truckin' 75' tour show John using a single neck Les Paul.

I knew I'd seen that story somewhere but couldn't find it. Thanks for putting me out of my misery. What with falling sales, the split with his wife and the call of India,this must have been another sign to move on. The Star Truckin' dates had probably been booked months before or he would have maybe split the band at the end of the June tour.
Whether "Inner Worlds" should have been made at all is an interesting debate - when I first heard it in 1985 it reeked of contractual obligation - but I actually like "Miles Out" and "Way Of The Pilgrim" is lovely IMO.

...'Inner Worlds' has always sounded unconvincing to me - like JM had already 'moved on' in his mind and was just fooling around with ideas, leaving the rest of the guys (Narada and Ralphe) to come up with some stuff to pad it out. But 'Way Of The Pilgrim' - indeed, the last great MO track (and it's written by Narada)!

...the splendid news is... not only have I found the cassette of the MO 1975 Croydon gig I mentioned above (acquired via tape trading in the 80s) but it appears I also have a great quality audience cassette from Reading 1975 too. I'm going to have them digitised (at least) and restored/mastered (if I can pull in a favour). After which I'll make sure they're freely available...

Colin, Ive been away from the Word website for a few weeks (a kind of cold turkey to go with the real cold turkey Ive been eating for the last 2 weeks). I come back to find you are at it again ! Mind you the clip of JM above playing Song to John with Stanley Clarke and Chick Corea is a must !!

indeed has the gift of drums.I saw a copy of Garden...years ago but passed on it - shame: love 'The Sun Is Dancing'- very MO, especially the 15/8? bit about 6.5 mins in. I did have a recording of the Tommy Bolin Band doing 'Deliteful' (from 'GOLL') as part of their regular set when NMW played with them. Billy Cobham saw a show and told him, "You're knockin' the paint off those drums, man!"
Great news on the bootleg front! Keep us posted! BTW if you go to ukrockfestivals.com there's a review of the Reading set, as well as the Knebworth gig with some nice pics and a set list (the tape is apparently a bit windy). AND,if you Google 'Orange 75' (Le Woodstock Francais!) there's an MO page with some great photos I've never seen before.
This thread cannot be stopped!!!

...but he clearly managed to get a few bargains from the MO closing down sale - not only are MIchael Walden (dr) and Norma Bell (sax) on that recording, from late versions of the MO, but he also recruited Ralphe Armstrong (bs) for a while and Jan Hammer (keys, from MO Mk 1). Not sure of the overlap/times, but that's quite a roll call of players isn't it?

that for years! Thankyou very much Mr Duvet sir - that'll send me scurrying back to my Bolin stuff! And yes, Jan did play on Tommy's "Teaser" album in '75, a good place to start. Surely Colin you've heard Billy's "Spectrum", which is why, thanks to Tommy, I'm here now! The sale certainly paid dividends for Bolin and says a lot for how good he was that he could play with these people. Shame how it ended - what a sad story...

...but it's not quite my thing. At least, not as exhilarating as MO...

I'm generally more excited about other 70s records with Jan Hammer as a guest... but this CD 'A Celebration Of The MO' by the Hr Big Band (from Germany) with Billy Cobham, from 2006, is sensational. One of the best MO tribute/reinterpretation CDs out there - arranged by Colin Towns, formerly of Ian Gillan's band. He has an exceptional talent for bringing the essence of the MO material to the medium of a big band, with plenty of room for improvisation.

Intriguingly, Billy gets to drum not only on MO Mk1 tunes but several MO Mk2 ones - including Narada's 'Cosmic Strut', which opens this video montage, and Eternity's Breath.

The video montage offers a flavour of the CD (which was from a live performance) although, confusingly, the visuals are cobbled together from a later HR Big Band + Billy Cobham + Jerry Goodman performance, plus various bits on unrelated footage. So just give the music a listen... and then go off and order the CD in confidence!

...the full performance of 'Dawn' (MO Mk1 tune, as performed by the 11 piece version of the MO Mk2) from the Antibes Jazz Festival in France, July 1974, to youtube. So let's lie back in bliss and enjoy it...

Incidentally, Fishbender, I have another MO Mk 2 date: October 12 1974, Durham, North Carolina, with Janis Ian as the opening act. Found an online memoir by a local radio DJ who interviewed both JMcL and Janis Ian on the day. Truly, a bill to rival Judy Collins + MO Mk1 at Hunter College in May 1972...

Big Band stuff - I downloaded a concert a while back & was impressed by how they caught some of the spirit. Nice to see BC & JG involved too. Perhaps they've realised at the end of the day it's about the music and not all that other stuff. Perhaps it would shed light on a future discussion of "The Question"...
Thanks for the Durham date Mr H. Someone ought to put the full list out there for others to view. Speaking of dates, meanwhile, here's a review of the first MO2 gig proper at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, from the June 74 issue of Downbeat. Sadly there's no clue to the date - 30/4/74, anyone?

If there hadn't been a Mahavishnu Orchestra before, the debut of John McLaughlin's present Mahavishnu Orchestra might've been a greater event. As it was, the expectations were greater than the music ever could've been.
There were immediate questions, comparisons of the band then and now, of the music then and now. In player-to-player comparisons, the band then was better-but then, the music now isn't the same. It's actually orchestral with the strings and the horns - except that they're not playing music all that orchestral. The sound is different, but it's really what the other Mahavishnu played as a rock band only now being played as a chamber ensemble. And isn't as interesting.
What McLaughlin creates is a music at once simple and complex-a mantra-like simplicity of melody, a mercurial complexity of rhythm. It's lyrically soaring yet rocking. But the band now isn't together enough to play all that. The lyricism is as fervant as ever, but the rocking isn't - and many in the audience were dissappointed. And I don't mean the assholes shouting, "Boogie!" Nor that the band ought to be rocking - I mean they try to rock and they don't.
I hesitate to return to comparisons, but I think the inertia of the concert was due to the band, whether inexperienced or under-rehearsed or whatever. And despite the presence of the horns and the strings, the music is mainly played, as before, by McLaughlin, the violin, and the trio-and they're simply not as great. Jean-Luc Ponty is a great player, but somehow not in this context. Ponty's solos seemed the same every time and he never had the rocking lyricism to equal Jerry Goodman. Gayle Moran has an ethereal voice, but except for an everpresent enchanted smile, I never sensed her presence in the music - unlike the ubiquitous energy of Jan Hammer. Rick Laird vs. Ralphe Armstrong is a closer contest (though it isn't a contest). And overall is the ghost of Billy Cobham. The guitar, drums duets were as prevalent as before, and McLaughlin and Michael Walden inspire each other, but nowhere is that funky ferocity of Cobham - nowhere is that spirit that energized it all.
And therein is the irony. The Mahavishnu Orchestra is a spiritual ensemble, reverent about their music - and yet their playing, though inspired, isn't inspiring. It actually somnolized me.
But, despite all these doubtings, the music is good - or it will be. It isn't what was expected, but that isn't their fault. It's that what McLaughlin is creating seems not so much an evolution into something greater as into something else not yet great. As it were, it's not the apocalypse as advertised, but another inauguration.

