John McLaughlin, also known as Mahavishnu, is an English guitarist, bandleader, and composer. A pioneer of jazz fusion, his music combines elements of jazz with rock, world music, Western classical music, flamenco, and blues. After contributing to several key British groups of the early 1960s, McLaughlin made Extrapolation, his first album as a bandleader, in 1969. He then moved to the U.S., where he played with drummer Tony Williams's group Lifetime and then with Miles Davis on his electric jazz fusion albums In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, Jack Johnson, Live-Evil, and On the Corner. His 1970s electric band, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, performed a technically virtuosic and complex style of music that fused electric jazz and rock with Indian influences.
Birds of Fire is the second studio album by jazz fusion band the Mahavishnu Orchestra. It was released in 1973 by Columbia Records and is the last studio album released by the original line-up before it dissolved.
The Inner Mounting Flame is the debut studio album by jazz-rock fusion band Mahavishnu Orchestra, recorded in August 1971 and released later that year by Columbia Records. After their formation, the group performed several debut gigs before they entered the studio to record their first album featuring all original material written by guitarist John McLaughlin.
Apocalypse is the Mahavishnu Orchestra's fourth album and third studio album, released in 1974.
Visions of the Emerald Beyond is the fifth album by the jazz fusion group Mahavishnu Orchestra, and the second released by its second incarnation.
The Cellar Door Sessions 1970 is a boxed live album released in 2005. It compiles six of ten sets that were performed over four December nights in 1970 at the D. C. nightclub the Cellar Door. Despite similar formatting, it is not a part of the Miles Davis Series of box sets.
Mahavishnu is an album by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, released in 1984 by Warner Bros. Records. During the 1980s, John McLaughlin reformed the Mahavishnu Orchestra for release of the two albums Mahavishnu and Adventures in Radioland. This band's overall sound was radically different from the original Mahavishnu Orchestra, in particular because of McLaughlin's extensive use of the Synclavier synthesiser system. This album features original Mahavishnu Orchestra drummer Billy Cobham.
The Heart of Things is an electric jazz fusion album released by guitarist John McLaughlin on Verve in 1997. Musicians include saxophonist Gary Thomas, keyboardist Jim Beard, bassist Matthew Garrison and drummer Dennis Chambers. All compositions were by McLaughlin, who also produced the album.
Qué Alegría is an album by the John McLaughlin Trio, featuring percussionist Trilok Gurtu and bass guitarist Dominique Di Piazza. Di Piazza is replaced by Kai Eckhardt on two tracks. It was released on the Verve label in 1992. The album reached 1992 number 5 in the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
Where Fortune Smiles is a free jazz LP credited to John McLaughlin, John Surman, Dave Holland, Karl Berger, and Stu Martin, recorded in 1970 and released on Dawn Records in 1971.
The Essential Miles Davis is a 2-CD compilation album by Miles Davis released by Columbia Legacy on May 15, 2001. It belongs to Sony Music Entertainment's "The Essential" series, not to the series "Essentials", established by WEA International, and was released as part of Sony's Miles 75 Anniversary program. In 2008, The Essential Miles Davis 3.0 was released as a limited edition album featuring a bonus third disc that added five more songs to the original track list.
Thieves and Poets is an album by John McLaughlin, released in 2003 through the record label Verve. The album reached number twenty on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart.
The Heart of Things: Live in Paris is a live album by John McLaughlin, released in 2000 through the record label PolyGram. The album reached number 25 on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart.
Live at the Royal Festival Hall is an album by the John McLaughlin Trio, featuring percussionist Trilok Gurtu and bass guitarist Kai Eckhardt. It was recorded at the Royal Festival Hall in London on 27 November 1989 and was released on the JMT label in 1990. The album reached number 3 in the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
After the Rain is a jazz album by John McLaughlin, released in 1995 on Verve Records. The album reached number 9 in the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart 1995. It features organist Joey DeFrancesco and veteran drummer Elvin Jones.
The Promise is an album by the English musician John McLaughlin, released in 1995 on Verve Records. It peaked at number 4 in the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.
Remember Shakti is a live album by the world fusion band Remember Shakti recorded in England over four nights, and released in 1999 on the Verve label. The reformed group features original members John McLaughlin (guitar), Zakir Hussain (tabla) and Vikku Vinayakram (ghatam), who are joined by Hariprasad Chaurasia on the bansuri. The album reached number 14 in the Billboard Top Jazz albums chart.
Time Remembered: John McLaughlin Plays Bill Evans is an album by John McLaughlin. It was recorded in March 1993 and released on the Verve label in 1993. The album reached number 10 in the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.
Remember Shakti – The Believer is a live album by the world fusion band Remember Shakti, that was released in 2000 on the Verve label. The live set features John McLaughlin on guitar, electric mandolinist U. Srinivas, Vikku Selvaganesh playing ghatam, and tabla player Zakir Hussain. The album peaked number 20 in the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.
Remember Shakti – Saturday Night in Bombay is a live album by the world fusion band Remember Shakti released in November 2001 on the Verve label. This concert features John McLaughlin on guitar, U. Srinivas on electric mandolin, Vikku Selvaganesh on ghatam, kanjira and mridangam, Zakir Hussain on tabla and a number of guest musicians, including vocalist Shankar Mahadeven, slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya and drummer Sivamani.
