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.

The second album with Coryell, White and Bailey has the same concept as the predecessor - the mixture of rock and blues numbers played with a dose of jazz but rooted in rock spirit. Coryell's guitar sounds raw but with the fusion feeling. Bailey gives a busy bass punch with nice solos like on the first track "Judith loves jazz". It's also representative of White's drumming with plenty of changes. "Manic depression" captures the 60's spirit genuinely with Coryell being already experienced. Bailey and White add extra chops so the track feels even busier.

"Door #7" has plenty of felt improvisations by the guitar and bass, similar to "Drums and bass" (this one is without Coryell) and "Electric Jam". On the other hand, Coryell also gives solo on acoustic guitar with "Jake's lullaby" which goes 180 degrees away from the rest of the stuff - it's a beautiful stripped down ballad. Though musicians put more stress on improvisations than on the previous albums, the album is not necessarily more memorable. It will be mostly enjoyed by musicians fans who enjoy instumental candies and groove feeling that the band had.