And would whoever posted the MO2 Antibes concert please give us the whole thing,as I've been unable for some reason to download the audio?

Pre-Mahavishnu grooves...

nice. A couple of chords and a single note. Talk about squandered talent. I actually quite like this - a bit Otis Redding-ish?

...I knew about 'Cruisin' but had never heard it before. Thanks for that, Perfumizer! John recorded, I believe, two singles (of which this was one) and an LP with Herbie in the mid '60s. One had to pay the rent somehow! He also recorded as a session man with the Rolling Stones and was on several recordings with fellow sessioneer Jimmy Page in that period. As I've said before, though, by far the most exciting pre-solo career recordings I've heard by JMcL are his various tracks with Duffy Power (often with the likes of Ginger Baker, Phil Seamen, Terry Cox on drums and Jack Bruce or Danny Thompson on bass) - an album's worth of publisher demos later released, in 1971, as 'Innovations' and a UK single and French EP released in 1967 as Duffy's Nucleus.

As to the Downbeat review from the very early MO Mk2 gig that Fishbender reprints above, it seems to be very astute to me - a number of penetrating points there. Of course MO2 was going to be compared to MO1 - and would always, inevitable, fall short in those comparisons because clearly its not a like for like comparison. But JM chose to use the MO name, so...

As I said above, in response to Declan's recollection of an MO2 gig in 1974, I think it did take some time for all the musicians to 'bed in' with each other. The various 1975 audience recordings I've heard on the website jazzfusion.tv do reveal a band more unified and 'looser' than the larger 1974 band. Perhaps the 9-piece, 5-piece and 4-piece version of MO2 which toured during 1975 really were in themselves significantly different entities than the 1974 11-piece unit. Further listening will reveal a focused opinion on that!

What I can say at this point, certainly, is that - as far as I'm aware - the 1974/11-piece band's live repertoire was based very largely around the 'Apocalypse' LP. The only MO Mk1 tunes they played, as far as I know (and I'm happy to be corrected!), were 'Sanctuary' and 'Dawn'. Whereas, by the time things had downsized to the 4-piece version in August 1975 the band were capable of playing a number of MO Mk1 pieces including: 'Meeting Of The Spirits (with Ralphe Armstrong driving it along with an astonishing new bass part) / You Know, You Know / One Word / Open Country Joy' as well as 'Sanctuary'. ('Dawn' might have been dropped by that stage. The band by then was also cap[able of playing tracks from both 'Apocalypse' and 'Visions Of The Emerald Beyond'. It seems that the simple matter of smaller numbers made flexibility in repertoire greater.

But the 11-piece, more 'orchestrated' band was, in my view, a brave and worthwhile exercise. I can't help feeling, though, that had JMcL decided to debut a new version of the MO in 1974 with the funky, more mainstream rock sound of 'Visions...' rather than the curveball of a fully orchestral LP ('Apocalypse'), he might have sustained the band longer. But hats off to him for going with his vision when he did...

the gig you saw was the first Upstate Jazz Festival, June 27th 1974 (ah, Google!) America & Maria Muldaur played the following day, according to the Schenectady Gazette.
Colin, I agree with everything you say. Sticking with the name was a risk, but changing it would have meant lots of, "Hmm, sounds like the MO", so...I loved MO1 but wouldn't be without the subsequent two LPs(and bits of "Inner Worlds"). John probably wanted a symphonic thing in 1974 but, given the restrictions of a Third Stream set-up (small unit inside a big one)as you say, hinders the kind of off-the-cuff, turn-on-a-sixpence changes that MO1 did so effortlessly during the likes of The Dance Of Maya. By 1975 he perhaps had more of a handle on what the band could do and tailored the music accordingly,hence VOTEB (not to mention commercial considerations). John's insistence on playing mostly "Apocalypse" on the 74 tour perhaps didn't help the band's profile, but at least it distanced them from MO1.
Funnily enough I was listening to the Orange 75 gig last night and the intensity is almost frightening: in the encore Hope/Dawn, the latter is sped up to an impressionistic blur. I would argue they were a valid band in their own right and shouldn't be judged as a cut-price remnant of the 74/75 line-up (Charles Shaar Murray was impressed with them, according to your review above),just as the MO2 shouldn't be thought of as merely a 'posh' MO1 with strings.

[This list has been updated and superseded. See below!]

...a bit of digging around has revealed a couple of tantalising morsels of information.

Firstly, there is Bill Graham's penchant for filming many of his shows at Winterland, San Francisco. The Mk2 MO appeared there twice: May 26 1974 (the 11 piece version, featuring almost exclusively 'Apocalypse' material) in a triple bill with Journey and The Tubes; and May 31 1975 as a double bill with Jeff Beck.

Over at wolfgangsvault.com film of the Tubes set is already up there, with Bill Graham announcing 'Boy do we have a show for you tonight...'. Hopefully the MO set was filmed and will yet appear. But even more beguilingly is the prospect that the May 1975 date was filmed. The 9-piece line up for the Beck tour was, in my view, the finest of the several MO2 line-ups (actually more complex than my initial suggestion several posts above), featuring:

John (gtr), Ralphe Armstrong (bs), Stu Goldberg (keys), Narada Michael Walden (dr), Steven Kindler (solo violin), Carol Shive (2nd violin), Phil Hirschi (cello), Norma Jean Bell (sax) and Premik Russel Tubbs (flute/horns)

According to Stu Goldberg, John's Rex Bogue double neck had smashed in an accident the previous night in LA, so this gig would see John either reverting to his Gibson twin neck or his Les Paul... BOTH of which Dinky Dawson recalls smashing in freak accidents eight and nine days later...

The set was base around stunning versions of 'Visions Of The Emerald Beyond' material... which would disappear entirely from the set after this tour, at which point the MO downsized to a 4 piece (John, Stu, Ralphe, Narada) and set off to Europe... playing mostly MO Mk1 material and a couple of pieces that later appeared on the swansong 'Inner Worlds' LP.

Most intriguingly, one of those Euro dates was at the Festival d'Orange in southern France, in a Roman Amphitheatre (hey, it was the 70s!), at which Dr Feelgood also played. A VHS copy of Dr F's performance - with hugely atmospheric shots of the amphitheatre as well as the band, who regarded it as their best show - was excerpted in Julien Temple's 'Oil City Confidential', and a further short clip (in sharper quality, but source not given) is on youtube (below).

It seems that a 2 hour film of the festival was made, by one Chris Eckhardt, and given a theatrical release in Belgium in 1976. Which is presumably the source of the Dr feelgood footage. But the trail is stone cold - I can find no leads to whether a copy of the film still exists. If it did, it would be likely the 4-piece MO are featured (the band was already big in France) and would likely be the only film of this final incarnation. One can but hope!

