Thanks for sharing. In 72 at 16yrs I saw the group in central park at the Shafer Beer Muaic Festival for $2. At that time everyone was used to the typical loud rock groups with the big entrances. When M.O. came on stage with a zen like quietness it caught everyone off guard. John sporting short hair and a double neck Gibson SG with a soft smile said nothing at all. He simply bowed and within a second the band took off at Mach One Speed with musicianship rarely seen. Everyone brought their AAA Game. The audience was eerily quiet , motionless and with their jaws dropped. Playing Inner Mounting Flame and other originals. Then all of a sudden the set came to a screeching halt .. M.O. quietly walk off stage and the audience was frozen almost like in a trance just standing there. With absolutely no applause at all we all left the concert quietly in disbelief of what we witnessed scratching our heads. I brought weed to smoke but never got to smoke it , actually I did not need it becsuse music blew my mind . M.O. changed the course of music from that day forward.✌🏼

I'm just gonna be honest and say this is the best shit I've ever heard in my life.

I saw them on this tour, was in the first row. Tripping. 😊McLaughlin asked if I was ok.

I love that amp's lack of enthusiasm at 2:24

Mahavishnu plus Frank Zappa are two of my favorite innovative composers in the 20th century

Love that John McLaughlin had short hair when everyone wore it long, and long hair when everyone wore it short.

Great band, my late father gave me the album 'Birds of Fire' when I was 16... changed my life & music preferences forever... ❤

Cobham and Mclaughlin combine in one of the best drummer/ guitarist combinations I have ever seen. That first Mahavishna album is phenomenal. The energy and mastery level of their instruments take them to an extraordinary level.

They say that double neck guitarists spend half of their time tuning and the other half playing out of tune. Just kidding! Thanks for the upload. The Mahavishnu Orchestra is a treasure!

It's amazing how much I sound like John Mclaughlin when I tune my B and E strings.

Someone commented about missing jon-luc ponty. Nothing ponty ever did rivals Goodman's work on "You know you know". Individual brilliance. Goodman stays right with Mclaughlin, which is saying something, on every tune

the heaviest & best fusion band ever...such incredible talent...never before & never again...astonishing

Oh my God! I have never posted a comment but this is ALWAYS my go to music when I'm stressed out. Im 65 now and went to many concerts. THIS has always been my numbers one. John with Jeff Beck in El Paso

Just a great band. Billy Cobham was blessed with four arms.

01. Meeting Of The Spirits (01:55 to 16:28) 02. You Know You Know (16:29 to 25:31) 03. The Dance of Maya (26:55 to 41:17) 04. One Word (42:14 to 58:11) 05. Resolution (58:12 to 59:27) 06. Sanctuary (59:32 to 66:05) 07. Awakening (66:28 to 80:40)

One of the finest bands in the history of the world. Groundbreaking, innovative, transcendental, a monolith in jazz rock fusion. A precusor to almost every progressive rock band today. 40 some odd years later young musicians still listen and learn from their music. I feel priviledged to have experienced it while it was happening.

Billy was at a higher caliber than any drummer in history here in his prime. Maybe even Buddy Rich. Billy had stamina from another planet, here.

I dont care what anybody says they are the best jazz rock fusion band ever.i still play this in my car coming home from work. after a long work week.Full blast.ok.go ahead John.

This is Mahavishnu at their best. Cobham playing amazing little fills when all is quiet and storming when it is needed. Sometimes there are solos over other solos , it seems arbitrary, but that is the way the music was written to be played and they get it exactly right. Jerry Goodman was so aggressive and spot on while Jan Hammer did more with that electric piano than many could imagine. And shining above all is John who is simply marvelous. Later versions of Mahavishnu were smoother, more refined perhaps, but lacked the awesome power of this lineup.A lifetime fan and always will be!

I followed JM and Mahavishnu around the Midwest in the early 70's. They were truly a spiritual experience and cutting edge on the fusion scene at the time. They were one of a kind. I don't really care for this competitive nature of who is the best guitarist, bassist, drummer . . . etc. Can't we just enjoy the great music these musicians have given us and not turn it into a stereotypical male pissing contest?

The tone that Mclaughlin had at that time was and still is my absolute favorite. It was wild agressiv and so filled with expression. When I heard birds of fire for the first time it was an spiritual experience. Something new wild and sofisticated at the same time. Wonderful time to be young and interested in music.

