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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crank it up !,
By rkenter "rkenter" (Madras, Tamil Nadu, India) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Visions of the Emerald Beyond (Audio CD)
I bought the vinyl album in Sept 1975 when I was a kid. I disliked the album at first. Years later gathering dust in my shelf, I listened to it again & had to eat my own words. The reason for my not liking this GEM is cause' the music made by McLaughlin was way ahead of its time. I was delighted when Columbia released it on CD. Whether it is Lila's Dance or Cosmic Strut or for that matter any track, this album of Mahavishnu is one of the top-notch fusion albums of the mid 70's & has paved the way for several guitarists to get inspiration from John's playing. The line-up is equally impressive with solid support from violinists Jean-Luc-Ponty & Steven Kindler & drummer Narada Michael Walden. If you want an introduction to what jazz fusion sounds like, buy this CD & you will be amazed at what you hear.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the greatest guitarists puts out a fusion classic,
By Scott "Dr. Music" Itter "Dr. Music" (Naperville, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Visions of the Emerald Beyond (Audio CD)
From the first note of this masterpiece, you are treated to a blitz of music. A saturation of masterful playing that remains relentless throughout the duration of the record. Kicking the bonanza off with two tracks entitled, Eternity's Breath - Part 1 and Eternity's Breath - Part 2, we learn what playing drums is all about. With Narada Michael Walden pummeling his drum kit faster than you would have thought humanly possible, he is nothing short of divine. As Jean Luc-Ponty starts his descent upon the album, it just sounds too good to be true. Between Walden's drumming and Ponty's frenzied playing, it leaves the door wide open for the man of the hour to waltz in, ...and waltz in he does. With McLaughlin blasting into an onslaught of guitar solo fury, and keeping pace with an already swirling musical ocean, a short verse is introduced. Reminiscent of vocal pieces you might hear in musicals such as "Hair" or "Jesus Christ Superstar", we get a superb complement to the instrumentation. Cerebral phrasing that is both uplifting and vivacious. What a way to start a record.
McLaughlin sticks to this formula almost exclusively throughout the record. A vibrant jazz/rock collaboration that just obliterates the senses. Jean-Luc Ponty, the son of a music teacher, is a violinist like no other here. He incorporates speed (Eternity's Breath - Parts 1&2), melody (Cosmic Strut), and tone (Pastoral), much like a talented noteworthy guitar player would, to create a sound that is distinct and resonating. On Ponty's signature piece, Lila's Dance, a delicate lull takes off into an intense jam with drummer Michael Walden, and is sprinkled with some horns to create a rich and elaborate delight. It is very difficult to include violin on every track and still add something interesting and different to each one. Ponty does it here, and keeps the listener yearning for more. With McLaughlin adding brilliance in so many ways, he becomes the perfect compliment to his players. We hear him recklessly rip it up on Eternity's Breath - Part 2; he keeps a low profile, adding just a rhythmic chord progression, on Can't Stand Your Funk; and, towards the end of the record we hear some experimentation with tone (Earthship thru On The Way Home To Earth). He is an amazing player that surrounds himself with player perfection, and Narada Michael Walden is the supreme definition of perfection on this record. These are, arguably, the greatest drum pieces ever recorded. If you are an aspiring drummer, and not easily discouraged, this is a must hear. I can imagine many hopeful drummers putting down their sticks after listening to this record. It does not sound like something that any human being, with only two arms, could perform. Most of the drum parts are done with blazing quickness and extreme dexterity, wrapped tightly in a complex rhythm structure that just astounds. When Walden is not attacking his kit, he's doing intricate cymbal patterns (Can't Stand Your Funk), or just playing a simple rock solid backbeat. If you can listen to a song like I Can See You, and honestly say that you've heard something even more amazing done with a drum kit, please let me know. Narada Michael Walden is an amazing musician, and a stand-out on an album that includes some of the best players that have ever recorded. Anyone who is in love with music, and can appreciate one's mastering of their instrument, needs to hear this record. This is one of the most amazing displays of talent ever recorded. For more Dr.Music reviews, visit http://DrMusic.new-sounds.com
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lusher sounding than the original lineup yet still fiery and passionate,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Visions of the Emerald Beyond (Audio CD)
Released in 1975, Visions of the Emerald Beyond found band leader John McLaughlin backing off from the large scale approach of Apocalypse (1974) yet without losing any of the fire and sheer passion that made this band so amazing. Visions of the Emerald Beyond would be the last album by Mahavishnu Orchestra until John McLaughlin reformed the group in the mid 1980s. Fortunately McLaughlin was always working and formed Shakti after this album, which is 180 degrees away from the highly electric sound of Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Joining the core group of John McLaughlin (electric and acoustic guitars; vocals); mind blowing virtuoso Narada Michael Walden (drums and percussion; vocals; clavinet); Jean Luc Ponty (electric violin and electric baritone violin); Ralph Armstrong (bass guitar; acoustic bass; and vocals); and Gayle Moran (keyboards and vocals) are a string trio; a trumpet/flugelhorn/flute player; and a sax player. Like all of the Mahavishnu musicians, this is a top notch ensemble with the drummer being simply unbelievable. Jean Luc Ponty turns in some great playing and McLaughlin of course is a master on the guitar and even turns in some blazing Hendrixian solos here and there (Lila's Dance). With respect to the vocal parts and Gayle's soprano they do not bother me one bit and are provided more as texture than as a traditional vocal part. I also enjoy the splashes of tone color here and there provided by the strings, keyboards, flute, and the brass instruments. The thirteen tracks on the album are short, yet blend together in a song-cycle suite of sorts. Overall, this music is lusher sounding than the first two albums and at times even sounds somewhat like symphonic progressive rock. In addition to progressive rock, there is jazz rock, Jimi Hendrix style jams; a little classical on Opus I, and even a tiny bit of funk - trust me though, this funk sounds nothing at all like Sly and the Family Stone. Odd meters are everywhere along with weird root movements and nice dynamic contrast - in one moment you are getting blasted by an ear splitting assault played on the drums and heavily distorted electric guitar and then in the next instant soothed by either a delicate string arrangement (Pastoral) or spacey and psychedelic sections (Earth Ship and Pegasus). All in all, Visions of the Emerald Beyond makes for a very interesting listening experience and although somewhat different, I found this album just as enjoyable as Inner Mounting Flame (1971) and Birds of Fire (1973). This album is recommended along with Inner Mounting Flame; Birds of Fire; the live album Between Nothingness and Eternity (1973); and Apocalypse.
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