The Eleventh House: Introducing The Eleventh House With Larry Coryell (1974)

from progarchives.com

Review by The Owl

You know this thing means business, from the stellar lineup including trumpeter Randy Brecker to the appropriately titled burning opening track Birdfingers (and those fingers was a flyin’ here!). Here, Larry and Company carved out a unique sound for themselves in a genre’ that Larry helped pioneer. The interaction between Larry C and Randy Brecker is pure magic, as keyboardist Mike Mandell lets forth funky Herbie Hancock-eque interjections and the rhythm section of bassist Danny Trifan and drummer Alphonse Mouzon pushes things along at a harrowing pace.

The Highlights: Birdfingers with Larry and Randy exchanging lively phrases and challenges, Funky Waltz, Low-Le-Tah, and the screamingly funky Adam Smasher amongst many. The introspective Theme For A Dream is a great change of pace. Even more wonderfully psychotronic is the inclusion of extra tracks like the ominous Cover Girl (which was even more so played live), Randy Brecker’s Rocks (which later wound up redone on the first Brecker Bros. album) and Eyes of Love. Gratitude-A-So-Low is a mysterious and edgy electric guitar solo piece by Larry that will have you on the edge of your seat as well.

The Only Gripe: Alphonse Mouzon’s drumming, sometimes grooving and then maddeningly sloppy and over-technical in the blink of an eye. Having the sheer chops that Alphonse did was both a wonderful blessing AND a horrible curse at the same time. Depending on the song, Alphonse could either carry it along very strongly, or let his technique and ego get so out of control and try to cram as many notes into a bar as fast as possible like a caffeine-crazed octopus, leaving little to no breathing room for the other musicians at times. However, the sheer quality of the tunes and the players enables me to look past this more than I would otherwise.

Gripes aside, I am just sooooo glad this made it to CD, a wonderful slice of classic fusion and Larry Coryell reaching for a higher level!

Review by Sean Trane

As the title indicates, this LC’s new fusion group, as he thought it was also pertinent to build a JR/F group as McL had (MO), or Zawinul and Shorter (WR), or Corea (RTF). So in came The Eleventh House, with a solid line-up, with powerhouse drummer Alphonse Mouzon, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Mike Mandel on keys and little-known Tritan on bass. Again produced by Vanguard label in-house Danny Weiss (it seems LC only wanted him), this album comes again with a major psychey and spacey artwork from Jacques Wyrs. But as LC was one of the last great jazzman to get his group together (or jump on the bandwagon if you wish), he wouldn’t really be as successful either commercially or artistically. This EH project will not be a vehicle for its leader, the way MO would be for McL, as LC will regularly leave space for Alphonse Mouzon and Mike Mandel writing songs (two each on this album). The grouop has its roots in the previous LC solo album Offering.

While this debut album smokes in places, and rocks your wimpy arse to the ground, it also has its share of flaws and fails to really convince completely as did Inner Mounting Flame or Weather Report’s debut did. Starting on the ultra fast asc/desc-ending riff of Birdfingers, which resembles a bit MO’s first album, Brecker gets the solos for himself. The following Mouzon-penned Funky Waltz is more reminiscent of WR’s Mysterious Traveller (same ideal: find a groove and stick to it, soloing away), released the same year, with Brecker’s trumpet replacing Shorter’s sax. Low-Lee-Tah (I suppose Lolita) is a slow torrid fusion, seemingly crossing early MO and early WR, and it comes out as a pure scorcher. The Mandel-written Adam Smasher should be the pianist’s bravery piece, but Brecker again seems to steal the show, with Coryell’s wah-wah guitar solo equally impressive. Mandell can’t catch his moment in his other track, Joy Ride, and his choice of synth is astonishing for the year (he must’ve been one of the first to own it), but I was never fond of that sound, which will pollute the later 70’s fusion albums.

On the flipside, Yin kicks in open doors, but it’s so sweet to get this type of 100 mph track right between MO and WR, RTF being not far away, either. 100% molten lava pouring out of the crater of your speakers, with again the same synth. The Dream theme is a slow and rather uninteresting tune, lacking the energy of its sister tracks. Gratitude is a guitar solo piece that would’ve been best left out, and saved for solo album. Ism-Ejercico is much reminiscent of Yin and Birdfinger, again finding its influences on the MO/WR axis. The closing Right On (Mouzon-penned) repeats the formula of Funky Waltz with better luck and finesse.

Soooo, aside a weaker passage on the flipside, Eleventh House’s debut is a very impressive start and maybe the group’s finer moments, even if there will be more. Maybe LC’s most

Review by Mellotron Storm

 Another solid Jazz/Fusion album from Larry Coryell. Not as good as the previously released “Barefoot Boy” but comparible to the next one with THE ELEVENTH HOUSE called “Level One”. A five piece here with Alphonse Mouzon on drums, Randy Brecker on trumpet and of course Coryell on guitar plus a bass player and keyboardist playing electric piano and synths. This was released in 1974 and the compositions were written by Coryell, Mandell and Mouzon plus the song “Yin” by Wolfgang Dauner.

“Birdfingers” is a tune where each member gets to share the spotlight and strut their stuff I guess you could say. After a brief drum solo the keys and guitar trade off then the trumpet starts to come and go trading off with the guitar. Soon electric piano, guitar and trumpet are trading off.

“The Funky Waltz” is a top three for me. Just a trippy sound here with the drums and bass as trumpet and electric piano help out in this relaxed song. Guitar to the fore around 1 1/2 minutes and it sounds really good after 2 minutes. Electric piano leads at 3 1/2 minutes as the guitar steps aside then drums lead a minute later. I like this one a lot.

“Low-Lee-Tah” is my favourite. Just love the opening with that guitar and bass, so laid back and atmospheric. Drums and trumpet join in just before a minute. So good. Trumpet comes to the fore before 2 minutes then it’s the guitar’s turn around 2 1/2 minutes. Nice. More trumpet follows but it’s more laid back this time.

“Adam Smasher” has trumpet blasts over the drums, bass and e-piano then the piano leads as the drums and bass support. The trumpet is back again around 1 1/2 minutes then the guitar a minute later. “Joyride” is laid back with keys, bass and a beat often leading the way. It’s brighter when the electric piano comes in before 2 minutes, the guitar follows. it calms down again before a big finish.

“Yin” opens with drums and bass that impress with the trumpet over top, electric piano too. The guitar arrives just before 2 minutes. Synths start to lead before 3 1/2 minutes. These guys are ripping it up here. “Theme For A Dream” does have a dreamy sound with trumpet leading in a reserved way with outbursts of drums. Raining piano comes and goes as well.

“Gratitiude “A So Low”” is acoustic guitar melodies throughout. “Ism-Ejereicio” is my other top three. It opens fairly powerfully before settling in with drums and guitar. Great sound here. It settles into more of a slow groove after that around 1 1/2 minutes in with some adventerous trumpet over top trading off with the guitar. Nice. The tempo picks up before 3 1/2 minutes as it gets really impressive. “Right On Y’All” ends it opening with drums then the trumpet leads as the piano pulses before an extended synth led section. An energetic track with the guitar leading late.

Another excellent release from Coryell and company and a must listen for Jazz/Fusion fans.