Film from the Jeff Beck tour! Now THAT would be worth watching. BTW there's a Beck gig from that tour on Wolfgangs Vault (8/5/75? Must check...) so I assume Dinky taped the MO set too. As for the Orange footage, that would indeed be fantastic (exits to investigate...)

...the MO shows. it's only a matter of time...

...the various line-ups of the MO Mk2 (1974-75) was Stu Goldberg, who replaced Gayle Moran on keys circa March 1975 and lasted until the band dissolved towards the end of the year, reappearing in various John McLaughlin tours and recordings post-Shakti in 1978-79.

More of a studio/soundtracks musician these days, there's a fascinating hint of Shakti in this 2006 piano/tablas concert with Cassius Khan - but much more of a hint of Keith Jarrett.

For anyone who enjoys Keith's 'Koln Concert', this 25 minute improvisation will be a delight - beautiful, lyrical playing in the opening 10 mins or so, then ramping up to a sensational Koln-esque gospel/soul flavoured section from 12:55-14:55 or thereabouts and onwards as a duo for another 10 mins. Tremendous music-making...

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA SET LISTS

It’s not always possible to tell from a recording what is a full set – a lot of the ’72 shows are support slots, so these may be complete. From mid-’72, it’s anyone’s guess – the longer the recording thereafter, the more likely it’s a full show is the best I can do, though the 72/73 gigs started with either “Meeting Of The Spirits” or “Birds Of Fire”, if that’s any help.
*are best-guesses (length of set, presence of encore, etc) or considered complete (as TV/radio broadcast) or from reviews (eg Las Vegas ’74).
I’m sure you’ll let me know if I missed anything.

1971
JABBERWOCKY CLUB, SYRACUSE NY 4/11/71 (RADIO BROADCAST)*
Miles Beyond: Dream: Vital Transformation: Dawn: Sanctuary: Awakening

1972
SYMPHONY HALL, BOSTON MA 26/1/72*
Meeting Of The Spirits/You Know You Know: The Dance Of Maya: Dawn:
Binky’s: The Noonward Race

WHISKEY A-GO-GO, LOS ANGELES CA 27/3/72
Meeting Of The Spirits: The Dance Of Maya: A Lotus On Irish Streams: The Noonward Race: Miles Beyond

MUSIC HALL, CLEVELAND OH 21/4/72 (RECORDED FOR POSSIBLE
LIVE LP)*
Meeting Of The Spirits: The Dance Of Maya: You Know You Know: The
Noonward Race

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, SYRACUSE NY 29/4/72 (VIDEO’D)
Meeting Of The Spirits/You Know You Know: The Dance Of Maya: Dawn

HUNTER COLLEGE, NEW YORK NY 15/5/72 (RADIO BROADCAST)*
Meeting Of The Spirits/You Know You Know: The Dance Of Maya: One
Word/Resolution: Sanctuary: The Noonward Race

MUNICH, GERMANY 17/8/72*
(FILMED BY GERMAN TV)
Meeting Of The Spirits: You Know You Know: The Dance Of Maya: A Lotus On Irish Streams: One Word: The Noonward Race

CHATEAULIN, FRANCE 23/8/72 (TV BROADCAST)*
Meeting Of The Spirits/You Know You Know: The Dance Of Maya: One Word: Resolution: Sanctuary: Awakening

BBC STUDIOS, LONDON - “SOUNDS FOR SATURDAY” 25/8/72*
(TV BROADCAST)
Meeting Of The Spirits: You Know You Know: A Lotus On Irish Streams: The Noonward Race: The Dance Of Maya

WINDHAM COLLEGE, PUTNEY VT 16/9/72
A Lotus On Irish Streams: One Word: Sanctuary: The Dance Of Maya: Binky’s

MIAMI UNI, MIAMI FL 15/10/72*
Birds Of Fire/You Know You Know: Vital Transformation: Open Country Joy: Binky’s: One Word: The Dance Of Maya

ARAGON BALLROOM, CHICAGO IL 3/11/72*
Birds Of Fire/Miles Beyond: Vital Transformation: The Dance Of Maya: One Word: Resolution: Hope/The Noonward Race: Binky’s

HOCH AUDITORIUM, LAWRENCE MA 4/11/72*
Meeting Of The Spirits/You Know You Know: Dream: One Word: Sanctuary:
Miles Beyond: Awakening

COMMUNITY THEATER, BERKELEY CA 9/11/72*
Birds Of Fire/Miles Beyond: You Know You Know: Dream: One Word: The
Dance Of Maya: Sanctuary: A Lotus On Irish Streams: Vital Transformation

WILLIAMS COLLEGE, WILLIAMSTOWN MA 3/12/72
Birds Of Fire/Open Country Joy: The Dance Of Maya: Sanctuary: One Word: Awakening

POUGHKEEPSIE NY 8/12/72
Meeting Of The Spirits/Open Country Joy: The Dance Of Maya: One Word:
Awakening

IRVINE AUDITORIUM, PHILADELPHIA PA 9/12/72*
Birds Of Fire/Open Country Joy: The Dance Of Maya: Sanctuary: One Word: Resolution: Binky’s

1973
YALE UNI, NEW HAVEN CT 19/1/73*
Birds Of Fire/Open Country Joy: The Dance Of Maya: Sanctuary: One Word: Resolution: Hope/Awakening

LE GRANDE THEATRE, QUEBEC, CANADA 24/1/73*
Meeting Of The Spirits/You Know You Know: Vital Transformation: The
Dance Of Maya: A Lotus On Irish Streams: One Word: Resolution: Hope/
Awakening

CONVOCATION HALL, TORONTO, CANADA 26/1/73
Meeting Of The Spirits/You Know You Know: Dream: The Dance Of Maya:
Sanctuary: One Word

CENTURY THEATER, BUFFALO NY 27/1/73*
Birds Of Fire/Open Country Joy: Dawn: The Dance Of Maya: Sanctuary: One Word: Hope/Binky’s

TOLEDO UNI, TOLEDO OH 15/2/73
One Word: The Dance Of Maya

KENYON COLLEGE, GAMBIER, OH 16/2/73*
Birds Of Fire/Open Country Joy: Hope/Awakening: Miles Beyond: One Word: Resolution: Sanctuary: The Dance Of Maya: Binky’s

CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNI, CLEVELAND OH 17/2/73*
Birds Of Fire/Open Country Joy: Hope/Awakening: Miles Beyond: One Word: Sanctuary: The Dance Of Maya: Vital Transformation

KINETIC PLAYGROUND, CHICAGO IL 18/2/73
Meeting Of The Spirits/Open Country Joy: Hope/Awakening

CORNELL UNI, ITHACA NY 23/2/73
Birds Of Fire/Miles Beyond: The Noonward Race: A Lotus On Irish Streams: One Word: Vital Transformation

FRANKLIN PIERCE COLLEGE, RINDGE NH 24/2/73
Meeting Of The Spirits/Open Country Joy: Hope/Awakening: Miles Beyond

SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS UNI, N.DARTFORD MA 25/2/73
Meeting Of The Spirits/Open Country Joy: Dream: Dawn: Hope/Awakening

CW POST UNI, GREENVALE NY 27/2/73
Birds Of Fire/Open Country Joy: Hope/Awakening: Miles Beyond: One Word: Vital Transformation

ORPHEUM THEATER, BOSTON MA 11/3/73
1st SHOW Meeting Of The Spirits/ Open Country Joy: The Noonward Race: One Word: Hope/Awakening
2nd SHOW Birds Of Fire/Miles Beyond: Dream: One Word: Sanctuary: The
Dance Of Maya: Vital Transformation

BANANAFISH GARDENS, NEW YORK NY 15/3/73 (TV BROADCAST)*
Hope/One Word: Resolution

FELT FORUM, NEW YORK NY 16/3/73
Meeting Of The Spirits/Open Country Joy: Dream: Miles Beyond: One Word: The Dance Of Maya

SUNY, NEW PALTZ NY 17/3/73
Meeting Of The Spirits/Miles Beyond: Vital Transformation: Sanctuary: The Dance Of Maya: One Word

WISCONSIN STATE UNI, OSHKOSH WI 20/3/73
Birds Of Fire/Open Country Joy: The Dance Of Maya: Dawn: One Word:
Sanctuary: Vital Transformation

BELOIT COLLEGE, BELOIT WI 21/3/73
Birds Of Fire/Open Country Joy: The Dance Of Maya: Dawn: One Word:
Vital Transformation

EBBET’S FIELD, DENVER CO 3/4/73 (RADIO BROADCAST)
Meeting Of The Spirits: The Dance Of Maya: Dawn

MAPLE LEAF GARDENS, TORONTO, CANADA 4/5/73
Birds Of Fire/Hope/The Noonward Race: Open Country Joy: The Dance Of
Maya: Resolution/One Word

MORRIS A. MECHANIC THEATER, BALTIMORE MD 9/5/73
Birds Of Fire/Open Country Joy: The Noonward Race: You Know You Know:
The Dance Of Maya: Vital Transformation

COBO SPORTS ARENA, DETROIT MI 12/5/73
Meeting Of The Spirits: Awakening: Open Country Joy: The Dance Of Maya: One Word: Resolution

CINCINATTI UNI, CINCINATTI OH 13/5/73
Meeting Of The Spirits: Hope/Awakening: The Dance Of Maya: One Word

PALACE THEATER, ALBANY NY 17/5/73
Meeting Of The Spirits/Open Country Joy: Hope/Awakening: You Know You
Know: The Dance Of Maya: Sanctuary/One Word

PALACE THEATER, WATERBURY CT 19/5/73
Meeting Of The Spirits/Open Country Joy: Dream/One Word: Vital Transformation: The Noonward Race

CHICAGO IL 21/5/73*
Meeting Of The Spirits/You Know You Know: Dream: One Word/Resolution: A Lotus On Irish Streams: The Noonward Race: Binky’s

KONGRESSHALLE, STUTTGART-BOEBLINGEN, GERMANY 7/6/73*
Birds Of Fire: The Dance Of Maya: Awakening: Sanctuary: Open Country Joy: Dream: One Word: Hope/Awakening: You Know You Know

LENOX ARTS FESTIVAL, LENOX MA 21/7/73*
Birds Of Fire/Miles Beyond: Steppings Tones/Sister Andrea: Dream: One Word: Sanctuary: Hope/Binky’s

ALBUQUERQUE, NM 1/8/73
Meeting Of The Spirits/Miles Beyond: Steppings Tones/Sister Andrea: Dream: I Wonder: Awakening

CIVIC AUDITORIUM, GRAND RAPIDS MI 11/8/73*
Meeting Of The Spirits/Sister Andrea: Steppings Tones/Awakening: Miles Beyond: Dream

MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM, KANSAS MO 13/8/73
Birds Of Fire/Sister Andrea: Dream: Steppings Tones/Awakening

WOLLMAN SKATING RINK, CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK NY 17/8/73*
Trilogy: Sister Andrea: Hope/Awakening: Dream: You Know You Know: One Word: The Dance Of Maya

WOLLMAN SKATING RINK, CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK NY 18/8/73*
Trilogy: Sister Andrea: Awakening: I Wonder: One Word: Steppings Tones/Vital Transformation: Dream

SHIBUYA HALL,TOKYO 19/9/73*
Meeting Of The Spirits/Sister Andrea: Hope/Awakening: Dream: You Know YouKnow: Sanctuary: One Word

YUBIN CHOKIN HALL, HIROSHIMA 26/9/73*
Birds Of Fire/Trilogy: Sister Andrea: I Wonder: Steppings Tones: One Word: Binky’s

BUDOKAN, TOKYO 28/9/73*
Birds Of Fire/Trilogy: Sister Andrea: The Dance Of Maya: I Wonder: Miles Beyond: Hope/Awakening: Steppings Tones: One Word

MUSIC HALL BOSTON MA 19/10/73
I Wonder: Trilogy: Sister Andrea: The Dance Of Maya: Hope/Binky’s

BOWDOIN COLLEGE, BRUNSWICK ME 25/10/73
Steppings Tones: One Word: Awakening

MASSACHUSETTS UNI, AMHERST MA 26/10/73
I Wonder: Trilogy: Sister Andrea: Open Country Joy: The Dance Of Maya: Sanctuary: One Word

PALACE THEATER, NEW YORK NY 7/11/73 (TV BROADCAST)*
Dream: Sister Andrea: Hope/Binky’s

LONG BEACH ARENA, LONG BEACH LA 11/11/73*
Birds Of Fire/Sister Andrea: Trilogy: I Wonder/One Word
(Attributed to San Diego 11/10/73)

THE ROXY, LOS ANGELES CA 12/11/73*
Meeting Of The Spirits/Trilogy: Sister Andrea: I Wonder/Awakening

PARAMOUNT THEATER, SEATTLE WA 17/11/73*
Meeting Of The Spirits/Trilogy: Sister Andrea: Dream: Sanctuary: One Word: Hope

JAI ALAI FRONTON, MIAMI FL 24/11/73*
Meeting Of The Spirits/Trilogy: Sister Andrea: Dream: I Wonder/Awakening

HOFSTRA UNI, HEMPSTEAD NY 28/11/73*
Meeting Of The Spirits/Trilogy: The Dance Of Maya: One Word: Hope/Binky’s

CORNELL UNI, ITHACA NY 29/11/73*
Meeting Of The Spirits/Trilogy: Sister Andrea: Open Country Joy: The Dance OMaya: Sanctuary: One Word: Hope/Binky’s

PRINCETON UNI, PRINCETON NJ 30/11/73
Meeting Of The Spirits: Trilogy: Sister Andrea: Dream

