Spaces in Bloomington, MN

This album features the pioneer
fusion
guitarist
Larry Coryell
with quite an all-star group. Two selections match
Coryell
with fellow guitarist
John McLaughlin
, bassist
Miroslav Vitous
(doubling on cello) and drummer
Billy Cobham
, all important
players at the time.
"Rene's Theme"
is a guitar duet with
McLaughlin
, while
"Gloria's Steps"
(a
Scott LaFaro
composition) has
,
Vitous
and
Cobham
jamming as a trio.
Chick Corea
sits in on electric keyboard for
"Chris,"
and the 20-second closer (
"New Year's Day in Los Angeles -- 1968"
) finds
playing alone. Overall, the music has its energetic moments, but also contains some lyricism often lacking in
of the mid-'70s. In addition, all of the musicians already had their own original voices, making
Spaces
a stimulating album worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow