TCCDM Pulls One Out..."At The Village Gate" - Larry Coryell (1971 - RSD 2021)

"At The Village Gate" - Larry Coryell (1971 - RSD 2021)

Last year, I remember someone from the Vinyl Community holding up the Larry Coryell, "At The Village Gate" album that they purchased on one of the Record Store Days.  And they described it as sounding like slightly psych-dusted jazz-fused blues-rock.  And that's exactly what it is.  Larry Coryell, along with bassist Mervin Bronson and Harry Wilkinson on drums bring some jammin' acid rockvibes on this puppy.  The good kind.  There's a guitar jazz mind behind all of it, for sure...but this is an inspired power trio by any definition.  There is a minimal amount of vocals on the album.  Coryell's wife joins him on one.  But it's the inspired guitar burns of Coryell when he cuts loose that keep you flipping this bad boy over.

Larry Coryell was an influential jazz guitarist who gave us an early introduction to what we now know as fusion.  He has played with legends and his own discography is large.  But this ain't jazz.  On this album, there is a bit of a "Band Of Gypsys" attitude found here.  The fringes of what Hendrix was teasing us with before his departure.  But it's Larry Coryell burning down the house this time.  High-level entertainment.  No snoozing allowed.

"At The Village Gate" - Larry Coryell (back)

Favorites include the closing track, "Beyond These Chilling Winds."  The song starts off with a melodic, almost folk-rock aura, before turning into a blistering flaming pie.  "The Opening"  is a fun track with Bronson and Wilkinson pushing the bottom while Coryell wah-wahs and verbs his guitar to great effect.  The psych-dusted "Entardecendo En Saudade" is a lost treat.  Five songs are found on the square and each a solid biscuit.

I found this album in the leftover bin a couple months after one of the Record Store Day flibbetyfloos.  It was under $20 and I had a 15% to go with it.  Thanks to someone in the VC holding the album up, I remembered the cover...and leaped.  "At The Village Gate" is a live recording that has mostly been flying under the radar.  The square is on split blue vinyl and the sound doesn't disappoint.

"At The Village Gate" (inner sleeve front/back)

Vanguard label
(half blue/half dark blue vinyl)

Cat #
CFUO1197
SIDE A  DEADWAX
VO^^AA62  A1
SIDE B  DEADWAX
VO^^62  B1

"Beyond These Chilling Winds" - Larry Coryell /  "At The Village Gate" (1971)

TRACKS:
A1  "The Opening" 6:10
A2  "After Later" 5:45
A3  "Entardecendo En Saudade" 7:50
B1  "Can You Follow" (Dance on the Green Hill)" 9:20
B2  "Beyond These Chilling Winds" 7:50

PERSONNEL:
Larry Coryell - guitar, vocals
Mervin Bronson - bass
Harry Wilkinson - drums
Julie Coryell - vocals (B2)

Good stuff.

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