Larry Coryell: A Retrospective
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DVD details
Actor: Larry CoryellDVD: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown)
Format: Best of, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 180 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-05-15
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Inakustic Gmbh
DVD Reviews of Larry Coryell: A Retrospective
DVD Review: A Superior Performance from the Master!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Having seen Larry Coryell in live performance on several occasions around the country, these 2 DVD's are the first time I was able to watch him within the context of a full band. I have always witnessed him live with a solo guitar. Especially if you are a musician, it is quite easy to be absolutely mesmerized through an entire show, wishing it to never end, and frequently asking yourself, "How in the Hell did he do that?" These 2 DVD's are no exception. I was also impressed at the fact, that along with the other competent musicians on this recording, what a fine musician is his son Julian.
Back in July of 1980, I had the extreme privilege of jamming with Larry for a couple hours at the house of a mutual friend in Connecticut. Prior to that, other than his stellar reputation, I knew very little about him. At that time, he considerately took his valuable time to teach me how to do those AMAZING harmonic things, that actually only appear for a few short seconds on this DVD. I asked him how long it takes to get that down, to which he replied, "It takes years." Twenty-eight years later, I'm still trying to struggle through what he does with ease. Although I had never seen anyone do this, he told me he learned it from guitarist Lenny Breau, who had apparently gotten the idea from guitarist Chet Atkins. I guess it's hard to be totally original, but if it is any one guitarist, it is in my opinion Larry Coryell.
There is a video on YouTube, of about 9 minutes of concert footage of Larry and Al DiMeola acoustically in Japan. While no one can ever question the technical mastery of Al DiMeola, there is also very little doubt as to who is the master and who is the student. Larry is unquestionably a musical genius. Just watch that duel with A.D. and see who rules the day.
While there may be certain imperfections on "Larry Coryell, A Retrospective," and most assuredly any guitar player would want the camera focused more consistently on the fret board than the back of his coat, it is still a remarkable show to be witnessed. Possibly one of these days, someone will document a live Coryell solo show. Either way, this show is a start in the right direction and a worthy endeavor to be enjoyed. Highly recommended. Keep on Rockin' Larry!!
DVD Review: Excellent performance but...
Summary: 4 Stars
I will review different aspects of the dvd.
Performance & Sound - The performance by LC & Co is incredible with great interaction between the musicians. Coryell is one of the best rock / jazz guitarists around and he really shows his incredible playing on this dvd. Although Purdie is a a great drummer, I would have preferred Alphonse Mouzon since the latter's blazing style would have made the tunes more justice. Purdie sounds a little bland on the fast rocking tracks (compared to Alphonse Mouzon or Billy Cobham). The sound is fantastic and the instruments are well balanced.
Visuals - If you like a Woodstock / Isle Of Wight-type film, this is for you. Hand-held cameras are used with some good closeups however the shakey camera work is the real problem with this dvd.
Overall dvd production - This title is spread over 2 dvds - the film and the bonus material. The concert film omits many tracks which are all presented on the bonus disc. Unfortunately, there is no 'play all' option for the encore tracks on disc 2 which is very annoying. As said earlier, the concert sound on this dvd is fantastic. There are also 76 minutes of rehearsals (in rather poor visual/sound quality) which still add a nice touch to the dvd.
For the sound and performance alone, I would highly recommend this dvd to anyone who wants to experience incredible playing. Still, I think that the producers have wasted an excellent opportunity to produce the ultimate jazz-rock concert dvd. Their 'late 1960's' approach to filming and editing is distracting. Having experienced an electifying live performance by Larry Coryell with Alphonse Mouzon in 1999 , I wish that Larry and Alphonse get together again and a dvd is released of the event.
DVD Review: Great Document! Settling Some Probable Confusion...
Summary: 5 Stars
I am the biggest Larry Coryell fan ever, and I have been waiting for something like this for some time. It is a very interesting document, and I call it a document because it is not your normal everyday conventional concert DVD. You will not see a program that had 10 million dollars in its budget, but you will see a very honest and geniune great looking concert, complete with guest musicians, interviews, and rehearsals. It was made in a very documentary style, which include a concert which seems like it pays homage to the old Woodstock, Isle of Wight, & general musical films from that era.
I noticed a one star review, so let me clarify, there are 2 DISCS TO THIS SET. It sounds like the critique is coming from the BONUS FEATURES [DISC 2] portion of the DVD package. The bonus features are exactly what you would expect the bonus features to be, VERY unstructured loose rehearsals of most of the songs played at the show & actual performances from the show that were cut from the final program being DISC 1. It seems these were obviously cut for many of the reasons described by the one star reviewer. However, coupled with the actual film, DISC 2 is a great glimpse behind the scenes & gives us the rest of the Avalon show.
