Comments for Mahavishnu Orchestra, Visions of the Emerald Beyond

To get anything out of this CD you really have to be in the right mood for some very demanding listening. This is jazz/fusion, featuring alternately solos between guitar and violin over a fairly repetitive backing band. The vocals are negligible and mostly consist of many voices at once and the rhythms are often downright irritating. The faults with this music must lie with the composer/ arranger: the band never seems able to break away and play anything vaguely inventive and the improvised solos are relentless and wildly indulgent. The tracks often begin promisingly but rapidly descend into more and more of the same. Ian C. Thomas

Personnel: Mahavishnu John McLaughlin (6 & 12 String Guitars, Vocals), Jean-Luc Ponty (Electric Violin, Electric Baritone Violin), Michael Walden (Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Clavinet), Ralph Armstrong (Bass Guitar, Contra Bass, Vocals), Gayle Moran (Keyboards, Vocals), String Trio: Steve Kindler (1st Violin), Carol Shive (2nd Violin, Vocals), Phillip Hirschi (Cello), Bob Knapp (Trumpet, Flugel Horn, Flute, Vocals), Russel Tubbs (Alto Sax, Soprano Sax), Steven Kindler (Plays the Cadenza in "Pastoral"). All compositions by Mahavishnu John McLauglin except"Cosmic Strut" by Michael Walden.

This album is brutal. i remember this was one of my first incursion in 70's jazz-rock and there was a time that i never played any other track from any album than Eternity's Breath from Mahavishnu Orchestra. Some may think this second incarnation of the band lost something with the departure of Billy Cobham & Jan Hammer, but i don't think so... Of course if you don't like jazz-rock this would never be your record, but this is strong musically, Jean-Luc Ponty does a great job on violin, also the next album 'Apocalypse' is highly recommended but avoid it if you suffer nervous attacks of you have a weak heart. Mahavishnu Orchestra Mks I & II were the most intense and brutal jazz-rock band i have never heard. No other band in the genre has achieved such a powerful sound and compositions.