Mahavishnu John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana both created never before heard guitar sounds in the late 60s and early 70s. Their historic collaboration on the 1973 Love, Devotion & Surrender (LDV) yielded sonic fireworks and received lots of college radio airplay. This collaboration was a result of the directions that Mahavishnu Orchestra was taking in its “Birds of Fire ” album and the Santana Band’s “Caravanserai”. This playing of the music of its entirety was the focus of this concert @ the Falcon.
The Mahavishnu Project is only the Mahavishnu Orchestra repertoire band that has the full approval of John McLaughlin. They recently finished a tour commemorating performing “Birds of Fire”. The founder/drummer Gregg Bendian quipped “We are doing Love, Devotion and Surrender because we are compulsive”.
The listening audience was rewarded by this compulsion. This was the first known play through of this album since the 70s. This version of the band added virtuoso guitarist Joel Harrison. Note that the album was really put together jam style, so this play through is done in the same spirit, taking some liberties with the arrangements and the instrumentation.
The concert opened with the relatively obscure song from the pre Mahavishnu McLaughlin “Devotion”. This was McLaughlin’s first solo flirtation with fusion. He had already been active earlier with the Tony Williams Lifetime and Miles Davis. Dueling and harmonizing guitars (Rob Mangano and Noel Harrison)were featured. Bass(Brian Mooney), organ (Neil “Nail” Alexander) and drums provided a strong back drop.
Then the play through started in earnest. A flurry of notes by the core band , a brief silence with the gradual entry of the hypnotic bassline, drums and a swirling organ. Dueling guitars with the chants of “A Love Supreme” by all followed by the mother lode of 2 drummers and percussion acknowledged the journey of the music into the stratosphere . The tone of the electric guitars were markedly more rounded and fuller than the sound used in the original recordings.
“Naima” strayed considerably from the album. Bassist Brian Mooney opened and played the main theme as clear ,tender and warm as I have ever heard a bass guitar sound followed by the rest of the band stating this beautiful ballad. The original LDV recording was an acoustic guitar duet.
These two songs were the John Coltrane compositions that anchored the album.
“Let Us Enter The House of the Lord ” is a traditional gospel song, dramatically altered. Opening with ecstatic guitars singing , with strong harmonic bass overtones followed by Latinized percussion dancing into into a sanctuary, very much Santana influenced. For an example of what the original sounds like; listen to the Edwin Hawkins singers recording of this song .
“Meditations”was a group peaceful ending to the song cycle.
“Friendship” was recorded over 5 years later on a McLaughlin solo album with Santana as a special guest. A commemoration of friendship starting as a promenade before being treated as a fusion jam back to the promenade.
“Flame/Sky” from Santana’s “Welcome” album was the tour de force, a climactic ending to a great evening of music.
Although this style/ compositions are seldom heard live now, jambands such as Lettuce, Snarky Puppy and Martin, Medeski & Wood are certainly influenced by the spirit of this music.
Musicians
Gregg Bendian- drums, Olias Bendian-drums, Angel Michael Lau-percussion, Robert Mangano-guitar, Joel Harrison-guitar, Neil “Nail” Alexander-organ, Brian Mooney-bass
Setlist
Devotion, LOVE, DEVOTION & SURRENDER, A Love Supreme ( aka Acknowledgement), Naima, Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord, Meditation, ELECTRIC GUITARIST, Friendship, WELCOME(Santana), Flame/Sky (Welcome)