CONSTITUTION HALL, WASHINGTON DC 2/12/73*
Birds Of Fire/Trilogy: The Dance Of Maya: Hope: One Word: Steppings Tones: Binky’s: Meeting Of The Spirits: Sister Andrea

PHILHARMONIC HALL, NEW YORK NY 27/12/73
Birds Of Fire/Sister Andrea: The Dance Of Maya: Dream: Trilogy

PHILHARMONIC HALL, NEW YORK NY 28/12/73
You Know You Know: Awakening: Hope/Vital Transformation: Dream

1974
CENTURY THEATER? BUFFALO NY 21/2/74*
Hymn To Him (with Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)

MASONIC AUDITORIUM, DETROIT MI 6/5/74*
Vision Is A Naked Sword: Power Of Love: Wings Of Karma: Smile Of The
Beyond: Hymn To Him: Dawn

SPECTRUM, PHILADELPHIA PA 19/6/74
Vision Is A Naked Sword: Smile Of The Beyond: Wings Of Karma: Hymn
To Him

CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK NY 23/6/74*
Vision Is A Naked Sword: Wings Of Karma: Smile Of The Beyond: Hymn
To Him/Dawn

CONVENTION CENTER, MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND 7/7/74*
(FILMED AND RECORDED BY CLAUDE NOBS)
Power Of Love: Wings Of Karma: Smile Of The Beyond: Vision Is A Naked
Sword: Hymn To Him: Dawn

KONGRESSHALLE, FRANKFURT, GERMANY 9/7/74*
Power Of Love: Vision Is A Naked Sword: Smile Of The Beyond: Wings Of
Karma: Hymn To Him: Dawn

KNEBWORTH. ENGLAND 20/7/74*
Wings Of Karma: Sanctuary: Vision Is A Naked Sword: Hymn To Him

GOTHENBURG, 23/7/74*
Vision Is A Naked Sword: Smile Of The Beyond: Hymn To Him: Dawn

JUAN-LES-PINS, ANTIBES, FRANCE 29/7/74 (TV BROADCAST)
Sanctuary: Smile Of The Beyond: Dawn

CESSNA STADIUM, WICHITA KS 11/8/74*
Power Of Love: Wings Of Karma: Vision Is A Naked Sword: Hymn To Him

SAHARA HOTEL, LAS VEGAS NV 27/11/74*
Vision Is A Naked Sword?: You Know You Know: Hymn To Him

1975
CROYDON, ENGLAND 19/1/75
Eternity’s Breath (Pts 1 & 2): Lila’s Dance: Vision Is A Naked Sword

CONCERT HALL, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN 7/2/75*
Eternity’s Breath: You Know You Know: Sanctuary: Band Intros: If I Could See/Be Happy: Cosmic Strut: Vision Is A Naked Sword

SALLE PLEYEL, PARIS, FRANCE 12/2/75 (RADIO BROADCAST)
Vision Is A Naked Sword

MUSIC HALL, BOSTON MA 3/5/75*
Eternity’s Breath: You Know You Know: Sanctuary: Band Intros: Lila’s Dance: My Foolish Heart: Vision Is A Naked Sword

GRONA LUND, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN 11/8/75
Meeting Of The Spirits: Open Country Joy: Miles Beyond/Sanctuary: All In The Family

BILSEN JAZZ FESTIVAL, BILSEN, BELGIUM 15/8/75*
Meeting Of The Spirits: Miles Beyond: You Know You Know: Open Country Joy: Band Intros: Sanctuary: Planetary Citizen: Way Of The Pilgrim

LUDWIGSBERG, GERMANY 16/8/75
Meeting Of The Spirits: You Know You Know: Cosmic Strut: Open Country
Joy: One Word

THEATRE ANTIQUE, ORANGE, FRANCE 17/8/75*
(FILMED BY CHRIS ECKHARDT)
Meeting Of The Spirits: Open Country Joy: You Know You Know: Sanctuary: Band Intros/Way Of The Pilgrim: All In The Family: One Word: Hope/Dawn

READING, ENGLAND 24/8/75
Meeting Of The Spirits: Dawn: Band Intros: Open Country Joy: Sanctuary: You Know You Know: One Word/Funk Jam

VIENNA, AUSTRIA 29/8/75*
Meeting Of The Spirits: Faith/Open Country Joy: Sanctuary: One Word: All In The Family: Hope/Be Happy

MEEHAN AUDITORIUM, PROVIDENCE RI 15/10/75*
Meeting Of The Spirits: You Know You Know: All In The Family: Open
Country Joy: Sanctuary: One Word

TOLEDO UNI, TOLEDO OH 29/11/75*
Meeting Of The Spirits: Open Country Joy: Toledo Jam: Sanctuary: You Know You Know: My Foolish Heart: Inner Worlds: One Word/Be Happy

...one ommission, from a quick skim through: A Lotus On Irish streams was played (and filmed) at the Munich 72 show.

that doesn't appear on my 76-minute bootleg. Have I seen that on YouTube? Let me know if you spot any others. In the meantime, here's some music...

SMILE OF THE BEYOND
(John & Eve McLaughlin)

I follow Your smile
And try as I might
I can’t get it
Out of my Heart
It’s captured my Heart

I follow Your eyes
And though it may be unwise
I see nothing else
You’re part of Myself

I follow Your soul
I know it will make me whole
With You I am one
My Vision is one

Once I thought my Goal was so far away
My life an endless search
Now I see
Within Your very Smile
The Way
Within my heart it ever plays
A symphony that sings of endless days

Smile of the Beyond

Lord of the Day
Your face is an endless ray
Of Love in my life
Light in my life

Please let me stay
And be by Your side forever
Watching your Smile
I live for your Smile

Blessed are the pure in Heart

Please let me stay
And be by Your side forever
Watching your Smile
I live for your Smile

Now I see
Within Your very Smile
The Way
Within my heart it ever plays
A symphony that sings of endless days

Smile of the Beyond

....(given that this is an MO2 thread!), here's MO1's 'A Lotus On Irish Streams' from Munich '72. It's circulated in this fairly poor quality for a few years, but last year a cleaned up (if not perfect) version appeared on a 40-odd minute bootleg DVD of the show: YKYK/Meeting/One Word [drum solo and Resolution end section only]/Dance Of Maya/Lotus plus a short interview with JM.

That was fantastic. Last sighted in Chicago, May 1973, if I'm not mistaken. They should have done more of that stuff. Yes, "Dream" has hints of it, but this is exquisite - one of the best versions of this I've ever heard; it's just full of...*stuff*. Perhaps if they ever do re-unite, they should just do this sort of thing. I don't think we've addressed 'The Question' yet. Should they...?

Just heard the Stu Goldberg/Cassius Khan thang (can I say thang?) above. Amazing! Thought he was just a synth wiz but some lovely piano shapes in the first half and exuberant jazz scribbles towards the end. New York Jazz Meets Delhi! Oh yes.

a dedicated MO site out there?

...this is it!

