EXTRAPOLATION

Extrapolation is not, I should stress, an album especially reminiscent of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, aside from being a jazz fusion album, so if you go in expecting a dry run for The Inner Mounting Flame disappointment is likely. For the most part, preceding as it does breakthrough sessions like the Bitches' Brew sessions it cannot help but reflecting an earlier stage of jazz fusion which is rooted more in the post-bop music which was the major jazz trend prior to the rise of fusion. Still, it's an interesting early fusion album which shows how McLaughlin was already a distinctive and characterful guitarist even at this early phase of his career.