Expectations was produced by Jarrett's manager George Avakian, who had produced the pianist's previous output for the Atlantic label. In many ways, this is a continuation and expansion of this work using much the same dramatis personæ (albeit augmented in places), with tracks by the then Jarrett trio of Charlie Haden and Paul Motian and the American Quartet with the addition of saxophonist Dewey Redman. With a larger label, Jarrett was able to push the boat out in production terms by whistling-up a string section on ‘Vision’, ‘There Is a Road (God's River)’ and the title track, a brass section on ‘Nomads’ and then add a guitar to the quartet in somewhat strained contemporaneity on ‘Sundance’ and percussion on ‘Take Me Back’. While the result, recorded in April 1972, is like the proverbial Curate's Egg – good in parts – it's nevertheless a reflection of its times and more importantly, of Jarrett's restless, probing musical curiosity as he tries to find a centre of musical gravity in the changing musical climate around him. However, following a management reshuffle of top Columbia executives, Jarrett was promptly dropped from the label, presumably on the grounds of not being commercial enough for the latest bean-counter – this before the album was even released! Paradoxically, the album did come out eventually and remains an interesting curtain raiser to Jarrett's Impulse! period (1973-76) that saw the blossoming of his American Quartet.