The 1971 - 1973 listing can now be found at walterkolosky.com

1974
Feb 21 Century Theater?, Buffalo NY
New band debut performing “Hymn To Him” with Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Joseph D’Anna: It was snowing and I had to get the equipment up there. The band wore tuxedos but the orchestra was dressed in everyday clothes. It was reversed. I never saw John so nervous as when he walked onstage. It was a big deal for him.
John McLaughlin: The main reason I get nervous is pure vanity.
Ralphe Armstrong: It was our very first concert. I can’t see John as ever being nervous. But, there was so much music he had to get together.
Michael Walden: It was one exciting thing. We only played one piece that was 20 minutes long. I stood on the stage and there were people applauding. I didn’t want to walk off the stage. They had to come get me!

Apr 30? Auditorium Theater, Chicago IL
The expectations were greater than the music ever could’ve been. There were immediate questions, comparisons of the band then & now. The band then was better-but the music now isn’t the same. The music is good – or it will be. It’s not the apocalypse as advertised, but another inauguration.
Downbeat, July 1974

May 1 Washington DC
May 2 Columbus OH
May 3 Cincinnati OH
May 4 Cleveland OH
May 6 Masonic Auditorium, Detroit MI (108 min)
May 14 Pantages Playhouse Theater, Winnipeg, Canada
Support by Mood Jga Jga
May 15 Centre Of The Arts, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Support by Wascana
May 26 Winterland, San Fransisco CA
Journey and The Tubes also appear
Jun 1 Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica CA
Journey also appear
Jun 4 Civic Auditorium, Pasadena CA
Jun 11 Dallas TX
Jun 19 Spectrum, Philadelphia PA (80 min)

Jun 23 Schaefer Music Festival, Central Park, New York NY (92 min)
Michael Walden: There was a mirror above the stage where I could look up and see everyone standing behind me. Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White were there. It started to rain as we were playing “Sanctuary”. We were all mesmerized by the power of that song. It was raining and no-one leaving! I’ll never forget that.
Bob Knapp: Stanley Clarke was having a fit because he had been asked to join the group earlier but had turned it down.

Jun 26 Coliseum, Cape Cod MA
King Crimson also appear
Bill Bruford: It was Michael on drums, and damn me, if he didn’t sound as good as Billy. Back to the woodshed.

Jun 27 Saratoga Springs, Saratoga NY
Declan: They were good, not bracing or electrifying. What I remember most was the sheer amount of contraband being consumed, the smoke wafting in waves over the crowd for several hours.

Jun 28 Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada
Jun 29 Century Theater, Buffalo NY

Jul 2 Pine Knob Music Theater, Clarkston MI

Jul 7 Convention Centre, Montreux
Recorded by Claude Nobs and released in 2003

Jul 9 Kongresshalle, Frankfurt, Germany (124min)
Jul 12 Teatro Monumental, Madrid, Spain
Jul 13 Palacio Municipal De Deportes, Barcelona, Spain
Jul 15 Olympia Theatre, Paris, France

Jul 20 Knebworth, Stevenage, England (100 min)
Allman Brothers Band, Doobie Brothers, Van Morrison, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Alex Harvey Band, Tim Buckley
Bruno Coppola: The crowd was amazing and the weather was great. Mahavishnu were pretty other-worldly.
Adrian: John was fabulous and clinical in his all-white, then Jean-Luc Ponty joined him and the combo of fire and ice was awesome.
Nigel Barton: The sound quality was just stupendous.

Jul 22 Grona Lund, Stockholm, Sweden
Jul 23 Gothenburg, Sweden
Jul 27 Hilversum, Holland
Van Morrison also appears

Jul 29 Juan-Les-Pins, Antibes, France (64 min)
Filmed by French TV

Jul 31 Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland
Aug 8 Cessna Stadium, Wichita KS (102 min)
Oct 15 Durham NC
Supported by Janis Ian
Oct 27 Field House, Manchester, NH
Support by Gary Burton
Oct 30 UCLA, San Fransisco CA
Nov 2 Winterland, San Fransisco CA
Electric Flag and Moby Grape also appear

Start of Australasian tour
Nov 8 Concert Hall, Perth
Nov 10 Festival Hall, Melbourne
Nov 12 Hordern Pavillion, Sydney
Nov 14 Festival Hall, Melbourne (85 min)
Nov 15 Thebarton Hall, Adelaide
Nov 17 Hordern Pavillion, Sydney
Nov 19 Festival Hall, Brisbane
Nov ? Wellington, NZ
Nov ? Christchurch, NZ
End of Australasian tour

Nov ? Houston TX
Nov 27 Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas NV
Richie Havens also appears

1975
Start of European tour
Jan 19 Fairfields Hall, Croydon, England (95 min)
Jan 21 Guildhall, Portsmouth, England
Jan 22 Albert Hall, London, England (65 min)
Jan 23 Town Hall, Birmingham, England
Jan 24 Colston Hall, Bristol, England
Jan 25 Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England (42 min)
Jan 26 Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
Jan 28 Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland
Jan 29 City Hall, Newcastle, England

Jan 30 City Hall, Sheffield, England
Steve Waring: I took this girl I was with. All the way through she kept saying, ”That violinist’s gorgeous!” I was like, “Listen to the music!” and all she could say was, ”Oh, he’s lovely!”
Johnnie K: The music was very loud (for the time) and very complex – so much that my friend and I left early and went to the pub.

Feb 2 Forest National, Brussells, Belgium
Feb 4 Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Holland
Feb 6 Falconer, Copenhagen, Denmark (117 min)
Feb 7 Concert Hall, Stockholm, Sweden (85min)
Feb 9 Congresshalle, Hamburg, Germany
Feb 11 Palais De Beaulieu, Lausanne, Switzerland

Feb 12 Paris Salle Pleyel, Paris, France (20min)
Recorded by French radio

Feb 13 Paris, France
Feb 15 Palacio Municipal De Deportes, Barcelona, Spain
Feb 17 Real Madrid, Madrid, Spain [2 Shows]
Feb 20 Palasport, Turin, Italy
Feb 21 Palasport, Udine, Italy
Feb 22 Palasport, Milano, Italy (2 Shows)
Feb 23 Thetro Genova, Genova, Italy [2 Shows]
Feb 24 Palasport, Bologna, Italy
Feb 25 Palasport, Rome, Italy
Feb 26 Palasport, Naples, Italy
Feb 27 Thetro Petruzelli, Bari, Italy [2 Shows]
End of European tour

Apr 12 Penn State Uni, Pennsylvania PA
Apr 13 SUNY, Stony Brook NY
Apr 14 Allentown PA
Apr 17 University, Georgetown Washington DC
Apr 18 College Park MD
Apr 19 State College, Millersville PA
Apr 20 Clark Uni, Worcester PA

Start of Jeff Beck tour
Apr 24 Century Theater, Buffalo NY (60min)
Apr 25 Auditorium, Rochester NY
Apr 26 Civic Center, Springfield MA (45 min)
Apr 27 Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
Apr 29 Hofstra University, Hempstead NY

Apr 30-May 1 Avery Fisher Hall, New York NY
Dick Wyzanski: McLaughlin opened the first show and by the second song I found myself with a splitting headache from the 500mph high-on-the neck guitar runs.

