[TR24][OF] The Larry Coryell Organ Trio - Impressions - 2008 (Jazz)

Larry Coryell is one of the top jazz guitarists working today, and this album is a first for him in the guitar/Hammond B-3/drums trio format. For this session he used his regular drummer of the past five years and one of the newer breed of B-3 players, Israeli-born Sam Yale.

The nine tunes include two Coryell originals and one by drummer Wertico, and contributions from Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Bill Evans and John Coltrane. The venue was St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in NYC, often used by Chesky for its natural acoustics for surround compared to the usual studio situation. Coryell’s guitar is dead center, with the drums on the right and B-3 on the left. There’s no overdubs or gimmicks, just the natural sounds of the three players. Coryell’s guitar has a clean and wide range timbre, and he refrains from over-electronic tricks.

The trio’s bouncy treatment of Come Rain or Come Shine is a classic, and the tender slowed-down tempo of their Embraceable You offers welcome variety from the more energetic numbers. Coryell’s veneration of the late guitarist Gabor Szabo is shown in Szabodar, and the style of the Hungarian guitarist shares with that of Wes Montgomery in influencing Coryell’s approach. Strongly appreciated is the absence of guest vocalists on any of the nine tracks.