cornell university new york

• Format: 2 CD, live album, stereo

Cornell University, New York 1973 captures the original Mahavishnu Orchestra shortly after the release of their landmark second album, Birds Of Fire. Recorded for radio at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, the performance presents the celebrated five-piece line-up at the height of its extraordinary collective power.

Led by guitarist John McLaughlin, the group also featured Jerry Goodman on violin, Jan Hammer on electric piano and synthesizer, Rick Laird on bass and Billy Cobham on drums. Each musician possessed formidable technical ability, but the band’s impact came from the way these contrasting instrumental voices interacted through intricate compositions, abrupt rhythmic changes and extended improvisation.

McLaughlin’s rapid electric-guitar lines frequently collide with Goodman’s amplified violin and Hammer’s highly expressive keyboards, while Laird and Cobham maintain the complex rhythmic foundation beneath them. The music combines jazz improvisation, progressive rock, funk and Indian-influenced rhythms without sacrificing the intensity of a live rock performance.

The concert includes compositions from both The Inner Mounting Flame and Birds Of Fire, with several pieces expanded far beyond their original studio versions. “Miles Beyond,” “One Word,” “The Dance Of Maya” and “Vital Transformation” develop into lengthy showcases for the group’s precision, speed and spontaneous interplay. This remastered double-CD edition preserves the complete broadcast across two discs.

Track Listing

CD 1

1. Birds Of Fire – 9:52
2. Miles Beyond – 13:20
3. The Noonward Race – 15:35
4. Dream – 8:54
5. One Word – 22:11

CD 2

1. The Dance Of Maya – 10:59
2. Sanctuary – 20:38
3. A Lotus On Irish Streams – 5:32
4. Vital Transformation – 11:01

Personnel

• John McLaughlin – guitar
• Jerry Goodman – violin
• Jan Hammer – keyboards
• Rick Laird – bass
• Billy Cobham – drums