Larry Carlton
Collection

Surely everyone must have heard at least once in their life the phrase: "Class is not water", unless, of course, it is pure Irish or Scottish spring water. Apart from the introductory 'joke', Carlton is a guitarist who has class, but not only that, he also has the rare gift of bringing a 'specific touch' to his instrument.

In many years of his career, Larry has played and collaborated with world-renowned artists and bands. Just to name a few, I'll mention the unforgettable Steely Dan, Barbara Streisand, Diana Ross, The Crusaders, and Joni Mitchell. The album reviewed here is a collection (yes, I know there are better ones in Carlton's discography, but this is what the convent can offer) of twelve tracks, including two unreleased ones played with the acoustic guitar, for a total of about sixty-two minutes (GRP Digital Master 1991).

Avoiding the usual track by track, I would like to mention the lively and cheerful "Smiles and Smiles to Go", "Nite Crawler" instead is an excellent example of Carlton’s solo and improvisational skills. Memorable is the duet with the great B B King in "Blues for TJ", the reflective and moving "10 PM", a valid example of Larry’s musical capabilities that convey grace, sensitivity, and a practically perfect control of the notes to the listener. I would like to point out that, in these last three tracks, the late Jeff Porcaro, one of the greatest drummers in the world, appears on drums. Who hasn’t heard at least once in their life the dreamy and sweet "Sleepwalk" by Santo Farina/John Farina/Ann Farina? Well, Carlton delivers it with his class and his usual unmistakable taste. "Bubble Shuffle" and "Hello Tomorrow" are two more excellent examples of Larry’s guitar work, with the first track featuring Dean Parks on rhythm guitar, while the second has a wonderful saxophone by Kirk Whalum.

Carlton’s abilities are also valid when it comes to composition, arrangements, and the production of his music, even in the studio environment, as well as his ability to 'navigate' through various music genres, always with conviction and experience. The booklet is decent and contains interesting notes both technical (like the first time he used the Valley Arts Stratocaster on two tracks) and biographical, including a curiosity revealed by Joni Mitchell about the probable origin of his 'guitar touch', which apparently stems from his fishing hobby! As for the cover... no comment.

Ultimately, this is a more than excellent collection, suitable for all music lovers who are looking for emotional music.