…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!
I find this quite exhilarating while being easier on the ear than expected.
I don’t suppose that there is much MO as accessible.
Not much… but here is Ralphe’s ‘Planetary Citizen’ from the sole LP by the last-gasp 4-piece MO, recorded in 1975.
Message to the MO team: MORE LIKE THIS PLEASE!
A very pleasing funky/melodic thing.
Surprisingly light on Johnny’s trademark note-storms. A just a few little scattered showers.
He should play like that more often.
Cindy Blackman-Santana’s not hard to listen to or look at, either.
Re; the O.P. 75% too much surely!😀