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Pye Records
1975
Guitar, Producer – John McLaughlin
Bass, Producer – Dave Holland
Saxophone, Producer – John Surman
Drums, Producer – Stu Martin
Piano, Producer – Karl Berger
Tracklist
A1 Glancing Backwards 8:54
A2 Earth Bound Hearts 4:15
A3 Where Fortune Smiles 4:01
B1 New Place, Old Place 10:24
B2 Hope 7:19
Where Fortune Smiles is really a John Surman recording, but subsequent re-releases have passed the credit on to John McLaughlin (for obvious reasons). The music is similar to but more dense than Extrapolation. McLaughlin’s raw sound was starting to take shape by this time and his impeccable chops are on full display. So too are those of the underrated vibraphonist Karl Berger and, of course, soprano saxophonist Surman. The foundation is held loosely in place by bassist Dave Holland and drummer Stu Martin. It’s a challenging but interesting listen, especially given McLaughlin’s later success and popularity. Although his creativity would peak with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti, he never sounded more free and exploratory than he does here. Highly recommended for its historical significance as well as some excellent playing. (Review by Robert Taylor)