Inner Worlds

Not to be confused with Inner World.

This article is about the album by Mahavishnu Orchestra. For the video game, see Inner Worlds (video game).

Inner Worlds is an album by the Mahavishnu Orchestra. It was the group's sixth album release, as well as their last for nearly ten years.

Inner Worlds
Studio album by Mahavishnu Orchestra
Released	January 1976 (1976-01)[1]
Recorded	July–August 1975
Studio	Château d'Hérouville, France
Genre	Jazz fusion
Length	44:07
Label	Sony
Producer	John McLaughlin with Dennis MacKay
Mahavishnu Orchestra chronology
Visions of the Emerald Beyond (1975) Inner Worlds (1976) Mahavishnu (1984)
John McLaughlin chronology
Visions of the Emerald Beyond (1975) Inner Worlds (1976) Shakti with John McLaughlin (1976)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Christgau's Record Guide	B−[3]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[4]

In 1975, violinist Jean-Luc Ponty and keyboardist Gayle Moran left the band. Stu Goldberg was brought in as a replacement for Moran. Although they were not officially recorded, initially this version of the group still retained Norma Jean Bell, Carol Shive, Phillip Hirschi, Russell Tubbs and Steve Kindler. After some hasty rehearsals, this line-up toured with Jeff Beck. After the tour, McLaughlin pared the band down to a quartet of himself, Goldberg, Walden and Armstrong, and then the album was recorded.^[5]

This would be the last album by the Mahavishnu Orchestra for nearly ten years, when leader and guitarist John McLaughlin formed an entirely different version of the group in 1984.

Track listing and personnel

Side One

1. "All in the Family" - (John McLaughlin) - 6:02
   • John McLaughlin - guitar, guitar synthesizer
   • Stu Goldberg - organ, piano
   • Ralphe Armstrong - bass
   • Narada Michael Walden - drums, congas, bass marimba, shaker
2. "Miles Out" - (John McLaughlin) - 6:44
   • John McLaughlin - guitar, "360" systems frequency shifter
   • Stu Goldberg - customized Mini-Moog and Steiner-Parker synthesizers
   • Ralphe Armstrong - bass
   • Narada Michael Walden - drums
3. "In My Life" - (Narada Michael Walden, John McLaughlin) - 3:22
   • John McLaughlin - 12-string acoustic guitar, backing vocals
   • Stu Goldberg - backing vocals
   • Ralphe Armstrong - bass
   • Narada Michael Walden - lead vocals, piano, drums
4. "Gita" - (John McLaughlin) - 4:29
   • John McLaughlin - guitar synthesizer, backing vocals
   • Stu Goldberg - organ, piano
   • Ralphe Armstrong - bass
   • Narada Michael Walden - drums, lead vocals
5. "Morning Calls" - (John McLaughlin, Narada Michael Walden) - 1:23
   • John McLaughlin - guitar synthesizer
   • Narada Michael Walden - organ

Side Two

6. "The Way of the Pilgrim" - (Narada Michael Walden) - 5:15
   • John McLaughlin - guitar, guitar synthesizer
   • Stu Goldberg - customized Mini-Moog and Steiner-Parker synthesizers, piano
   • Ralphe Armstrong - bass
   • Narada Michael Walden - drums, tympani
7. "River of My Heart" - (Narada Michael Walden, Kanchan Cynthia Anderson) - 3:41
   • Ralphe Armstrong - double bass
   • Narada Michael Walden - piano, lead vocals, percussion
8. "Planetary Citizen" - (Ralphe Armstrong) - 2:14
   • John McLaughlin - guitar, backing vocals
   • Stu Goldberg - clavinet, backing vocals
   • Ralphe Armstrong - bass, lead vocals
   • Narada Michael Walden - drums, backing vocals
9. "Lotus Feet" - (John McLaughlin) - 4:24
   • John McLaughlin - guitar synthesizer
   • Stu Goldberg - customized Mini-Moog and Steiner-Parker synthesizers
   • Narada Michael Walden - congas, sleigh bells
10. "Inner Worlds" - 6:37
    • Part 1 - (John McLaughlin)
    • Part 2 - (Stu Goldberg)
      • John McLaughlin - guitar, guitar synthesizer, frequency shifter, E-mu synthesizer/sequencer
      • Stu Goldberg - customized Mini-Moog, Steiner-Parker and string synthesizers
      • Ralphe Armstrong - brassmaster bass
      • Narada Michael Walden - drums, gong, tympani

Charts

Chart (1976)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[6]	118
US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard)[7]	24