Larry Coryell - guitar; Ron Carter - bass; Steve Haas - drums; Mike Mandel - keyboards; Ray Mantilla - percussion; Bernard Purdie - drums; Chuck Rainey - bass; Jim Pepper - saxophone

Tracklist

01 Call to the Higher Consciousness
02 Slow Blues
03 Friday Night
04 Half a Heart
05 Sex
06 Tyrone
07 The Jam with Albert
08 Organ Blues

BASICS is a compilation album of Larry Coryell. It consists of songs of the albums LADY CORYELL, CORYELL, BAREFOOT BOY and PLANET END. But these are different versions than on BASICS. 'Sex' for example is an instrumental version and is not so rough like the version on CORYELL. But it sounds very good. That also goes for 'The Jam with Albert'. A completly other sound, but it fits.
This album also contains some unreleased songs like 'Slow Blues', 'Friday Night', 'Half a Heart', 'Organ Blues'. Especially 'Half a Heart' has a good vibe. It sounds like a latin jazz song with a catchy drum hook and guitar melody.

BASICS is a nice compilation. I ask myself why there's a compilation after just two years of recording. It would be much better if it had some more songs. When you're done listening to this album, you will ask yourself; 'That's it? Man, I want more.' It isn't a bad thing, but it could've been better.