A super human group. Saw them in a little club in the village called cafe au go go,Maybe it held 300 people maximum. Needless to say after seeing and hearing these incredible musicians I had to do a lot of practicing . I met John sometime in 1986, a really fine nice person. He can play anything and he has influenced the entire world with his innovative playing and compositions. BTW Cobham at this time was untouchable.

a time when people really sat and listened and were in the moment

Saw them at the Montreal Forum during this period. I had been wearing out my copies “Inner Mounting Flame” and “Birds of Fire,” but nothing could have prepared me for the impact of experiencing MO perform live. The intensity and the volume were literally overwhelming. It was like I could feel my DNA mutating on the spot. I was high and started to panic, but then thought, “fight this and it will damage you. Just let go and flow with it.” What followed was a period of bliss that it took me decades of meditation practice to even approach again. (My ears are still ringing, though.)

I went to this 17 years old and a bee gees fan and wonder wtf, glad I did.

These dudes just existed in a different reality than most concertgoers or casual music fans. They exist in a realm of pure creativity.

bought my first mahavishnu orchestra album in 1971 when i was 16. completely changed my taste in music. i was absolutely blown away. here we are 49 years later and this is still phenomenal music. thanks for posting! covid 19 lockdown, cuenca, ecuador. 5/29/20

The amazing jazz-fusion of the 1970s. Also, Weather Report and Return to forever. Vertuosi musicians, all of them.

It is not possible for people nowadays to grasp how original and innovative this music was when it was invented, 45 years ago. During the ensuing 40 years or so this kind of musical genre got diluted and transformed into a sad, repulsive caricature by many lesser bands and musicians. But thankfully we have the recordings, so we can always go back to the source. McLaughlin was one of the most unique, original guitarists who ever held a guitar pick. His heyday was in the late '60s-early '70s. Those were the years when he was at his prime as a guitar player and as a composer. I still hold, to this day, that his absolute best guitar playing was on his first solo album, Extrapolation (1969). Check it out--it will blow your mind!

One of the greatest bands of all time. Most probably the best set of musicians in one band.

I just love all these comments below, like many of them, I too was changed forever in 1971 or so, when I traveled to Cinci,OH with a ticket to see The Allman Bros., upon arrival at the hall we learned the band was sick from food poisoning the nite before and The Mahavishnu Orchestra would [lay in their place. What a gift that turned out to be, who is this guy with a double neck guitar, and who is this NFL sized drummer, an electric violin, synthesiser? I have followed JM ever since, what a gift to the world of music, and an inspiration to guitarists, he was Jeff Becks' favorite influence, and that says it all. One of my favorite concerts that I attended in Boston was JM and Carlos Santana playing Love Devotion and Surrender. Live reordings of concerts can more often than leave much to be desired, but not JM's From Nothing to Eternity, truly a gift that keeps on giving, loved it every year for 45 years or so now. I saw JM playing for a tribute concert for Jeff Beck that Eric Clapton produced, At 81 years old JM is more handsome as ever and seeing him play that beautiful Fender Dtrat was like a dream like wonder, I'm smiling again just thinking abou it. At 71 years old I still look forward to the sounds of WONDER. Thanks to Funkamedic for this delightful blast from the past. Stephen Bishop Sept.23,2023, form the Bluegrass State of KY.

John McLaughlin (guitarra) Billy Cobham (bateria) Rick Laird (baixo) Jerry Goodman (violino) Jan Hammer (teclado)

you have had the privilege of seeing the best drummer in the world!!!

MO's riffs are like other bands solos. Just love it!

Rick Laird's playing is inspiring !

Back in the early 70’s I heard Jerry Goodman and thought, “Wow! That’s so cool! He’s amazing! I want to learn how to play like that someday!” So I took violin lessons, practiced hard, and became the professional musician I am today. Fifty years later, I listen to Jerry Goodman and think, “Wow! That’s so cool! He’s amazing! I want to learn how to play like that someday!” When ya got it, ya got it. 🤷‍♂️

Perhaps the greatest assemblage of musical talent the world has ever seen.....when the camera shows the audience, there is no movement or talking - they are obviously mesmerized and in awe of what they are witnessing. Cobham is a beast - saw him in Fresno in a nightclub setting with perhaps 100 other people - sat 10 feet away - an unforgettable experience.

How lucky people that attended this mighty live. Such a great era.

I have seen this formation of Mahavishnu in Paris the same year, probably in june, in the Bataclan, it was an afternoon: my first experience of live music at 15 years old. Never the same again...

I think they need to release an official Mahavishnu Orchestra dvd of the quality concerts that were filmed back in the day.

Years ago when the music for The Mahavishnu Orchestra was published, I showed an old school chorus teacher in our High School the book and asked her to play some of the music on the piano. She was an impeccable sight reader. Well, she ripped off a few tunes, which sounded beautiful, and then turned to me in one of the most perplexed looks I've ever seen on anyone, and she said, "How do they come up with these ideas. Where do they get these chords"? There it is.

