John McLaughlin’s groundbreaking Mahavishnu Orchestra never played the material from their most symphonic album, 1975’s Visions of theEmerald Beyond (Columbia), live. In fact, since it was the only Mahavishnu album with extensive overdubbing, the band never performed its lush compositions together in the studio, so it could be argued that the original Mahavishnu never actually played this music at all. Last summer, NYC drummer Gregg Bendian’s labor of love the Mahavishnu Project gave the original album’s songs their first on-stage airing; the result, caught here on two discs, is blissful and daring. Rhythmic hairpin turns and angelic melodies expand in all directions as Bendian’s skilled improvisers sink their chops into unison-heavy tunes such as “Eternity’s Breath” and find the soulful joy at the heart of “Lila’s Dance.”
Emerald Beyond’s compositions remain McLaughlin’s most elaborate written works. Even the apparent simplicity of the raucous “Can’t Stand Your Funk” is deceptive — the number’s fat, backbone groove can mask the complex polyrhythms Bendian and bassist David Johnson negotiate throughout its perky nine minutes. Bendian’s core group play beautifully throughout; violinist Rob Thomas benefits particularly from the tunes’ extensive and colorful employment of his instrument. And Glenn Alexander’s ability to stand in for McLaughlin, who at the time he led Mahavishnu was probably the world’s hottest guitarist, is a constant wonder. This disc is a delight for Mahavishnu Orchestra fans; for the uninitiated it’s a transfixing gateway to the most thrilling group in the jazz-rock canon.
