Between Nothingness & Eternity

After their first two studio albums, The Inner Mounting Flame and Birds Of Fire, blew the minds of jazz nerds and prog dorks alike, guitarist John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra toured relentlessly, playing with everyone from Yes to ZZ Top, in jazz clubs and at gigantic rock festivals. This August 1973 gig in New York’s Central Park features three then-new tunes: “Trilogy,” “Sister Andrea,” and “Dream,” all of which are smoking hot solo-fests (McLaughlin, keyboardist Jan Hammer and violinist Jerry Goodman all get extensive spotlight turns) anchored by Rick Laird’s rumbling bass and propelled by Billy Cobham’s explosive drumming.