Birds of Fire

Birds of Fire
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 26, 1973[1]
RecordedAugust 1972
StudioCBS Studios, New York
Trident Studios, London
Genre
Length39:53
LabelColumbia/CBS
ProducerMahavishnu Orchestra
Mahavishnu Orchestra chronology
The Inner Mounting Flame
(1971)
Birds of Fire
(1973)
Between Nothingness & Eternity
(1973)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Christgau's Record GuideA−[3]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide[5]
Sputnikmusic5/5[4]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings[6]

Birds of Fire is the second studio album by jazz fusion band the Mahavishnu Orchestra. It was released in 1973 by Columbia Records and is the last studio album released by the original line-up before it dissolved.

As with the group's previous album, The Inner Mounting Flame, Birds of Fire consists solely of compositions by John McLaughlin. These include the track "Miles Beyond (Miles Davis)", which McLaughlin dedicated to his friend and former bandleader.

The back cover of the album features the poem "Revelation" by Sri Chinmoy.

The track "Birds of Fire" was nominated for the 1974 Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

  1. ^ "Birds Of Fire". Spotify. Sony Music Entertainment Inc. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  2. ^ Ginell, Richard S.. Birds of Fire at AllMusic
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: M". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 2, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  4. ^ Fisher, Tyler. "Mahavishnu Orchestra – Birds of Fire (album review 3) | Sputnikmusic". sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  5. ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 135. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  6. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 922. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.