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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fusion is back, and it's kicking butt!, January 18, 1999
Fusion died sometime in the early 1980's; I cried at the funeral. Fortunately, that didn't stop Larry Coryell, Tom Coster, and Steve Smith from digging it up, shocking it back to life, sticking it behind the wheel of a '74 Trans Am H/O, and sending it screaming through the bad part of town. In the humble opinion of this reviewer, this could be the greatest album of all time -- okay, okay, Kenny G fans might take issue with that statement, but if you like fast and furious fusion guitar (complete with fuzz and wah-wah!), a genuine Hammond B3 organ, synthesizers that sound like synthesizers, and drums with an impossible combination of power and finesse, then this one is for you. Larry Coryell on guitar, Tom Coster on keyboards, and drummer Steve Smith, who also produced the album, have brought back the best of 70's fusion including Mahavishnu-type solos that bounce measure-by-measure between guitar and keyboard, classic jazz riffs with acid-rock tone settings, celestial head tripping, toe-jam funk, low-down-dirty-shame blues, and a taste of metal thrown in to boot. Add to that a whole bunch of stuff that defies any attempt at classification (What was that time signature on cut two, 14/8 or what?) and you have a CD that left me grinning like an idiot. At times you could swear you were hearing John McLaughlin, Tommy Bolin, or Al Di Meola, but perhaps most astonishing is last cut, "Finale: Wes and Jimi." Here we get the improbable sounds of Wes Montgomery and Jimi Hendrix from the only guitar player who could dare to even try it, let alone pull it off with such mastery. Best of all, though, are the parts that are Larry Coryell's own distinct style: outrageous original licks, virtuoso speed and style, and just enough of a rough edge to make it unmistakably Larry. As usual, Coryell has brought together top notch musicians and given them plenty of free reign to add their own flavorings to the mix. Drummer Steve Smith sets the tone for the album a few seconds into the first cut, "These Are Odd Times," with a hard-driving beat at double the tempo you are expecting. The drums are crisp, powerful, and precise, giving the whole album a level of energy rarely found in the jazz section. Keyboardist Tom Coster makes his presence known early as well, taking the first solo on the opening cut. I didn't think you could run a Hammond organ on nitro-methane till I heard this guy. By the way, if anybody thinks an electronic imitation is a substitute for a real B3 and a Leslie speaker, give this a listen. Then you'll understand why musicians never complain about having to load them onto a truck. (The organ is about the size of a coffin with legs, and weighs about as much, too. Leslie speakers have also caused their share of hernias and smashed fingers, but once you have heard the sound, hauling them from gig to gig is a labor of love.) Coster uses all the wonderful and unique effects that you only get from the genuine article. And while most of his work is on the organ, he does a quite respectable job on piano and synthesizers. The album also features solid performances by bassists Victor Wooten on the first cut and Benny Reitveld on three others. What else can I say? Buy this CD!
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~ Larry Coryell
~ Larry Coryell
~ Jean-Luc Ponty
~ Scott Henderson
~ Steve Smith
by Larry Coryell 
