John McLaughlin - Extrapolation (CD 1990)

I'm proud to say that I bought this when it was first issued - the 'progessive' music scene in the late 60's was a very broad church but this was definitely on the outskirts but it has become a lifetime favourite. Looking back after 40 years of listening to it, some things become clear that weren't so obvious when it was made. at the time jazz was all-american and dominated by black musicians. Jazz in Europe was either determinedly and outrageously 'free' or just respectfully aping the US giants. This LP (OK I know it's a CD now) crystalised an approach to European Jazz that is above all musical, innovative and free of american influence. I note that in the States, if there's one European disc on a jazz lover's shelf, odds on it's this one. Although originally slightly avant-garde and experimental it's had a big effect on the post-bop mainstream. There's a sense in later Mahavishnu output that McLaughlin was trying too hard to be weird and edgy - the time signatures used were disturbing and unsettling, unnatural. There are odd beats on this disc too but they don't seem unnatural, just interesting. Oxley and Odgers just gently and effortlessly drive things forward. Also while this is billed to McLaughlin he shares top billing with the amazing saxophonist John Surman who was hardly known at the time but later became a major figure in world jazz. The whole group sounds much more of an organic unit than the MO ever did. Highlights are hard to pick as there are no dead spots but Arjen's Bag, Binky's Beam and Peace Piece stand out for me.
Many CD reissues of early LPs have additional tracks to fill up the extra space: there isn't anything in McLaughlin's output before or after this that could logically sit with these master tracks. It's a stand alone masterpiece.