SUPER FIDELITY

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA

Birds of Fire (Speakers Corner LP)

John McLaughlin is the guitarist’s guitarist. His first incarnation of this renowned band had Jerry Goodman on violin, Rick Laird on bass, Jan Hammer (Keith Jarrett) on keys and Billy Cobham. This 1973 release became the first jazz rock instrumental to make it into Billboard’s Top 20 rock album list. Speakers Corner has now reissued it and the sonic intensity and improbable genre blending is as compelling now as it was then. McLaughlin and Goodman set up a deep groove on the title) is a groove-fest. Jarrett lays down soulful hooks on electric piano as the band enters in full, cohesive mode before McLaughlin unleashes a ‘machine-gun’ solo. The sonic explosiveness of his guitar is captured in all its distorted glory and the ear-splitting, incendiary power of the band is spellbinding.