Comin' Home

by Scott YanowThis is one of guitarist Larry Coryell's most straight-ahead sets, a bop-flavored session recorded in one day with a fine quartet that had just played a week at the Village Vanguard. With pianist Albert Dailey, bassist George Mraz and drummer Billy Hart clearly inspiring him, Coryell performs three largely swinging originals (including "No More Booze, Minor Blues" and "Good Citizen Swallow," which was dedicated to bassist Steve Swallow), Jimmy Webb's "Glorielle," and a pair of bop standards ("Confirmation" and "It Never Entered My Mind"). The latter piece has an effective vocal from the guitarist's wife, Julie Coryell. Throughout, Larry Coryell shows that he could have been a top bop stylist if he had wanted to pursue that direction, instead of his more innovative and eclectic path.