The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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Three-quarters of the Mahavishnu Orchestra reunite!

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…but not the Mahavishnu Orchestra line-up you might expect. 😀 Here are John McLaughlin, Ralphe Armstrong (bass) and Narada Michael Walden (drums/vocals) from the very last MO – the one that toured Europe with Wishbone Ash in August 1975, calling it a day somewhere near Detroit in November that year. Only Stu Goldberg from that relatively forgotten quartet – which saw out 1975 after a mighty 11-piece version of MO toured Europe in Jan-Feb 1975 and a funky 9-piece version toured the US from April-June 1975 – is missing here. In his place, we have Cindy Blackman and Carlos Santana.

Set aside your suspicions that this will be a fusion apocalypse – it’s cosmic soul!

One for Twang, JC, and the Guitary guys: John McLaughlin debuts a new guitar

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Here’s John McL live in 2016 with Santana, guesting on three numbers with an exotic looking axe, which – I feel sure – Johnny C can tell us all about. The tracks he appears on are:

A Place With No Name Creation Awade

From around 37:00 – 53.00, with splrendid soloing therein.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moBTcDb0_po

Love Devotion Surrender

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I picked this LP up on Sunday for 50p. I could not resist the gatefold sleeve featuring Mahavishnu John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana, and their groovy white suits. Most of all I was warmed by the relative innocence and sweetness of the idea of a Coltrane tribute album influenced by Sri Chinmoy. Happier happier days. Is it worth buying a record player to listen to it or is it a bit of a dirge?

The 8th of March 1975

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This fascinating film has just been posted on youtube. It’s 9 mins or so documenting a Sri Chinmoy parade and concert in New York – on March 8 1975 (the November 75 attribution is incorrect: McLaughlin had moved on from Chinmoy by then).

A rare opportunity to see Mahavishnu & Devadip doing their thing on the back of a float and, from 4:50 on, a rare opportunity to hear the singing voice of the Mahavishnu.