Mahavishnu Orchestra, "The Inner Mounting Flame" (Columbia, 1971)

So, you think you've heard great guitar playing? Get ready to take it to the next level by listening to John McLaughlin go to town on the debut release by one of the great quintets in rock history.

OK, everyone lists the Mahavishnu Orchestra as a jazz band - fusion, to be more precise - because the themes and time signatures ain't exactly rock 'n' roll. But this is stuff you turn up VERY LOUD, as the band used to do at live shows in its heyday.

Joining McLaughlin on this album, the comparable "Birds of Fire" and a live album are Jan Hammer on keyboards, Jerry Goodman on violin, Rick Laird on bass and Billy Cobham on drums. You might recognize Hammer for his "Miami Vice" theme music in the '80s. And "Quadrant 4," the leadoff track from Cobham's solo album "Spectrum," is one of the most recognizable tunes in fusion.

Unfortunately, neither the Mahavishnu Orchestra nor jazz/fusion as a viable genre outlived the '70s. But if you want to hear some very talented musicians play material that goes far beyond 4/4 time, give "The Inner Mounting Flame" a spin.