The Complete Albums Collection by Judas Priest

This box set amounts to the most complete (officially released) collection of music from the original version of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, the band assembled by guitarist John McLaughlin in mid-1971. They produced two studio albums (their attempt at a third finally appeared in 1999) and a live set, which was released shortly before they broke up at the end of 1973. Their technical ability, detailed polyrhythmic compositions (most of which were credited to McLaughlin) and powerful live performances garnered a following which belied the relative inaccessibility of their pioneering instrumental jazz-rock. Fans already know all this history, and will already have the previously-released albums, so the real questions here concern the new material contained in this set. This consists of a sparkling 15 minute version of "The Noonward Race" from the band's performance at the Mar Y Sol festival on April 3, 1972 (which has previously been released on a compilation, and has been in unofficial circulation for some time), plus a completely new set (lasting just over an hour) of other tracks from the same concerts that produced the "Between Nothingness and Eternity" live album. The band's real forte was in live performance; they toured constantly, and their setlist was completely restricted to the material from the studio albums, so by the time their live show was recorded near the end of their career, they were able to make the execution of this complicated music sound effortless. To have these official live versions of these tracks (as opposed to bootleg-ed versions of varying quality) after such a long time is a real joy, and they perfectly complement the much-loved studio versions. The packaging of this set is quite nice, with little cardboard sleeves for the discs, and a brief booklet (including some remarks about the band from McLaughlin) giving some recording information. Although it seems to be difficult to purchase in the UK at the moment, I'd recommend perseverance in trying to get hold of it, for the sake of the blistering live performances from this great band from long ago.

There are many excellent reviews of this outstanding package already so I'll try to keep this brief. What you get is five disks, each in its own stiff card sleeve with the original album artwork, in a good quality hinged box together with a 16-page illustrated booklet. Fans will doubtless already have the three studio albums - `The Inner Mounting Flame', `Birds of Fire' and the finally-released-in-1999 `The Lost Trident Sessions' - in at least one format, plus the live-in-Central-Park album `Between Nothingness and Eternity' from August 1973. Disk 5 contains the rest of the August 1973 concert, hitherto unreleased. The remastering of the three studio albums is very good, but of the two live-in-Central-Park disks it's sublime. Every instrument is sharp, clear, in perfect balance and overall a big improvement on all previous releases of BNaE, which has always been criticised (justifiably) as having less-than-optimal sound quality. The remastering of BoF and TLTS brings out the mid-range and treble and is more obviously different/brighter than previous mixes, whereas TIMF sounds warmer and differs less from earlier mixes, especially the original vinyl album from 1971. TIMF contains a 15-minute bonus track of `The Noonward Race' recorded live-on-stage at the Mar Y Sol Festival in Puerto Rico in April 1972. Fans of this epic five-piece band will already know the visceral power of this complex and energetic music. Inside the high-octane intensity rock music nests the subtle complexities of jazz. Full of frenzied virtuoso playing, sudden time signature changes and complex musical patterns interwoven and multiply layered, there's never been anything quite like it. Unconditionally recommended.

You may well own "Inner Mountain Flame", "Birds of Fire", "Between Nothingness and Eternity" and "The Lost Sessions". If you are into The Mahavishnu Orchestra you SHOULD own them. Well - here, you are going to own them again, and believe me it is worth it! John McLaughlin, Jan Hammer, Rick Laird, Jerry Goodman and Billy Cobham - the ultimate band. The cohesion, the intensity is palpable; the energy is extraordinary, almost overwhelming. This amazing group of musicians redefined music. Jazz Fusion has often been a demanding genre to engage with; there are so many rock elements. Well, the power of this band leave the likes of Led Zeppelin in the shade, not that I am making any direct comparisons. Listening to Mahavishnu can be exhausting but, if you give it the space it needs - very rewarding. I own all the albums mentioned above and treasure them. However this set has unreleased jewels. "Inner Mountain Flame" has am extra track! A blistering live version of "Noonward Race" Then on Disc 5 you get the "unreleased" tracks from "Between Nothingness and Eternity" - and this, in my humble opinion really makes this set worthwhile; if you have the others? The ORIGINAL Mahavishnu Orchestra live and unleashed. At the time of its release "Between Nothingness and Eternity" contained unreleased tracks; the studio versions eventually appeared on "The Lost Sessions". Now we have Mahavishnu classics from "Inner Mountain Flame" and "Birds of Fire" live for the first time! Yes there have been countless bootlegs but this is "official". Relive this amazing and extraordinary band; Jazz Fusion AT ITS BEST!