May 2 Spectrum, Philadelphia PA
May 3 Music Hall, Boston MA (80 min)
May 4 Conn Coliseum, New Haven CT
May 6 Stanley Theater, Pittsburgh PA
May 7 Music Hall, Cleveland OH
May 8 Aerie Crown Theater, Chicago IL
May 9 Masonic Temple, Detroit MI
May 10 Auditorium Theater, Milwaukee WI
May 11 Ambassador Theater, St Louis MI

May 28 Exposition Hall, Civic Plaza, Phoenix AZ
Elliott Sears’ last gig with the band

May 29 Golden Hall, San Diego CA

May 30 Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles CA
John’s Double Rainbow breaks irreparably
Stu Goldberg: John leaned his Rex Bogue straight up against the dressing room counter, and of course, BOOM! It fell over and died.

May 31 Winterland, San Fransisco CA [2 shows]

Jun 1 Civic Center, San Jose CA
Mpfaff: They blew the socks off of Jeff, if you can believe that!

Jun 3 Paramount Theater, Portland OR
Jun 4 Paramount Theater, Seattle, WA

Who, indeed, was the wrong-headed entrepreneur who decided that Mahavishnu Orchestra and Jeff Beck would make a compatible concert bill ? The coup certainly seemed tantalizing in the ads – two of the most celebrated guitar ‘legends’ in “the one concert this year not to be missed”. Sadly, the pre-packaged aggrandizing proved less than accurate. The basic split between the factions of fans was obvious, making for an uncomfortable atmosphere.
San Diego Reader, 5/6/75

Jun 7 Ice Arena, Denver CO
Jun 8 Johnson Gym UNM, Albuquerque NM
Jun 9 Civic Center, El Paso NM
Jun 11 Memorial Hall, Dallas TX
Jun 12 Municipal Hall, San Antonio TX
Jun 13 Music Hall, Oklahoma City OK
Jun 14 Assembly Center, Tulsa OK

Jun 15 Music Hall, Houston TX
Dinky Dawson: John was very reserved, even when jamming with Jeff. Nothing was said, but it was inevitable that the electronic Mahavishnu Orchestra would be moving on.
End of Jeff Beck tour

Jul 7 Albuquerque NM

Recordings for “Inner Worlds” at Chateau D’Herouville, France

Start of “Star Truckin’ ’75” tour
Wishbone Ash, Lou Reed, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Soft Machine, Richard & Linda Thompson, Caravan, Robin Trower
Aug 5 Falconer Theatre, Copenhagen, Denmark

Aug 7 Chateaux Neux, Oslo, Norway
Desdiova: A friend and I snuck into the soundcheck. It took ages to set the drums (“Single shots, Michael!! Please!!”) Ralphe was cooler than cool, wearing his red jumpsuit and white shoes, even to soundcheck. I asked McL for some guitar tips and this is what I got: “Cut your long hair and pick up yoga”. 80% of the crowd were there to see Mahavishnu.

Aug 9 Runsala Folk Park, Turku, Finland
Aug 11 Grona Lund, Stockholm, Sweden (50 min)
Aug 14 Groenoordhal, Leiden, Holland (52 min)

Aug 15 Bilsen Jazz Festival, Bilsen, Belgium (61 min)
Bert Lams: The whole band was dressed in white. There was a lot of technical difficulties. Also there were a few drunken people yelling to the band. Mostly I remember John smiling through it all.

[John] radiates an incongruous air of preternatural calm in the midst of the unbelievably violent electronic/percussive sturm und drang of the music – like a man serenely bathing in lightning because he knows that it’s on his side and can never hurt him.
Charles Shaar Murray, NME, August 1975

Aug 16 Stadion Galende, Ludwigsburg, Germany (38 min)
Aug 17 Theatre Antique, Orange, France (73 min)
Aug 18 Plaza De Toros, Marbella, Spain
Aug 20 Malaga, Spain

Aug 24 Reading Festival, Reading, England (66 min)
Supertramp, Judas Priest, Yes, Thin Lizzy, Joan Armatrading, UFO, Hawkwind, Robin Trower. Mahavishnu Orchestra and others
Winty: Memories...Concorde flying overhead during an excellent set by the Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Ian Ellis: John didn’t look overly happy, and at one point he physically threw his beautiful gold-encrusted Gibson across the stage – it made a dreadful clunking noise as it hit the floor once and bounced into the arms of his waiting roadie. They were refused an encore by the powers-that-be, even though the audience demanded one. Mr McLaughlin took it philosophically – he smiled at me once more as he turned and made his way down the ramp.
Pat Gribben: I didn’t want it to end.

Aug 29 Vienna, Austria (64 min)
End of “Star Truckin’ ‘75” tour

Oct 16 Meehan Auditorium, Providence RI (64 min)
Oct 28 Masonic Temple Auditorium, Detroit MI
Support by Jan Hammer Group

Oct 29 Palace Theater, Waterbury CT [2 Shows] (20 min)
Frank Zappa also appears
Ralphe Armstrong: I think I met Zappa on a show. We opened for him. And he was freaking out at how I played the bass.

Nov 29 Toledo Uni, Toledo, OH (100 min)
The final concert by the greatest band that ever was

That was hard work! Anyone who fancies prowling the archive of Paris Match, Die Zeit, The New York Times etc,then be my guest - my work here is done. Share, enjoy and diseminnate (wha...?!?)
By the way, anyone got a copy of the Melody Maker "Music Of The Gods" review from June '73 that they could reproduce here?

...review from a subscription based website, but perhaps Chris Welch will forgive us the intro:

Mahavishnu Orchestra: Free Trade Hall, Manchester
Chris Welch, Melody Maker 6/73

"IF SPIRITUAL awareness can help John McLaughlin achieve the music of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, what could it achieve in daily life for others? That was the question uppermost after the overwhelming performance staged by the Orchestra on the opening night of its first British tour.

John's enthusiasm for the power of meditation is infectious, and even if it weren't, the fruits of its effect on McLaughlin are there to see and hear.

The high energy level of the concert at Manchester's Free Trade Hall, and the almost uninterrupted flow of co-operative brilliance emanating from the musicians was so far above the normal jazz or rock performance as to defy analysis or explanation.

Despite the obvious complexity of certain unison passages, and the subtlety of their interplay, frequently amounting to a telepathic communication, Mahavishnu music has a simplicity and directness that is the hallmark of all good art.

The real mystery is in the emotional flash points and mood weaving the band can project that have been only hinted at on album. Mahavishnu in the flesh left me exhausted and stunned..."

I've had the pleasure of speaking with several MO2 alumni recently. One date not mentioned thus far came up in conversation:

Coliseum, Cape Cod, MA June 26 1974:
MO + King Crimson (just before KC's final show of the 70s)

A combination to get many Word bloggers wide-eyed, no doubt!

