LARRY CORYELL, VICTOR BAILEY & LENNY WHITE: TRAFFIC

Fusion guitar maestro Larry Coryell along with the redoubtable Victor Bailey ( bass ) and Lenny White ( drums ) re-unite for a follow up to the splendid 2005 "Electric" album, this time renting out a church album to hammer out another blistering jazz, rock and R&B set with suprises galore. Recorded straight with no overdubs using a state-of-the-art single mike recording method this disc once again captures the live atmosphere of the previous " Electric " with the individual musicians being even more laid back and adventurous as they cultivate a myriad of styles from Hendrix to Monk as well as creating their own magnificent compositions.

A largely electric set with Coryell on a hard body strat, he frequently nods back to his rockier formative years on tracks like Hendrix`s "Manic Depression" with a straight rock solo and the aptly titled "Overuled" which sounds at first like it could have been a lost Led Zeppelin track until Coryell unleashes a copious barrage of jazz chords. Two thoughtful acoustic numbers, an interpretation White`s previous "Dedication" and his own solo jazz/classical piece "Jake`s Lullaby" and Bailey`s " Joyce`s Favourite" feature Coryell on the instrument which dominated his late 70s output. Bailey and White`s superlative talents are also showcased throughout with Coryell sitting out on Bass & Drums which demonstrate their metric techniques on this funky workout demonstrating Bailey`s bang-up chording technique. The real manna on the album is the almost compulsory Thelonious Monk pilgrimage. After listening to Bonnie Riat`s slide techniques on his car radio Coryell makes history by turning Monk`s " Mysterioso" into a country romp! Perhaps the first time Coryell has been heard on record using a slide and the result of this country/jazz meld is exactly what one would expect from the father of fusion guitar when he turns it into a full out straight jazz rave-up at the end. Phew! This one alone is worth the price of the disc!

It`s very refreshing to see Coryell visiting aspects of his past well into his sixties. This project along with the previous "Electric" are testimonies that he`s lost nothing and always has something devious up his sleeve. Along with the stalwart contributions from Bailey and White "Traffic" provides one of Coryell`s most reachable recordings in the new millenium as he turns back the clock, delving into his treasure trove of musical faculties.