AMG Review of Laid Back & Blues: Live at the Sky Church in Seattle

Matt Collar
All Music Guide

Laid Back & Blues finds journeyman jazz guitarist Larry Coryell performing live with his quartet at the ~Sky Church in Seattle, WA. Backing Coryell here are pianist Mark Seales, bassist Chuck Deardorf, and drummer Dean Hodges. Also joining in for an inspired off-the-cuff take on Tracy Chapman's "Gimme One Reason" is vocalist Tracey Piergross. Throughout, Coryell does a nice job of mixing in such jazz standards as "Body and Soul" and "Straight No Chaser" alongside his more contemporary and challenging compositions including "The Dragon's Grate" and the pretty midtempo ballad "Tracy." This is an intimate-sounding album that truly showcases Coryell's superb post-bop style and deft guitar technique.