Visions Of The Emerald Beyond - Mahavishnu Orchestra (1975) (1LP Vinyl) - Very Good Plus (VG+)

Visions Of The Emerald Beyond by Mahavishnu Orchestra.

By the time Mahavishnu Orchestra cut "Visions Of The Emerald Beyond" at Electric Lady Studios in New York City between December 4th and 14th, 1974, John McLaughlin had reshaped the band into something wilder and more expansive than ever. This second incarnation of the group balances thunderous electric intensity with delicate chamber textures, and the record captures a ensemble stretching in every direction at once. Mixed at Trident Studios in London during the last two weeks of December that same year, it arrived on CBS in 1975 as a full gatefold release.

Side A opens with the two part "Eternity's Breath," a suite that surges and recoils before giving way to "Lila's Dance," the brisk "Can't Stand Your Funk," the quiet "Pastoral," and the closing "Faith." Side B unfolds across seven pieces, beginning with Narada Michael Walden's "Cosmic Strut," the only track here not penned by McLaughlin, and moving through "If I Could See," "Be Happy," "Earth Ship," "Pegasus," "Opus 1," and the fittingly titled finale "On The Way Home To Earth." McLaughlin wrote everything else on the album, from the opening breath to that closing descent.

The lineup is a genuine crossroads of jazz, rock, and classical sensibilities. McLaughlin plays guitar and twelve string guitar and adds vocals; Jean-Luc Ponty brings his electric violin and electric baritone violin; Ralphe Armstrong covers bass guitar, double bass, and vocals; and Walden drives the whole thing on drums, percussion, clavinet, and vocals. Gayle Moran contributes keyboards and vocals, Russell Tubbs handles alto and soprano saxophone, and Bob Knapp rounds out the horns with trumpet, flugelhorn, and flute.

The record's chamber colorings come from a dedicated string presence woven through the arrangements. Steven Kindler takes the first violin chair and Carol Shive the second, with Shive also adding vocals, while Philip Hirschi anchors the cello. Kindler, Shive, and Hirschi together form the string trio ensemble that lends these pieces their unexpected orchestral depth, a sound that sets this album apart from the group's earlier work.

Production duties were shared between McLaughlin and Ken Scott, with Scott also credited as engineer and Dave Wittman and Dennis Mackay working as tape operators. The cover was designed and illustrated by Chris Poisson, who also handled photography, while Paul Perlow designed the inside cover. The gatefold packaging carries the recording and mixing notes across its interior, with center labels bearing the 1975 CBS Inc. copyright and publishing credits to Chinmoy Music, Inc. and Warner-Tamerland Publishing Corp, except "Cosmic Strut," listed under copyright control.

A couple of collector's details reward close inspection. A faint "P" stamped in the runouts identifies this particular pressing. On the label, "Can't Stand Your Funk" is listed at 5:10, though the track actually runs a brisk 2:09.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. Eternity's Breath - Part 1
A2. Eternity's Breath - Part 2
A3. Lila's Dance
A4. Can't Stand Your Funk
A5. Pastoral
A6. Faith
B1. Cosmic Strut
B2. If I Could See
B3. Be Happy
B4. Earth Ship
B5. Pegasus
B6. Opus 1
B7. On The Way Home To Earth

Credits:
Russell Tubbs - Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Ralphe Armstrong - Bass Guitar, Double Bass, Vocals
Philip Hirschi - Cello
Chris Poisson - Design [Cover], Illustration
Paul Perlow - Design [Inside Cover]
Narada Michael Walden - Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Clavinet
Jean-Luc Ponty - Electric Violin, Electric Violin [Electric Baritone Violin]
Carol Shive - Ensemble [String Trio]
Philip Hirschi - Ensemble [String Trio]
Steven Kindler - Ensemble [String Trio]
John McLaughlin - Guitar, Twelve-String Guitar, Vocals
Gayle Moran - Keyboards, Vocals
Nathan Weiss - Management
Chris Poisson - Photography By
John McLaughlin - Producer
Ken Scott - Producer
Ken Scott - Recorded By
Dave Wittman - Tape Op [Tape Operator]
Dennis Mackay - Tape Op [Tape Operator]
Ron Costa (2) - Technician
Gregory DiGiovine - Technician [Equipment]
Elliott Sears - Tour Manager [Tour Management]
Joseph D'Anna - Tour Manager [Tour Management]
Bob Knapp - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Flute, Vocals
Steven Kindler - Violin [1st]
Carol Shive - Violin [2nd], Vocals
John McLaughlin - Written-By (A1 to A6, B2 to B7)
Narada Michael Walden - Written-By (B1)

Notes:
Faint "P" stamped in runouts denotes a [l447694] pressing.

Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York City, Dec. 4th - 14th, 1974.
Mixed at Trident Studios, London, Dec. 16th-24th, 1974.

Center labels:
℗ 1975 CBS Inc.
Printed in U.S.A.
Published by Chinmoy Music, Inc. / Warner-Tamerland Publ. Corp (BMI) 1975 except "Cosmic Strut", copyright control

Backcover:
© 1975 CBS Inc.
℗ 1975 CBS Inc.
Manufactured by Columbia Records/CBS Inc.

Inside cover:
Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York City, Dec. 4th - 14th, 1974
Mixed at Trident Studios, London, Dec. 16th - 24th, 1974

Gatefold.

Similar releases:
[url=http://www.discogs.com/release/5383701]This release [/url]has no gatefold cover
[url=http://www.discogs.com/release/2291773]This one[/url] is a Canadian release

The duration of A4 is listed as 5:10 on the label. It is actually 2:09.

Artist: Mahavishnu Orchestra

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Columbia

Catalog Number: PC 33411

Release Year: 1975

Country: United States

Condition: Used

Media Condition: Very Good Plus (VG+)

Sleeve Condition: Very Good Plus (VG+)