Lady Coryell
Encyclopedia
Lady Coryell is Larry Coryell
's first album as a leader. The album was recorded in 1968 when Larry Coryell was the age of 25. It was produced by Coryell himself and Danny Weiss and engineered by Randy Rand, with assistance of Peter Atchley. Lady Coryell features most importantly Larry Coryell himself, as a singer, guitar player and bass player, and also drummer Bob Moses
, who accompanies Coryell on all tracks (except on track 8).
Before this release, Coryell had already recorded two albums with vibraphonist
Gary Burton
, and was leader of a group called The Free Spirits, who had recorded their first and only album Out of Sight and Sound in 1967. Bob Moses was the drummer of The Free Spirits.
For his first album as a leader a year later, he had Bob Moses to accompany him on drums, but no bass player. Coryell plays the bass himself on most of the tracks, with (sometimes) multiple guitar parts and vocals on top. For example, on "Sunday Telephone", a bass line, a guitar riff, two guitar melodies and a voice can be heard, all played by Larry Coryell.
There are two remarkable guest appearances on this album, by Jimmy Garrison
(on track 7) and Elvin Jones
(on tracks 7 and 9), both former members of the John Coltrane
Quartet. They play together on a rendition of Garrison's "Treats Style", and Elvin Jones plays on another track, called "Stiff Neck", which is an energetic guitar-drum duet.
Lady Coryell is an early example of jazz–rock
. The album starts off with two short rock
songs, "Herman Wright" and "Sunday Telephone", both showing the raw and unschooled singing quality of Coryell on top of some heavy fuzzed and phased wah-wah guitars. He had already recorded another version of "Sunday Telephone" with his group The Free Spirits on their album Out of Sight and Sound, but this version is much heavier. "Two Minutes Classical" is a short instrumental rock piece, and Coryell even experiments with some Country music
on "Love Child Is Coming Home". From track 5 on of "Lady Coryell", Coryell starts tending to more jazz
-oriented music, with only instrumental pieces and a lot of improvising. "The Dream Thing" is another short piece, which has a very serene mood. On Garrison's blues "Treats Style", in trio with Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones, Coryell takes his first actual solo. "Stiff Neck" is probably the freest track on the album. Just like Coltrane sometimes used to play saxophone in duet with Elvin Jones, Coryell does the same thing with his electrical guitar, and the result is a jazz–rock masterpiece. It's a startling and energizing duet between Coryell and Elvin Jones, where Coryell can fully show his guitar abilities and melodic creativity, and Jones interacting with him and filling the space with amazing drum rhythms. On "You Don't Know What Love Is
", a jazz standard
, Coryell plays two guitar parts, one for accompaniment and one for the melody. The final track is "Cleo's Mood", another blues, but in comparison with "Treats Style", played with multiple guitars and a lot of effects.
, except where noted.
Larry Coryell
Larry Coryell is an American jazz fusion guitarist.-Biography:Coryell was born in Galveston, Texas. He graduated from Richland High School, in Richland, Washington, where he played in local bands The Jailers, The Rumblers, The Royals, and The Flames. He also played with The Checkers from nearby...
's first album as a leader. The album was recorded in 1968 when Larry Coryell was the age of 25. It was produced by Coryell himself and Danny Weiss and engineered by Randy Rand, with assistance of Peter Atchley. Lady Coryell features most importantly Larry Coryell himself, as a singer, guitar player and bass player, and also drummer Bob Moses
Bob Moses (musician)
Rakalam Bob Moses is an American jazz drummer born in New York City.Moses played with Roland Kirk in 1964-65 while he was still a teenager. In 1966 he and Larry Coryell formed The Free Spirits, a jazz fusion ensemble, and from 1967 to 1969 he played in Gary Burton's quartet...
, who accompanies Coryell on all tracks (except on track 8).
Before this release, Coryell had already recorded two albums with vibraphonist
Vibraphonist
Notable players of the vibraphone include:* Peter Appleyard* Roy Ayers* Karl Berger* Jeff Berman* Jack Brokensha* Larry Bunker* Christian Burchard* Rusty Burge* Gary Burton* Joe Chambers* Teddy Charles* Salem Chiles* John Cocuzzi* Monte Croft...
Gary Burton
Gary Burton
Gary Burton is an American jazz vibraphonist.A true original on the vibraphone, Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the usual two-mallets. This approach caused Burton to be heralded as an innovator and his sound and technique are widely imitated...
, and was leader of a group called The Free Spirits, who had recorded their first and only album Out of Sight and Sound in 1967. Bob Moses was the drummer of The Free Spirits.
For his first album as a leader a year later, he had Bob Moses to accompany him on drums, but no bass player. Coryell plays the bass himself on most of the tracks, with (sometimes) multiple guitar parts and vocals on top. For example, on "Sunday Telephone", a bass line, a guitar riff, two guitar melodies and a voice can be heard, all played by Larry Coryell.
There are two remarkable guest appearances on this album, by Jimmy Garrison
Jimmy Garrison
Jimmy Garrison was an American jazz double bassist born in Miami, Florida. He was best known through his long association with John Coltrane from 1961–1967.-Biography:...
(on track 7) and Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones
Elvin Ray Jones was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan....
(on tracks 7 and 9), both former members of the John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
Quartet. They play together on a rendition of Garrison's "Treats Style", and Elvin Jones plays on another track, called "Stiff Neck", which is an energetic guitar-drum duet.
Lady Coryell is an early example of jazz–rock
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
. The album starts off with two short rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
songs, "Herman Wright" and "Sunday Telephone", both showing the raw and unschooled singing quality of Coryell on top of some heavy fuzzed and phased wah-wah guitars. He had already recorded another version of "Sunday Telephone" with his group The Free Spirits on their album Out of Sight and Sound, but this version is much heavier. "Two Minutes Classical" is a short instrumental rock piece, and Coryell even experiments with some Country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
on "Love Child Is Coming Home". From track 5 on of "Lady Coryell", Coryell starts tending to more jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-oriented music, with only instrumental pieces and a lot of improvising. "The Dream Thing" is another short piece, which has a very serene mood. On Garrison's blues "Treats Style", in trio with Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones, Coryell takes his first actual solo. "Stiff Neck" is probably the freest track on the album. Just like Coltrane sometimes used to play saxophone in duet with Elvin Jones, Coryell does the same thing with his electrical guitar, and the result is a jazz–rock masterpiece. It's a startling and energizing duet between Coryell and Elvin Jones, where Coryell can fully show his guitar abilities and melodic creativity, and Jones interacting with him and filling the space with amazing drum rhythms. On "You Don't Know What Love Is
You Don't Know What Love Is
"You Don't Know What Love Is," a popular song of the Great American Songbook, has one the craziest histories of any song. It was written by Don Raye and Gene de Paul for the Abbott and Costello 1941 Universal picture Keep 'Em Flying, in which it was sung by Carol Bruce...
", a jazz standard
Jazz standard
Jazz standards are musical compositions which are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list of jazz standards, and the list of songs deemed to be...
, Coryell plays two guitar parts, one for accompaniment and one for the melody. The final track is "Cleo's Mood", another blues, but in comparison with "Treats Style", played with multiple guitars and a lot of effects.
Track listing
All pieces were written by Larry CoryellLarry Coryell
Larry Coryell is an American jazz fusion guitarist.-Biography:Coryell was born in Galveston, Texas. He graduated from Richland High School, in Richland, Washington, where he played in local bands The Jailers, The Rumblers, The Royals, and The Flames. He also played with The Checkers from nearby...
, except where noted.
- "Herman Wright" - 3:21
- "Sunday Telephone" - 2:27
- "Two Minute Classical" - 2:08
- "Love Child is Coming Home" - 2:31
- "Lady Coryell" - 6:31
- "The Dream Thing" - 2:23
- "Treats Style" (Jim GarrisonJimmy GarrisonJimmy Garrison was an American jazz double bassist born in Miami, Florida. He was best known through his long association with John Coltrane from 1961–1967.-Biography:...
) - 5:42 - "You Don't Know What Love Is" (Gene de PaulGene de PaulGene de Paul was an American pianist, composer and songwriter.-Biography:Born in New York City, he served in the United States Army during World War II....
, Don RayeDon RayeDon Raye , born Donald MacRae Wilhoite, Jr., in Washington, D.C., was an American vaudevillian and songwriter, best known for his songs for the Andrews Sisters such as "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar", "The House of Blue Lights", "Just For A Thrill" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."While known for...
) - 2:35 - "Stiff Neck" - 7:12
- "Cleo's Mood" (Junior Walker) - 4:20
Personnel
- Larry Coryell - Guitars, bass and vocals
- Bob MosesBob Moses (musician)Rakalam Bob Moses is an American jazz drummer born in New York City.Moses played with Roland Kirk in 1964-65 while he was still a teenager. In 1966 he and Larry Coryell formed The Free Spirits, a jazz fusion ensemble, and from 1967 to 1969 he played in Gary Burton's quartet...
- Drums - Elvin JonesElvin JonesElvin Ray Jones was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan....
- Drums (on 7 and 9) - Jimmy GarrisonJimmy GarrisonJimmy Garrison was an American jazz double bassist born in Miami, Florida. He was best known through his long association with John Coltrane from 1961–1967.-Biography:...
- Bass (on 7)