MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA / LIVE COLLECTION 1972 (3CDR)

John McLaughlin - guitar
Jerry Goodman - violin
Jan Hammer - keyboards
Richard Laird - bass
Billy Cobham - drums

DISC 1
1. LOTUS ON IRISH STREAMS
2. ONE WORD
3. SANCTUARY
4. NOONWARD RACE - fade out
5. fade in - CELESTIAL TERRESTRIAL COMMUTERS

DISC 2
1. BIRDS OF FIRE
2. MILES BEYOND
3. YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW
4. DREAM

DISC 3
1. ONE WORD
2. THE DANCE OF MAYA
3. SANCTUARY
4. A LOTUS ON IRISH STREAMS
5. VITAL TRANSFORMATION

The "Necromancer" series—which reissues rare titles from handmade, collector-focused labels using official master recordings—now features "Headless Hawk," one of the premier collector labels in the jazz genre. These rare titles are being re-released at an accessible price point, complete with a new reissue emblem and redesigned back cover art.

The Mahavishnu Orchestra was a jazz-rock unit formed by John McLaughlin to develop his own unique take on the jazz-rock elements he had learned while working with Miles Davis. This collection features soundboard live recordings from the band's original lineup. Compared to the work of Miles Davis’s electric-era band, this music carries a stronger spiritual/religious undertone, with the inclusion of a violin serving as another key distinction. The lineup includes keyboardist Jan Hammer—who would later go on to work with artists such as Jeff Beck and Santana—and drummer Billy Cobham, whose high-energy, intricate playing and sharp hi-hat work are truly remarkable. This release compiles live performances from 1972, including a rendition of "Birds of Fire"—the band's most famous track and the title song of their second album.