Recorded for BBC Television in the Paris Theatre, London, on August 25, 1972:

Program*:
“Meeting of the Spirits”
“You Know You Know”
“A Lotus on Irish Streams”
“The Noonward Race”

Personnel (The Mahavishnu Orchestra):
Guitars†, compositions: Mahavishnu John McLaughlin
Electric Violin: Jerry Goodman
Keyboards‡: Jan Hammer
Drums: Billy Cobham
Bass: Rick Laird

Remarks:

Back in the day, I thought these guys were about as good as it gets, and, even after all this time, I still think I was right.  Though it was hard to know exactly what to make of them at first – the structures of the music  were so different, the melodic ideas so original.  Then there was the breathtaking virtuosity, as in: “Play that fast? I can’t even think that fast!”

When I came across this video a while back, it struck me as ideal for the BB.  For readers who remember the Mahavishnu Orchestra, it will serve as a short and sweet reminder; for those to whom this music is new, it will provide a brief introduction.  Plus, I find this to be a fine example of exactly what humans are capable of when they are sufficiently inspired and dedicated – and, of course, apply themselves with great discipline.

It is also worth noting that McLaughlin studied extensively with the Indian spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy, who gave McLaughlin the name Mahavishnu, signifying “…the Absolute which is beyond human comprehension and is beyond all attributes.”§

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* All four pieces performed here were originally issued on the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s first album, The Inner Mounting Flame. Note that the first two pieces are played continuously. 

† The double-necked electric McLaughlin plays here is a Gibson EDS-1275,  The acoustic is some kind of Ovation – hard to tell which model.

‡ Hammer was a pioneer of synthesizers , and here he plays a fairly early model of the Mini Moog.   The electric piano is a Fender Rhodes.  The brand of the baby grand is hidden from view.

§ Wikipedia entry on Mahavishnu, q. v.