Avant-reedist John Surman's self-titled Deram debut straddles the past and future of British jazz. Recorded in collaboration with altoist Mike Osborne, bassist Harry Miller and pianist Russell Henderson, the disc's first half comprises four succinct workouts that channel the Caribbean textures and rhythms so influential on the evolution of Britain's postwar musical culture -- Surman's potent baritone is kept in check here, and while the performances pulsate with warmth and energy, their straight-ahead approach proves much too limiting. Which makes the second half of John Surman that much more radical -- a sidelong, three-part suite recorded with jazz-rock titans including trumpeter Harry Beckett, bassist Dave Holland and trombonist Paul Rutherford, the music erupts with invention and passion, exploring the deepest reaches of sound but never lapsing into self-indulgence.