Which brings us to THE CONCERT [DISC 1], it is a structured "rockumentary" complete with an informative introduction by Julian Coryell (Larry's son), and the show just flows. Once again, this DVD is not shot in a conventional way, which you can appreciate on some levels.
To quote another reviewer, most DVD's are made in such a way where you digest them so quick (if you can get through them), but with Retrospective, its a wake up call, you get a VERY intimate show that puts you right on stage, and it does move around to create a rock raw type feel, which is what Larry Coryell needs anyway after being away from this music for so long. But the music, oh my Lord, the music is amazing.
DVD Review: Pathetic excuse for a music DVD
Summary: 1 Stars
I have seen many music DVDs in my time, but this is one of the worst. Let's get one thing straight -- I love Larry Coryell. He's a great guitarist. But this DVD is horrible. First of all it's not a live performance -- it's a series of partially baked practice sessions recorded with poor sound quality (volume constantly changes, and sometimes disappears completely!)in front of a handful of unidentified people. The band often seems to be playing the song for the first time. The filming is so amateurish that it's sometime laughable -- reminds me of home movies. The camera constantly jerks around, when the trumpet player is doing a solo, the camera is showing you the drummer, when Coryell is doing a solo, the camera is focusing on flecks of dandruff on the back of his coat. I play guitar, and I wanted to watch his fingerwork, but you won't catch anything here. This DVD is junk and the other reviews I read in here had to be written by the DVD maker.DVD Review: God bless Daniel R. Meza
Summary: 5 Stars
For he has given us what we want, a fitting tribute for what I and many of his fans feel is the greatest guitarist, maybe ever. Ah screw it, greatest musician. I've seen them all and love them all but Coryell is the best and he's never been better.
Hopefully, Mr. Meza will try this again, this time maybe at the Blue Note or better yet Yoshi's (I'm in the Bay Area), and show off some of the other facets of Larry's long musical journey.
The period that the show and subsequently the documentary are focused upon is the early 1970s when Larry and cohorts broke the boundaries of rock, jazz and blues and created fusion. This is an era that Larry will revisit from time to time but never so fervently as here. Armed with two vintage Fender amps instead of the usual sterile 120 Jazz Chorus, Larry shows what a meaty solo is all about but this is as much about his writing at the time as his playing. Much in the way that Roy Orbison had to write his own music because nobody was writing songs with his incredible range and intensity so Larry needed to write the music that allowed him the range. Many of the works exhibited here have the sense of aging like fine wine. As time goes by they seem to cement themselves into the fabric of music.
Hidalgo and Valentine were both surprising guest artists. Both were very good. I think Hildalgo was probably helping out because Carlos Santana bowed out supposedly because he was on Leno that night. It's really too bad because Half a Heart would have been a spectacular showcase for Carlos not that David is chopped liver but it could have been special, for Carlos.
Larry must have been a proud Papa listening to his son Julian lay down licks only a handful of his peers could even attempt. He can be seen regularly in the Aimee Mann band.
The trumpeter, whose name eludes me, did some fine work, although he had some radical treatment to his sound that didn't really work at the show but on the DVD seems to have been cleaned up. Anyway, he does some way cool and way hot playing, whoever he is.
As somebody already said, repeat viewings are necessary to take in this weighty stuff.
Okay Daniel, get rolling on that acoustic set and, oh, thanks again.
Addendum: I'm guessing that everyone getting a negative vote means someone bought the DVD on our saysos and didn't think it lived up to our descriptions. I better point out the DVD's faults before anyone else get disappointed. I recently bought Joe Bonamassa Live at Rockplast. Its production values exceeds Retrospective by leaps and bounds. I believe this was Mr. Meza first production and by comparison it could look a little amateurish. Bonamassa is note perfect and Larry has never been about that although these four reviewers here know this was note perfect for Larry even if it doesn't sound like it to the uninitiated. The Bonamassa looks and sounds great but it can be digested very quickly and Retrospective will be thrilling and even surprising the four of us for years to come. We overlook the shortcomings and celebrate the mere fact that this tribute has been made at all. This is music of the highest order but not for all tastes. If you're not familiar with Larry, figure this to be an adventurous viewing. My hat is still very much off to Mr. Meza.
Description of Larry Coryell: A Retrospective
This show was recorded at The Avalon in Hollywood, California on October 13, 2005. It's a two disc retrospective on a career's worth of songs that are every bit as electrifying now as when they were first recorded. Coryell is a monster on guitar throughGeneral DVDs
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