10. The Mahavishnu OrchestraThe Inner Mounting Flame
I’m a bit of a jazz fusion and jazz rock nut and I feel like there’s not a lot of attention paid to that or admiration or sharing of it. Every year there are albums or artists that I’m still finding out about because people are still digging them up. I still think a lot of the classics of this style are yet to be fully decided because there’s a lot to be re-evaluated. A friend of mine who was big into prog rock and jazz had recommended it and around the time, I was already into Zappa and aware of his love for [The Mahavishnu Orchestra] and that they’d toured together. I bought it and was blown away on first listen. I just thought the playing from everyone in the band was so flashy but yet so tasteful. Incredibly creative soloing from everybody and simultaneously it doesn’t feel like anyone is trying to outshine the rest of the band, there’s not too much emphasis on any one thing to the extent that everyone else is sacrificed or ends up sounding boring as a result.
I think the low key tracks are gorgeous, the more aggressive, rock-oriented songs are thrilling, and it’s just incredible playing. If you’re somebody who prides themselves as a musician on any of the instruments on this record, you’re going to find yourself impressed with what’s happening on this album, whether it be violin, drums, guitar, bass, keys, there’s great stuff happening on every corner. The violins are killer, it’s not often you hear violin on a jazz rock record, but it just goes incredibly well.