Worth purchasing just for the extra live CD (unreleased tracks from Beyond Nothingness...). Good remastering of Inner Mounting Flame (with bonus track); great to have Lost Trident Sessions included here too.

This was the first and best line-up of this legendary group. They stayed together for only about three years, yet, like Cream, that was long enough to make an indelible mark in the aesthetic stratosphere. No one had ever performed music quite like this--and I still remember my first listening to "The Inner Mounting Flame" in 1972 at age fifteen. I was transfixed and happily stunned. I purchased this entire set simply for the bonus disk of unreleased live material from the New York concert, since I had the previous material. Sadly, there are no alternative studio takes of released material or unreleased studio takes of other material. Nevertheless, the live performance is electrifying, despite a few lapses--most noticeably by Jerry Goodman, who is way off pitch on the first number, not once, but twice. (The liner notes are very interesting and well-written as well, along with a short essay by maestro, John McLaughlin.) As fast and precise as this group was, they are inhumanly fast on some numbers. This follows the pattern that live performances of studio pieces usually speed up over time. It can be breath-taking. However, the performance of "Vital Transformation," is a bit disappointing compared to the studio version on "The Inner Mounting Flame." This is largely because the piece does not begin with Billy Cobham's unaccompanied playing that remarkable beat (which I cannot count out). The drums are not mixed load enough and get a bit lost. Neither is the time-keeping as riveting as in the studio version. Nevertheless, this is the definitive collection from this path-breaking group. It seems that none of these musicians ever reached this level again, although John McLaughlin has had a long, varied, and productive career. For the record, while the music here is engaging, fascinating, and jolting, I do not subscribe to the worldview implicitly indicated by the name of the group and the names of many of their pieces. Yet beauty and wonder can shrine through the strangest things.

第一期マハヴィシュヌ・オーケストラの集大成である。スタジオ録音の『内に秘めた炎』、『火の鳥』、後年発表された『ロスト・トライデント・セッションズ』、ライヴ録音の『虚無からの飛翔』に加え、ＣＤまるまる一枚分の『虚無からの飛翔』の未発表ライヴ録音。他にベスト盤に収録されていたプエルトリコのライヴの「ヌーンワード・レース」が、『内に秘めた炎』の最後に収められている。その1972年の「ヌーンワード・レース」も、スタジオ録音とは異なるマハヴィシュヌ・オーケストラの自在ぶりを示す名演であったが、1973年の『虚無からの飛翔』の未発表ライヴ録音がとにかくすごい。曲目を記す。 HOPE AWAKENING YOU KNOW,YOU KNOW ONE WORD STEPPING TONES VITAL TRANSFORMATION THE DANCE OF MAYA と、一応それぞれ題名があり、テーマもあるのだが、どの曲も一旦始まると、あとは野となれ山となれの展開で、その当時のライナーノートふうにいうと、まさにヴィヴィッドでスポンティニアスなコレクティヴ・インプロヴィゼーションの嵐なのである。まったく大変なバンドなのだった。

Per gli appassionati della Mahavishnu Orchestra, che non hanno (oppure che hanno perso) i loro dischi, è una ottima occasione; l'audio è buono (ottimo, se pensiamo alla data delle incisioni), il cofanetto è ben fatto, il prezzo eccellente, i tempi di spedizione ottimi! Che altro dire di più, se non buon ascolto!

This is a wonderful way to either introduce yourself, or someone else, to the majesty, power, and wonder that was the original quintet of trail-blazers and musical pioneers known as the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The lure and bonus, for those who are already well-versed and true believers, is the bonus disc of previously unreleased tracks from the live sessions that made up "Between Nothingness and Eternity," which itself, as a separate release, is selling for about $18 on most "fusion" or "prog-jazz" sites, AND a live bonus track, "Noonward Race," on the Inner Mounting Flame CD. Amazon has a fair price, and Amazon merchants do even better. (Seriously, about $22 for the entire set....a movie and a large popcorn will cost you more.) The music itself is legend, and I will not go into detail here in that regard. This box set is a simple decision. The liner notes are fairly brief, but for those interested in details, I heartily recommend "Power, Passion & Beauty," by Walter Kolosky, a very good biography of the life and times of the M.O., for which Amazon has the best price of anyone. As a musician, and longtime aficionado of stimulating music of all genres, this collection is thrilling to me, and this is a simple, easy way to enter the magnificent world of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Be warned, however, that if you like this, the multitudinous releases of John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, Jan Hammer, and everyone with whom they played....indeed the entire world of electric jazz in its prime from 1968 to 1978, will beckon. Oh, poor you. You can thank me later :)