I've posted clips of Ralphe Armstrong, Narada and Stu Goldberg above. Let's continue to celebrate the ongoing musicianship of the MO class of 74/75 - here's a typically soulful piece from Premik Russell Tubbs:

the Chris Welch piece - I wasn't aware that there was a website for that kind of thing. I grew up reading Melody Maker regularly but this era was before my time so it's nice to get a flavour of what they were saying about the MO. Given the amount of Stalinist post-punk revisionism (ahem) you'd have thought they'd have hated that sort of music, so I was intrigued by the title of the piece if nothing else; similarly, Charles Shaar Murray's Star Truckin' article ("Where The Hell Is Lou Reed?") was a nice surprise. You can see why the music press had to get more literate at the end of the 60s when this kind of music was on the horizon.
Thanks for the date - it's mentioned in Walter's book (Bill Bruford - "Back to the woodshed") but I couldn't find a date for it. Sounds like a bill to rival the March '73 MO1/Beefheart Winterland gig - Good God, that's one for the Tardis! I'll add it to the list above, to which I've added a few things - and I will continue to update it. BTW the Premik piece is lovely. I could listen to that all day. Where do you get this stuff?

...here's a recent clip of MO2 string quartet leader (4/74 - 2/75) and Jean-Luc Ponty solo violinist replacement (yikes! 3/75 - 6/75) Steven Kindler. After more involvement in fusion after the MO - including a stint in Jan Hammer's Group, as featured on the fabulous Live In 1976 official bootleg available from Jan's website and CDBaby.com - Steven seems to be involved in various 'world music' and New Age projects these days.

I'm keen to contact Steven on matters biographical (and yes, I'm trying various Googled leads) so Steven... if by any chance you stumble upon this reference, click my name (below the box) and use the contact facility that presents itself thereafter!

Here he is - demonstrating a sublime tone and masterful less-is-more engagement with this cool Hawaian music:

...'Which member/members of the second Mahavishnu Orchestra never appeared on an official release?'

The answer is either one or two - which is sure to result in heated exchanges with the quizmaster.

Steve Francewicz (piccolo trumpet, 4/74 - 11/74) didn't appear on any albums at the time but the MO's Montreux Jazz Festival concert (7/74) has appeared posthumously in part on an official DVD and in full on a ltd edition 17 CD John McL audio box set ('The Montreux Concerts').

However... soprano saxophonist Norma Jean Bell (c.3/75 - 6/75) doesn't appear on any releases, then or subsequently.

After touring with the MO and then Frank Zappa (Zappa being a kind of next step/previous step for several MO2 people: Ralphe Armstrong, Jean-Luc Ponty, Norma Jean...), NJB reinvented herself as a House music diva. She is, apparently, the 'baddest b***h':

...there are now no more excuses: he has a new tuition DVD out:

MCLAUGHLIN, HAVENS BILL LURES VEGAS ROCK FANS

Reprinted from Billboard, Dec 1974

[This undated review refers to a gig on Thanksgiving Eve 1974. That year, Thanksgiving was on 28/11/74 – the day John Lennon made his surprise appearance at Elton John’s Madison Square Garden gig before reconciling with Yoko. That would date this gig as 27/11/74 – what would have been Jimi Hendrix’s 31st birthday.
The set list is quoted as per the article, though probably incorrect].

LAS VEGAS-Thanksgiving Eve, 2am. Over 1,700 persons sit quietly in the Space Center Convention Facility of the Sahara Hotel waiting for the local debut of John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra. This aggregation, which has been together since March, sports three violinists, one cello, plus featured amplified violinist Jean-LucPonty plus bass, organ, standard drums and a combination percussionist-trumpeter-flautist.

With the smell of incense wafting through the huge room arranged with tables and with hard liquor being served, McLaughlin leads his troupe through three extended works. “Resolution”, “You Know You Know” and “Hymn To Him” during their 60-minute set.

The fire and intensity of the music as generated by McLaughlin’s explosive, virtuoso playing on his double-necked guitar, by his French compatriot on electric violin, by his amplified bassist and by his superb drummer, are contrasted by the soft undercoating provided by the violins and cello.

McLaughlin holds the audience’s attention with his fuzz-tone technique, his single-note high pitched solo runs and his string distortions on his six- and twelve-string necks. Ponty’s own searing solos match the high energy level formulated by McLaughlin.

Drummer Michael Walden, the replacement for Billy Cobham, is less an explosive force than his predecessor, but his strength lies in his clean propulsion and his ability to add an infectious rock kick to the rhythm.The addition of the strings gives a gossamer feeling to the music, as on “You Know You Know”, with Ponty and McLaughlin developing similar solo lines as the violin repeats the phraseology of the guitar.

There are colors from the East, from American blues and gospel (only slightly) and the freewheeling spirit of jazz combined with crescendo levels only found in the most aggressive rock bands. The tension and release pattern of the music is felt by the audience which responds enthusiastically to two selections in 55 minutes. The contrapuntal concept of pitting Ponty against McLaughlin is dramatized on the encore number “Hymn To Him” with McLaughlin bathed in white light: Ponty in pink.

...it's just about possible those were the three numbers played (with Hymn To Him lasting the bulk of the set and perhaps Resolution as the encore, although I'm unaware of MO2 performing it on any other occasion).

Then again, they might as well have encored with 'Edelweiss', 'My Way' or 'Girl From Ipanema'.

Christchurch, NZ
Dazzling display of musical skill

British rock guitarist John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, at the Town Hall, last night only. Nobody could fault the technical gymnastics of John McLaughlin and his orchestra. Blistering guitar solos? McLaughlin could melt paint off a wall at 50 yards. His speed and control is staggering. No wonder a musician as critical as Miles Davis rates him as his favourite guitar player. Violin? Frenchman Jean-Luc Ponty, another man with roots in jazz, fields the volleys of notes McLaughlin fires, and sends them thundering back. Drumming? Michael Walden, only 21, with the loose limbed build of a welterweight boxer, plays with such intensity it's almost frightening, Watch him closely. There must be times when he cheats and uses four hands. Bass? Chubby-cheeked Ralphe Armstrong is 17, which helps to explain his dexterity, but not the ability to stray on wild flights of free-form music, which would not normally be expected from a bass. Out the four of them on stage with six other skilled musicians for almost three hours and the result, as it was last night , is a dazzling demonstrations of skills. The only doubt is if the music they play, almost totally without melody, and really just a peg for virtuoso playing, has a great deal beyond the surface. McLaughlin, heavily involved in Eastern religion, feels there is a spiritual quality to his music. A listener might be more inclined to see McLaughlin's work, as compared to, say, the soulful Carlos Santana, as the difference between gymnastics and ballet. The skill is everything in one, the beauty everything in the other. But the band believes in what its doing, and what it does is done brilliantly.
-Phil Gifford.