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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Bob Holz

Honoring Larry Coryell

Review by Gary Hill

The late Larry Coryell was a real powerhouse of fusion guitar. This new album from Bob Holz features recordings from two 2015 concerts during which Coryell guested with Holz’ band. The jazz fusion on this is so strong. This is probably my favorite new jazz album in a very long time. I’d say there is a really good chance this set will make my “best of 2025” list. If you like fusion or even mainstream jazz even a little, you should give this disc a chance. It doesn’t get much better than this.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2025  Volume 4. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2025.
Track by Track Review
Spoonful-Footprints

Club sounds are in place as this track gets underway. The number comes in slowly and gradually. This is bluesy and all class as it gets going.  After the vocals drop away, this moves out into some amazingly hot fusion jamming. It’s driving and fierce. It’s also incredibly cool. As this continues to evolve there is a section where they marge the rhythm section of the bluesy jam with “My Favorite Things,” and it is so cool. This whole track just keeps evolving and we’re returned to the vocal section after that instrumental break. It works to more instrumental stuff after that vocal section. It makes its way through various jazz jams as it does. There is some really powerhouse stuff on this track. It’s absolutely amazing, really. At almost 20-and-a-half minutes long, this is the epic of the set. It’s arguably the strongest thing here, too. It’s also the only thing here to include vocals’

Yes We Can

While this focuses a little more on traditional bluesy jazz, it still has plenty of fusion texture in the mix. The organ brings a real retro structure, and I love both the bass work and the guitar sound on this so much.

Bag's Groove

Wow! This thing combines a bluesy groove with retro jazz, fusion and more. It’s another incendiary jam that works so well. The harmonica solo takes it into bluesier territory. I dig the piano work on the jam that ensues from there a lot, too. The cut just keeps evolving and exploring as it continues. The guitar soloing gets really inspired later on here. At over 14-minutes of music, this is the second longest track here.

Moving Eyes

Driving fusion jamming, this features some killer bass work and incendiary guitar playing. Everything else about it is great, too, though.

Avalon Canyon

This thing includes a powerhouse slap bass solo. It also includes some great guitar work. Flute is a nice touch here, and the whole piece just has such a tasty groove to it.

Shared Sunsets

This jam is over 12-and-a-half minutes long. It is another effective jazz groove with plenty of style and charm built into it. While this isn’t a huge change, when it’s this good, it doesn’t need to be. The jazz on this is a bit more on the mainstream side, but it still has some fusion vibes at times.

Harper

The guitar work on this might be the best of the whole album. It’s absolutely on fire. This thing definitely lands in the fusion zone. It’s so strong, too.

 
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