Barefoot Boy - Larry Coryell

Jul

17

Barefoot Boy - Larry Coryell

≡ Category: 1970s, Fusion, Highly Recommended, Jazz Rock, Reviews |
≅ Written by: Michael Kydonieus

JAZZBO NOTES HIGHLY RECOMMENDED RECORDING

Rating:

Why do I like Barefoot Boy so much? It sure isn’t because of the complexity of the tunes. Gypsy Queen and The Great Escape are basically both one-chord wonders, and Call To The Higher Consciousness has a big three chords. You would think with the length of these tunes (the shortest is just under nine minutes and the longest is twenty minutes), boredom would set in pretty fast. I can’t even say all that much about Larry Coryell’s technical prowess. He’s a good technician, not a great one.

Well, I’ve got to tell you, a lot of my affection for this recording is the feel, a psychedelic blend of rock and jazz that paradoxically has a meditative quality even as it’s shooting flames out of your speakers. You don’t mind the length in large part because the music puts you into a trance. Most of the credit for that goes to Larry Coryell. It’s his concept, after all. Coryell also contributes wonderful rock textures, particularly with some Sonny Sharrock inspired noise on the opener, Gypsy Queen.

Coryell gets a hot house environment going on Gypsy Queen, providing rhythmic fills while Steve Marcus burns down the joint with his Coltranesque musings on soprano sax. Meanwhile, Lawrence Killian (congas), Harry Wilkinson (percussion), and the great Roy Haynes (drums) pound out a relentless medium groove. Then it’s time for Coryell’s solo. To be sure, as far as melodic content goes there’s some wankery, but you can’t fault his use of the wah-wah pedal. It’s hypnotic. A beautiful track.

The Great Escape is more blues inspired, but again a medium groove. The solos are tasty, especially that of Steve Marcus, but again, the thing here is really the groove and the feel of the tune.

On Call To The Higher Consciousness, after the opening rubato section, the group slows way down for an extended jam with a heavy rhythmic pulse. The wonderful Michael Mandel is added on keyboards. His improvisational style here is post bop, reminiscent of another relatively obscure keyboardist, Hal Galper. Steve Marcus is predictably fine on tenor sax, but the standout here has to be Roy Haynes, who gives a clinic in the subtle tonal shading and emotional expression which are possible with a drum kit. Then we get a reprise of the rubato section to take out the tune on a fittingly pensive note.

In the end, the undeniable virtuosity of the musicians is almost besides the point. What you end up taking away from Barefoot Boy is a profound emotional experience, which transcends categories like rock or jazz.