The version of One Word on the Birds of Fire album is the best jazz/rock performance of all time, a gift from the Universe of unfathomable beauty

When I heard this music it was n shock! I was playing progressive rock then ... I became a fan of BILLY COBHAM for life! I played with Etienne M'Bappé (bass) very young who plays with john now, a great musician, and also with others (including Thierry Mineau (bass) who made an album with Billy Cobham) .Rhoda Scott and many others ... this band is fantastic and this music is unique!

Many evenings on the hash oil or herb listening to their albums with the headphones on....spiritual bliss.

The late 60s and early 70s were an amazing, exploritary time. The sad thing is that music of this calibre is rarely heard today. The corporate music machine has reduced much of today's music to mediocrity and autotuned blandness.

Great control of dynamics from Billy Cobham, especially the super quiet part around 4:05 - 4:50.

Jan Hammer absolute legend! One of the best jazz musicians ever!

30:00 - Never saw someone play the violin using only the fingers,like a gutar! INCREDIBLE!

This is the Holy Grail of lost performances found! Saw them in Austin at Armadillo World Headquarters a few months after this was made. Did not know anything about the group, but in one performance they re-defined forever what my mind perceived as what music could be. For the last 40 years have been telling the story of the concert, and now I know it was not just my imagination, it was for real. Hope this performance will bring another generation into this extra ordinary state of mind.

Approximately, thirty years ago, I went to one of his live concerts, this one was held in the city of Toronto, Massyhall. At that time, I was very much into his music, but I'd never seen him live, and I must say that he and his band were absolutely amazing, and from then on, I went to every concert of his, within North America. The memories and his music will live in me forever... Peace, Much Love and Respect. John McLaughlin, Thank You !

Wow. When that violin starts playing at about 13:00 minutes in.. Just an unbelievable show. Master musicians, every one of them.

Could be one the greatest live performances in recorded history

inspired genius..... tapping into the emerald beyond. Connection, connected and one with consciousness. days when musicians brought magical journeys to their audiences and the audiences encouraged them to dig deeper, and go ever further.... bless these geniuses for leaving their mark on history.

Just about the same show I saw in the UNM SUB Ballroom for $3.00 in 72 or 73 this with Billy Cobham, Jan Hammer and the incredible Jerry Goodman! The show I saw had Jean Luc Ponty on Violin!

The inner mounting flame is one of my favorite records of the 400 i own. It's such a masterpiece, almost nothing else like it.

one of the absolute best performing bands of our time. This style of jazz- fusion started a host of other bands of this era. But mahavishnu was truly a unique band to me in its own category. All players are top players fueled by Billy Cobhams relentless thundering set playing. The shear power and brilliance of this music still leaves you spell bound almost 40 years later.Ground breaking music indeed!!

The most clean cut rock star ever. Looks like he is just off the yacht from the Newport to Bermuda race ready for cocktail hour. Fantastic era, we all miss it

the piece - One Word ! what a precision, what technique ,what timing ! Extra !

And in this day of massive pedalboards & effects ya gotta love John's massive board ... Oh yea he didn't need one . The most intense band of musical genius i have ever heard & i did see them in 73 after Birds Of Fire came out. This level of musicianship still flies right over most heads & still you can't help but to pick your jaw off the floor when you hear it even if you do get it. Simply amazing then & now.

Saw them at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in the early 70's. Incredible musicianship.

My first concert ever was MO opening for ELP, my youthful mind was forever blown wide open...............thanks!

Stands the test of time... just as good as when I saw them live at Winterland in 72...amazing!!!

Who can believe that this is footage from more than 50 years ago? TIMELESS.

I saw The Mahavishnu in Manchester England in 1972 as part of their Birds Of Fire tour. They were awesome then. I was a music student in '73. I became a musician for many years, then into education. I met John and the 7th Dimension in Manchester at one of their many concerts. I spoke to him, and he was wonderful. I live in the same village as John was brought up in, in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. I play all Mahavishnu stuff as my daily fix.

Sitting here watching Jerry's solo on "dance of the maya"...Jerry would have been a KILLER guitar player

Its amazing how much I sound like John McLaughlin, when I play Smoke on the Water

My boyhood guitar hero !! I still have an original b&w picture of John playing that double neck, what a sound what a player what a gentleman ! Later when my parents stayed the winter in Goa, India they ran into him at some one's house. Amazing guy, stil going strong today at 78 yrs.

Nice to see footage of Mahavishnu when Billy Cobham occupied the drum throne. An inspiration to many young drummers of that era. And still playing. I just saw footage of his performance at the 2017 NAMM Show.

the greatest band to ever perform, nobody can touch this band, and they still can't!!! Im glad these musicians were able to grace us w/ their music! I am honored!

