Offering - Larry Coryell

Apr

8

Offering - Larry Coryell

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

JAZZBO NOTES ESSENTIAL RECORDING

Rating:

How do I defend giving Offering status as an essential recording? Sure, there’s Steve Marcus’ burning Coltranesque lines on tenor sax; Larry Coryell offers a convincing blend of rock and jazz stylings on guitar, avoiding the more egregious rock cliches that he was often prone to; Mike Mandel is mostly tasteful if not incandescent on electric piano; and the rhythm section of bassist Mervin Bronson and drummer Harry Wilkinson provides a mellow swinging bottom. But really, it’s the sound and vibe of the recording that gets to me.

The record rocks, it’s got a meditative and mystical vibe, and it’s got a Coltranish pentatonic thing going on at the same time. This is what fusion was meant to be, not the wishwashy crap that Spyro Gyra sullied the genre with.

I really like the tunes, too.

Ruminations starts out with a sort of funky 12/8 theme before it heads into an uptempo swing, eventually ending with a reprise of the 12/8 theme.

Foreplay and Scotland 1 are simple modal tunes that are nonetheless quite catchy, which might have to do with the cyclical patterns they are made up of.

Offering is basically a groove-based jam, but is kept interesting by the balance of groove and improvisation by drummer Harry Wilkinson, rock and post bop phrasing from Coryell, and lyricism/Coltranesque freakouts from Steve Marcus.

Coryell switches things up a bit with The Meditation of November 8th, a rubato, mostly through composed piece in which lyricism is tantamount. It’s lovely and mysterious.

The date ends with the powerful Beggar’s Chant, which focuses on a hypnotic 9/8 groove on two chords. The melody that starts it off is almost abstract, but has a sinous quality I associate with snake charming.

To me, Offering is a great and adventurous recording which pushes the boundaries of jazz, exactly what fusion is supposed to be.