LARRY CORYELL - Last Swing with Ireland
Angel Air Records SJPCD641
Larry Coryell (guitar), Dave Redmond (bass), Kevin Brady (drums)
This album is the very last studio session by the great American guitarist and recorded at "The Hellfire Studios" in Dublin during May 2016. Born Lorenz Albert Van De Linder The Third in Galveston Texas on 2nd April 1943, he passed away on February 9th 2017 in New York City. Larry Coryell was a prolific recording artist during his musical career which stretched over five decades. Although he was best known for his significant contribution to the fusion era of the late sixties and seventies, he was a leading player in the contemporary scene both before and after as shown in many of his eighty plus albums under his own name and countless others as a sideman. Although he possessed a personal sound on the instrument, he was hugely influenced by Wes Montgomery, as many were and somewhat more interestingly by Tal Farlow whose unique finger style of playing is reflected in many of Larry's recordings. His colourful life included three marriages and also a relationship with another great guitar player, Emily Remler with whom he made the stunning duo album "Together" in 1985. Like many jazz musicians, he was addicted to both class A drugs and alcohol for much of his career but was "clean" from the nineties onwards, reverting to a lifestyle of vitamins and exercise.
For this fine trio album, he was joined by two internationally known Irish musicians, multi genre bassist Dave Redmond and drummer Kevin Brady who have both also been part of the American pianist Bill Carrothers trio. There are six extended tracks in total highlighting the leader's sheer class on both acoustic and electric instruments. The first of four great standards is Ellington's In A Sentimental Mood" Here the guitarist really seems to own the piece with an ultra low tempo intro' and then extracts every single piece of emotion possible from this great tune, often in conversation with the bass man Dave Redmond who also contributes a fine solo. Louis Bonfa's Morning of the Carnival from Black Orpheus is a tune that perhaps deserves more coverage in a jazz context although both Gerry Mulligan and Stan Getz gave it fine interpretations in their time. On this occasion Larry Coryell provides a complex improvised opening, but is soon laying the theme bare in a minimalist way, again at a sedate tempo, but this time full of tension and an undercurrent, in the manner that Jim Hall may have approached the tune. Turning to the electric instrument, Charlie Parker's Relaxin' at Camarillo is no problem at all as the trio gel together brilliantly in a Tour de force that "Bird" would surely have approved of. The final standard Some Day My Prince Will Come dates back to 1937 from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Subtle explorations of the theme with strong lines from the double bass and intricate drumming are the order of the day here, but although it does not reach the heights of the Miles Davis version of 1961 it's a joyful piece in its own right. The two originals that are collectively written by the trio close the album. Firstly, we re- visit the fusion era of fifty years ago with the frantic, almost Hendrix like cooker that is The Last Peavey followed by the mid paced but intense contemporary styled 396. We know not the relevance of these titles, but what's sure is that its a well balanced superb guitar trio album and a fine epitaph to a master musician.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
Angel Air Records SJPCD641
Larry Coryell (guitar), Dave Redmond (bass), Kevin Brady (drums)
This album is the very last studio session by the great American guitarist and recorded at "The Hellfire Studios" in Dublin during May 2016. Born Lorenz Albert Van De Linder The Third in Galveston Texas on 2nd April 1943, he passed away on February 9th 2017 in New York City. Larry Coryell was a prolific recording artist during his musical career which stretched over five decades. Although he was best known for his significant contribution to the fusion era of the late sixties and seventies, he was a leading player in the contemporary scene both before and after as shown in many of his eighty plus albums under his own name and countless others as a sideman. Although he possessed a personal sound on the instrument, he was hugely influenced by Wes Montgomery, as many were and somewhat more interestingly by Tal Farlow whose unique finger style of playing is reflected in many of Larry's recordings. His colourful life included three marriages and also a relationship with another great guitar player, Emily Remler with whom he made the stunning duo album "Together" in 1985. Like many jazz musicians, he was addicted to both class A drugs and alcohol for much of his career but was "clean" from the nineties onwards, reverting to a lifestyle of vitamins and exercise.
For this fine trio album, he was joined by two internationally known Irish musicians, multi genre bassist Dave Redmond and drummer Kevin Brady who have both also been part of the American pianist Bill Carrothers trio. There are six extended tracks in total highlighting the leader's sheer class on both acoustic and electric instruments. The first of four great standards is Ellington's In A Sentimental Mood" Here the guitarist really seems to own the piece with an ultra low tempo intro' and then extracts every single piece of emotion possible from this great tune, often in conversation with the bass man Dave Redmond who also contributes a fine solo. Louis Bonfa's Morning of the Carnival from Black Orpheus is a tune that perhaps deserves more coverage in a jazz context although both Gerry Mulligan and Stan Getz gave it fine interpretations in their time. On this occasion Larry Coryell provides a complex improvised opening, but is soon laying the theme bare in a minimalist way, again at a sedate tempo, but this time full of tension and an undercurrent, in the manner that Jim Hall may have approached the tune. Turning to the electric instrument, Charlie Parker's Relaxin' at Camarillo is no problem at all as the trio gel together brilliantly in a Tour de force that "Bird" would surely have approved of. The final standard Some Day My Prince Will Come dates back to 1937 from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Subtle explorations of the theme with strong lines from the double bass and intricate drumming are the order of the day here, but although it does not reach the heights of the Miles Davis version of 1961 it's a joyful piece in its own right. The two originals that are collectively written by the trio close the album. Firstly, we re- visit the fusion era of fifty years ago with the frantic, almost Hendrix like cooker that is The Last Peavey followed by the mid paced but intense contemporary styled 396. We know not the relevance of these titles, but what's sure is that its a well balanced superb guitar trio album and a fine epitaph to a master musician.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