The Mahavishnu Orchestra and John McLaughlin are incredible.

August 1972. I'd finished my freshman year at high school and was working at a summer job painting crosswalks and traffic lines on the county roads. I had a '67 Telecaster.....and I was listening to The Doors. Then, one day, my oldest brother (guitarist) played a record for me. It was 'The Dance Of Maya'. Days later, I noticed a few hairs on my chest. It was a new day.

Love this band. Back in high school, the art teacher allowed us to bring in records--yup, vinyl--to play during class. My classmates brought in Three Dog Night and Cat Stevens records; I brought Birds of Fire by these guys. I sort of enjoyed being the 'weird kid'.

Witness the birth of Fusion. I damn near wore out Birds of Fire when I discovered it in the 1970s, ut to see how they pulkl off such complex material *live* is a huge testament to to how great these musicians were.

J'étais dans les gradins ce soir la avec Alan Jack, grand et beau souvenir...

Nothing like this anymore!! Too good, too soon!! I used to take people to see John McLaughlin and tell them that they would be sitting there in the dark saying "Holy Shit" during the whole concert. Funny, they never believed me. That is until he started warming up. His warm ups were as fast as anyone. Half way in he would start kicking ass and people would leave the concert utterly dumbfounded. Saw him at least a half dozen times and was never disappointed. Monster!!!

Saw this incarnation(in my mind the best) of the band in San Francisco at The Winterland , March 24, 1972. Totally blew us away!!! ELP followed, no contest, MO was by far the best band of the night.

Sublime and unique music. This really deserves an official release

One of the greatest bands ever IMHO

The interplay between Jerry and Billy during Jerry’s solo is amazing.

My mother always used to say, "wear your longjohns and play a double guitar to be on the safe side!"

Complex and challenging, hard rocking and raw yet also beautiful and imbued with a deep spirituality, it is the band's superior musicianship that makes the biggest impression.

That audience looks stunned...

Inner mounting Fame so beautiful i saw them in Melbourne Festival hall about 1975 with Michael Walden and Jean Luc Ponty best gig ever John Mac changed my life

I first witnessed MO in the fall of ‘71 at UPenn’s Irvine Auditorium. I was totally unprepared for the astounding display of creativity and virtuosity. The concert blew my mind. I immediately went out and bought Inner Mounting Flame. Extra bonus: my college friend and I saw the band at an Indian restaurant in Philly before the show.

Cobham man beast

"Meeting Of The Spirits" is like a Phrygian, two-chord mantra. Great title to open the show with!

I was lucky enough to see John Mclaughlin and Carlos Santana when they did their tour for their album "Love, Devotion, Surrender" It was fantastic.

Man, I love John Mclaughlin's guitar playing. His style is like no other, so staccato, unlike the legato stuff that every fusion player tries to play because of Holdworth's influence.

I saw MO on tour in the US in '72... I was a sixteen year old guitarist at the time, and I thought that rock was IT... UNTIL... I had my musical boundaries pushed outward by light years when I saw MO perform. I had never seen them or heard their music, but I had heard of them and I just had to see them. It was one of the most awesome musical experiences of my entire life.

That's awesome, LIVE SHOW 1972!!! Great fan of Mahavisnhu

Holly God! This is why I love KZfaq!!

Billy stayed on the pocket ,on this piece. Amazing stamina.

Absolutely agree!! What a band!!! Music beyond spheres!!

The Mahavishnu Orchestra has a mystical genius in all its formations.

Ok I've heard everything now ... thanks for the post.

Wow, this brought back so many great memories of seeing these guys live back in the day. They were from a different planet than the rest of the musical world. My favorite moment is 36 minutes in when McLaughlin and Cobham do a improvised duet jam. Please find me another drummer and guitar player in the world that could do what they were doing. Ridiculous and mind blowing. Always wanted to see a reunion but I guess this magic can never be recreated.

Not surprisingly however, the music of the Mahavishnu Orchestra hasn't gone on to be covered and re-interpreted by the many bands it has affected, largely due to its extreme technical demands. Though somewhat forgotten by the masses, this band remains legendary to anyone with even a passing interest in jazz-based improvisation or guitar-based rock music.

There will never be another Mahavishnu. I doubt there will ever be fusion music of this calibre in any genre or an opener as exciting as this one, Meeting of the Spirits.

Amazing musicians with amazing music...All Stars Line Up with Jerry Goodman, Cobham, Mclaughlin, Hammer...

My cousin Woody met John through Sri Chinmoy and ended up with John’s black Les Paul as a gift. They jammed together a few times as Woody was a monster guitarist. Inner Mounting Flame and Chick’s hymn of the Seventh galaxy will always be my one and two of that era. 🎙🎶✌️