Dawn: Live At Century Theatre, Buffalo, Ny

This 2015-released 2x CD package is a Soundboard recording of the Mahavishnu Orchestra delivering an awesome live-on-stage performance at the Century Theater, Buffalo NY on 27th January 1973. It was originally released in Japan in 2008 as a 2CD-R and available only as an import.This offering does not have the quality-presentation feel of an `official' release, but nevertheless the sound is very good for a 1973 recording - if not perhaps up to today's digital-audio standards.The concert features only 7 numbers:Disk 1:1. Birds of Fire2. Open Country Joy3. Dawn4. The Dance of Maya (incorrectly titled "Dance of the Maya" on the sleeve)Disk 2:1. Sanctuary2. One Word3. Hope > Celestial Terrestrial CommutersAll the pieces are extended into intricate jazz fusion improvisations and longer than the original studio album tracks by sometimes more than 15 minutes. This recording is a good companion to the Central Park NY concert in August the same year, released originally as `Between Nothingness and Eternity' and (finally) made available in full on the 2012 `Complete Original Mahavishnu Orchestra Columbia Albums Collection Box set, Limited Edition' which is also highly recommended if you don't have it in your collection.The visceral power and energy of this complex music has to be heard to be believed. The MO were something special, and we may never see their like again.

This set complements almost perfectly the other live Mahavishnu material in my collection, with only three of the eight titles, Dance Of Maya, Hope and One Word (not One World, as it is called on the jacket here), being overlaps with the Columbia live recordings I have. Its focus is largely the album Birds Of Fire, which would be released two months after this performance, with only Dance of Maya being from another album (1971’s The Inner Mounting Flame).The sound quality is acceptable for an unofficial release (the recording is from a radio broadcast), with only the intrusion of a very loud announcement, in German, in the middle of One Word giving any real cause for complaint, and possibly being the reason for the stray ‘ell(!) on the sleeve .Overall running time is an hour and 48 minutes, with four of the tracks approaching or exceeding twenty minutes. The extended timings on the compositions give plenty of scope for everyone to extemporise, so each tune starts off in recognisable form, then veers off into improvisation, hence justifying the bother of buying and playing this as opposed to just playing Birds Of Fire again.The packaging is reasonably good, although apart from date and location it imparts little information aside from photographs of the individual band members, McLaughlin, Goodman, Hammer, Cobham and Laird.

I hope genuine Mahavishnu fans will post some 5-star reviews to nullify the brain-dead 1-star review here."Incendiary" doesn't get anywhere near describing this music... - the first Mahavishnu bequeathed us a visceral spiritual urgency that no other band before or since has got anywhere near. "The Greatest Band that Ever Was", as the book about them rightly says. What a delight to hear a long version of 'Dawn', one of the highlight tracks on my favourite record of all time - "The Inner Mounting Flame".McLaughlin's extraordinary playing more than makes up for neither the iconic Meeting of Spirits nor Vital Transformation appearing here. This music ranks alongside the likes of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring for being revolutionary and epoch-defining. If you like complacent middle-of-the-road music, avoid this like the plague - it will drive bonkers; but if you're questing for the beyond, the music of the first Mahavishnu is matchless and unmissable.

This is a fantastic record of the original Mahavishnu orchestra , crystal clear recording and near perfect balance of instruments .The band are on top form with near telepathic communication . I particularly like the dramatic use of loud and quiet parts which is even more noticeable than on their studio albums . John Mclaughlin,s playing when he turns his volume down is exquisite, and fierce when he turns it up . The rest of the band are excellent of course . Rick Laird gets to show why McLaughlin wanted him for the job .This is a must have for Mahavishnu fan,s and very different from the official live album , between nothingness and eternity. The packaging is the same as the recent Santana live release,Going home [1973],which is a replica of an old album gatefold album cover , i like it . .

This doesn't look like an official release but regardless this is a document of a band at the height of their powers, delivering some of the most fiery live music you are ever likely to hear. The sound is good, very good considering it seems to have been taken from a 1973 radio broadcast, if I had to be picky I would say that John Mclaughlin's guitar could be a little bit higher in the mix but if you like the Mahavishnu Orchestra, you will not be dissapointed. The track listing is:-Disc one - Birds of Fire, Open Country Joy, Dawn, The Dance of MayaDIsc two - Sanctuary, One Word, Hope, Celestial Terrestrial Commuters

A great live recording of one of the greatest bands ever. I love the combination of McLaughlin's guitar and Goodman's violin. These two are masters of their respective instruments. It's a terrible pity their association was so short-lived as neither ever reached these heights again.

suddenly you hear a german voice saying:" there is a mail for you in your post-entry".so far to the FM original Sound!

Ottima qualità. Un bel disco