JOHN MCLAUGHLIN — Extrapolation (review)

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN — Extrapolation album cover Album · 1969 · Post Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Abraxas
John McLaughlin's 1969 solo debut, Extrapolation, shows the guitarist as one more of the many capable jazz guitarists of its time, his style had still not fully developed. Also noticeable in his playing in In a Silent Way, also from 1969, which is very subtle and there's no way one can anticipate the fiery style he would later develop.

However, the album is still surprisingly good, mainly because of the compositions which are exciting post-bop led by John's primitive jazz guitar style and the looser sax of John Surman.

What surprises me even more is the similarity between this rather rock-less session and the rock-headed British fusion band, Nucleus, and its debut, Elastic Rock from 1970. Both have a lot in common, the absence of distortion (or any other effects) in the guitar, the simple though memorable riffs, the extensive sax soloing and the active rhythm section. It makes Extrapolation look like an early fusion record, although it really isn't.

Free jazz influences are heard throughout Surman's sax playing, and McLaughlin's guitar style isn't safe either. But there's nothing on Extrapolation I would really call free jazz all through, it's in the edge I'd say, so fans of John and of post-bop can handle this album easily.

Extrapolation is overall a very enjoyable forgotten album led by a still developing McLaughlin who shows us his jazz roots.

It is in his second album, Devotion, where you can hear John experimenting with rock and his guitar is full of effects. But still, Extrapolation is an equally good, though very different, album to its successor. Recommended.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

honey from a winter stone Eclectic Fusion
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE
Buy this album from MMA partners
6 Eclectic Fusion
KROKOFANT
Buy this album from MMA partners
Spring In Stockholm Live At Konserthuset, 1959 Cool Jazz
GERRY MULLIGAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mikolaj Trzaska, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love : The Last Temple vol.3 Avant-Garde Jazz
MIKOŁAJ TRZASKA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mikolaj Trzaska, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love : The Last Temple, Vol.1 Avant-Garde Jazz
MIKOŁAJ TRZASKA
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Ambrose Akinmusire - muffled screams
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE
snobb· 4 hours ago
FASCINATING RHYTHM - The Amazing Keystone Big Band feat. Neima Naouri
THE AMAZING KEYSTONE BIG BAND
snobb· 1 day ago
Alicante
RENAUD GARCIA-FONS
js· 1 day ago
She's Forty with Me
WILTON CRAWLEY
js· 1 day ago
Tall Tillie's Too Tight
WILTON CRAWLEY
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed