Customer Reviews

Spaces

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In more than a few jazz encyclopedia's "Spaces" is listed as on of the greatest fusion albums ever made, which is simply wrong. Some reviewers simply haven't listened to the album in question. What you'll hear on this album is a straight ahead set of sessions of jazz improvisations where the two creaters of jazz-rock style, Coryell and John McLaughlin, leave volume and feedback behind. A beautifully realized album all around, from Coltranesque postbop on "Renee's Theme" to Coryell's impressionistic "Wrong is Right"; Coryell is the hard charger here, fleet, angular, filling in spaces with flurries of intricate note clusters, while McLaughlin is into spaces, silences, short fines, wonderful bits of filigree. Bassist Miroslov Vitous is terriic, and drummer Cobham works miracles throughout this wonderful wash of music.

If there's such a thing as "mellow hysteria," Larry Coryell has managed to tap into it on this album. His guitarwork here ripples with phrases that threaten to go off te deep end but somehow stay grounded and engaging. John McLaughlin holds his own here as well and the two of them trading solos on the title cut is wonderful to hear. Add ace support from Billy Cobham, Chick Corea and Miroslav Vitous (playing a bowed bass that sounds, well, other-worldly) and you have an album that wins you over without pummeling you to the ground. Real good.

I have been listening to this album (when they were vinyl albums) by Larry Coryell for over 20 years. It's is amazing. You're into guitar Coryell and John Mclaughlin (two of the most well trained and technically skilled guitarist playing in that jazz/rock mode)will blow your mind. These recordings are intricate, jazzy, playful...Bill Cobham is jazz-funk creative as it gets and Mirslov on the bass proves why we miss out by his lack of activity

This album introduced the world to a new kind of music, Jazz-Rock Fusion. Pioneers all, the musicians that made up this album all went on to form the bands that would change the face of jazz: Larry Coryell with the Eleventh House, John McLaughlin and Billy Cobham with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chic Corea with Return to Forever, and Miroslov Vitous with Weather Report.

The music is fresh and original. The players displayed abilities never before realized with traditional jazz and rock. Both Coryell and McLaughlin show great passion and chops as they rip through a number of originals. The high points are the tracks "Spaces (Infinite)" and "Rene's Theme".

This album is a must for fusion fans.

The Spaces album is of course remarkable, because of the presence Chick Corea, and of John McLauglhlin and Billy Cobham, core members of the legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra. This kind of fusion jazz would not be uncommon on a Bitches Brew session or a Birds of Fire album. Like many sophisticated pieces of music, it is difficult to listen to, as songs very rarely reach a crescendo, but instead go on like extended poetry readings. It is both fiery (the title track) and contemplative (Rene's Theme, Gloria's Step). Make no mistake, however, for this is not a guitar showcase album-you will not hear extended feedback soloing, fancy, enhanced studio trickery or particularly loud guitar workouts. This is a guitar virtuoso's album. Oftentimes it is very difficult to separate Coryell and McLauglhlin's playing. Both are furious pickers (they should've guested on Hee-Haw!) who work mostly in the acoustic mode. I get the sense that Coryell prefers the acoustic guitar and leaves much of electicising to McLauglhlin. Bassist Miroslav Vitous adds depth to many of the tracks (Gloria) on bowed bass. One of my favorite tracks is the "Wrong is Right" track where Coryell's playing approaches the near ferocity of a hail storm, albeit a somewhat quiet one. The one track Corea plays on is "Chris"; his keyboard give the song a somewhat starrier, more atmospheric feel. The two bonus tracks feature a more disjointed approach. On hurricane-like funk of "Tyrone" Cobham's drumming is more prominent as is Corea's electric piano, and the guitar playing is more frenzied than the original album tracks. "Planet End" seems to be the most improvisational piece, and the song that most evokes the cover of this album.

When I saw this was out on CD, I had to pick it up! I used to have this on vinyl back in the day. It's a great jazz album from an A-list of superstars assembled by Larry Coryell. John McLaughlin and LC both get plenty of opportunity to shine on solos. Miroslav Vitous (the original bassist for Weather Report) does a great job on stand-up, including a bit of bow work...and there's the occasional bass guitar. Chick Corea sits in on the electric piano for a song or two. And you can't ask for a better drummer than Billy Cobham! It is just straight-ahead jazz jams. I'll admit I was expecting more of a rockin' jazz fusion when I first bought this many years ago. But when I heard the album, I was not disappointed to find out it was just really fine jazz! Fine work from a great group of people! The extra tunes on this disc were first rate, as well! The first extra tune was much more of a rockin' jazz fusion tune than anything on the original album! For fans of jazz guitar, this is a must-have!

The first time I heard this, I was blown away! This was one of the first fusion albums and still easily holds up today.

I like to here a propewr double bass, and Miroslav Vitous comes on as a past mater. The bowed sections are eerie, yet a vital part of the whole, Bily Cobham plays the drums as only he can, and the guitarists are superb. But this is not virtousity for the its own sake. The solos have structure, they lead to a point, and then don't over extend. The differences between the two guitarists is interesting. Coryell pushes the groove more than McLaughlin, who seems to inhabit the spaces between the beat more, and embelish the rhythmn, this is especially so on Rene's theme, a typical Rheinhart type of tune. Rhythmn playing is often ignored, but its essential for the drama of the tune. An interesting and stimulating album, a must have if you are interested in music.

Larry Coryell's Spaces is an excellent early fusion album that tends to go overlooked. Recorded in late 1969 but not released until 1974, Spaces features Coryell surrounding himself with some top talent: John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham (both later of Mahavishnu Orchestra) and Miroslav Vitous (later of Weather Report). Chick Corea joins the group on electric piano for one track, "Chris."

Truth be told, this sounds more like jazz than jazz-rock. Only the great title track has rock rhythms; the rest of it is "rock" mostly by virtue of the electric guitars (which nevertheless are set to a minimal amount of distortion). It's difficult for me to discern which guitarist is playing at any particular time, although the liner notes indicate that Coryell does the majority of the soloing. Miroslav Vitous was an excellent choice of bassist for this kind of music and he demonstrates his versatility by playing with a bow on some passages. "Chris," on which Chick Corea sits in, is another hightlight. Corea's electric piano is primarily used for atmosphere while Coryell and McLaughlin engage in some of their most diverse playing on the record, drawing on a wealth of influences in their quick-picked passages. "Renee's Theme," a tribute to jazz guitar legend Django Reinhardt, is consistently cited by fans of the album as a favorite. Somewhat different in character from the rest of the pieces, it's a fleet-fingered acoustic guitar duet with head-turning speed and precision. John and Larry play with precision and melodic, harmonic and' rhythmic intelligence.


If you really like this album I reccomend John's first albums most of all, like Extrapolation or My Goal's Beyond. They're ewtremely outstanding too!

The notes on this says it was produced in 1974 - which would mean that I was 20 but I know that my best friend and I listened to this obsessively when we were around 17 so I'm pretty sure that it was out in 1971 and don't know why it's recorded here and on Wikipedia as '74. At any rate that does not affect the fact that this is still one of the most creative albums ever and truly stands the test of time. A lot of these young, super fast, guitarist could take a cue from John & Larry, that you can be lighting fast and it doesn't mean you have to sacrifice melody and theme. Also clean precision helps. A guitar lovers dream.