Search - Larry Coryell :: Offering

An Old Gem

Randy Blythe | Birmingham, Alabama USA | 02/06/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Back in the early 70's, Coryell put together a strange little band that, in addition to himself, included Harry Wilkinson on drums, Mervin Bronson on bass, Steve Marcus on soprano sax, and Mike Mandel on, of all things, electric piano with fuzz-wah. Those were the heady days before fusion became a formulaic and boring refuge for technically hypercharged cokeheads, the days when people who wanted to play both jazz and rock didn't really have preconceptions about what the hybrid should sound like. The result was at times a kind of virtuosic grandiosity, as in Tony Williams' Lifetime's early sessions, with their bad-poetry raps interspersed with fiery playing by Williams, Larry Young, and John McLaughlin. At other times, in the quirkiest way, players hit the mark. Offering is one of those records. Wilkinson is no virtuoso, but his snapping and pounding make quite an interesting call-and-response counterpoint to Coryell's solos; each had an exceptional ear for the other. In tone as well as execution, Marcus is exceptional, so much so that I wonder what he's doing now; Bronson is quite good(listen to his bent-note but solid backing on "Begger's Chant"), and Mandel's playing is humorous and bizarre in a kind of Don Preston-Zappa way. Coryell has never been better. His playing is relentlessly inventive. Listening to the astounding accumulation of ideas and the beautiful architectonics of his solos on "Beggar's Chant," "Foreplay," and the title track, I'm taken back to those days when Coryell was jazz-rock music's hidden treasure. The current crop of guitarists of any stripe would benefit from an attentive listen. Some of Coryell's most innovative playing on record."

The best Coryell jazz-album.

Ad Arma | Holland | 09/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A bit overlooked,this recording. In my opinion the best Coryell Jazz-album.

Here is a fierce and strong enthousiastic playing to be heard.

No baundaries and this band was clearly going to storm and change the world with their music!

Good recording, great sound. Listened to it a thousand times!!

The real thing for jazzrock-lovers and it was deary, new and fresh in it's time of coming out. Maybe too good!? . After this LP (Now replaced for a CD, because the LP became more cracking than sound after all the parties it had to turn trough..) I allways tracked and listened everything coming out from Coryell.. In the hope that he would revisit this great music ofcourse.. Well,he did a lot and became wellknown, but this particular energy-giving level never returned. The sax of Marcus was an ideal equal partner and Larry a great leader.. The only time he really came very close to a breaktrough towards Influentional New Jazz and step-up of his clearly rich-gifted personal musicianship was on this recording. Very sad for us that they didn't challange it out. On the nice but then strongly Miles-influenced(although re-issued on CD, very hard to find) "Barefoot Boy", the force comes back.. Next came "The Eleventh House". I personally think Coryell became a bit explored and overwinged by the other members of that band. Good but not original like this one. Later on in his musical search he made recordings with Indian Masters that came out real nice and contemplative. Touching the equalness again."

Oh why did I toss my vinyl away?

S. D. Hicks | Williamsburg VA | 06/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of my all-time favorite albums. I had the US version. Just a spectacular neo-electrified pre-fusion, highly creative record. Steve Marcus is excellent and his sax melds perfectly with the whole album. The album does not deteriorate into some kind of Spyrogyra plastic putty; it holds its own throughout--a unique sound among the '70's nasent fusion hierarchy."