LARRY CORYELL, STEVE SMITH & TOM COSTER: CAUSE AND EFFECT

"Cause and Effect" marks Coryell's return to the electric full-fledged fusion minus brass instruments. Since this is a trio, there is more focus on thee tight interplay - Victor Wooten's bass is the fourth essential but less prevalent instrument.

The album starts fast with "These are odd times" and lays the foundation of the sound: rock sounding drumming, plenty of electric guitar and B-3 Hammond. Drums have plenty of fill-ins, they are intensive and loud, sometimes even entering the metal border. Tom Coster is a skillful and versatile keyboardist, mainly playing on Hammond but choosing other synths, too.

Music is more about sound and feeling than structure. Chords or progression are not challenging, it's soloing and ornate playing that adds a layer of interest.

"Bubba" is a catchy grooving track reminding me of 70's funk. "Nightvisitors" has superb irregular drumming work. "Miss guided missile" reminds a bit of "Spectrum" on a Billy Cobham album mainly due to drumming sequence in the beginning.

There are also more conservative tracks close to jazz such as "First things first".

"Finale: Wes and Jimi" is the most ambitious track, starting with ethereal guitar and Hammond before entering Hendrix' psychedelic territory and ending on a bluesy note.

Beautiful jam-driven modern fusion album.