SPACES

A must for guitar fans.

A 1969 recording from Coryell, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Billy Cobham, and Miroslav Vitous with no reviews? Well I am not a jazz expert by any means but I have to believe that this album must be considered quite important in the genre. It is not the heavy jazz-fusion rocking you'd expect from later works but more of a traditional jazz feel.

It certainly works for me. Dualing guitarists Coryell and McLaughlin tear it up throughout this nuanced collection of improv. They play acoustics and only lightly distorted electrics occasionally. They don't actually dual as much as they back each other up on individual excursions, one flailing like a madman while the other lays out these distinct chords in the background. Oh there is some playful dualing but mostly they try not to step on each other's toes. Cobham is great as he accentuates beautifully while not taking over the ceremonies. Corea appears only briefly on e-piano but it adds much to the atmosphere. As I said, I'm a novice on jazz history but there has to be some jazz nuts lurking who can give this album a proper review. Let's have it please!

The Vanguard VMD-79345 cd issue has a different album cover than the one shown here. It's a very colorful fantasy painting and does more justice to this fine music than the cover with Larry's profile. No offense Larry.

Probably the album of Larry Coryell that he's most remembered for, and certainly the one of his breakthrough, Spaces came with this extraordinary colourful psychey artwork (a Jacques Wyrs painting) for a jazz album, even if not a pure jazz one. And what an all-star guest line-up too, inclining that LC had already gained respect from his pears way back in 69. Yes in some ways, Spaces is a groundbreaking album

Opening on the fusion-esque title track, which at times sounds like it was written by Ian Carr's troupes Nucleus without wind instruments, Spaces (credited to Larry's wife Julie) rocks right through your brains, with Larry taking first solo and McL the second, we're clearly heading for a guitar fest. We can even hear a bit of the future early Mahavishnu Orchestra in the ascending riff that comes back regularly throughout the 9 mins of the track. In the following track, René's theme, you'd swear that Django Reinhardt was playing, but it's not the case and neither is it for Django's pupil René Thomas (also a Belgian from Liège as Django was), but the track is from him. Closing up the A side, is Gloria's Step where Vitous takes the bow to his stand up bass, and the formation flies into what seems to be an improv, but the song is credited to LeFaro, so most likely, they were quite liberal in the adaptation.

On the flipside, the lengthy Right is Wrong is a cold and quick race between the guitar duo, an impressive showcase for both, both managing to have their own space and style, even if the type of jazz song didn't really allow it with its call for electro-acoustic guitars. Overall this track overstays its welcome a bit and is the weaker link on the album, but it still is an excellent one. The following 9-mins+ Chris (again credited to Julie) is much in the mould of its predecessor, but there is so much more happening here, Corea is making his presence felt on this track. A short guitar tidbits bids us farewell as the needle lifts off the wax plate.

Certainly one of LC's highlights in his career, Spaces remains a classic some almost 40 years after its first release. While this album is not a pure jazz-rock, it isn't a pure jazz album either, but it probably bends a bit more towards the latter possibility. Essential to confirmed early jazz rock fans wanting to understand the birth of JR/F.

This album is one of the granddaddies of the jazz rock fusion world. While Miles Davis may be credited for popularizing fusion with the jazz crowd, it was artists like Larry Coryell (here with the help of other future fusion giants John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, Miroslav Vitous and Chick Corea) who shaped it into the powerful form it took in the early seventies with bands like Return To Forever and The Mahavishnu Orchestra.

While the music here is still much closer to jazz than rock, you can hear the beginnings of what was to come. And the performances on this album are just spectacular. Coryell and McLaughlin play rings around each other on most of the songs, with Vitous on acoustic bass, sometimes bowed, and sometimes almost getting an electric bass-like sound.

Chick Corea only appears on one track (Chris), but no matter, the band on this album is so great that really don't need him on the rest of the album.

A super cool album.

I'm pretty sure I had to wipe the drool from my chin when I first saw the lineup for this album. Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin on guitars, Miroslav Vitous double bass, Billy Cobham drums and Chick Corea electric piano. These guys should have burned the studio down they recorded in with that kind of fire-power right ? Well that's the problem, there is no fire. This comes across as one of those unplugged records or like a traditional acoustic Jazz album. So disappointed. It's like Coryell and McLaughlin are picking away usually in a fast paced manner but it all sounds the same and there is zero power. No amplified notes at all. Chick plays on one track only unfortunately because I do love the sound of electric piano.

Now there is what sounds like violin on a few songs including the opener "Spaces (Infinite), and i'm assuming it Vitous who does like to play bowed bass. This song changes tempos several times as the guitar and bass standout. "Rene's Theme" is more of the same as we hear strummed and picked guitar. Bass stands out 2 minutes in. "Gloria's Step" has more bowed bass with intricate guitar lines.

"Wrong Is Right" has uptempo picked guitar with cymbals and bass then bowed bass joins in. "Chris" is better as Corea helps out on electric piano but by this time i'm so done listening to this (haha). "New Year's Day In Los Angeles-1968" ends it with 20 seconds of guitar.

Great album cover and an incredible lineup. The music though lacks the "Rock" in Jazz / Rock.