Murali Coryell – Restless Mind
Shake-It-Sugar Records
12 Tracks; running time/46:14
Murali Coryell is the son of jazz-rock fusion guitar man Larry Coryell. Murali started out his musical career on drums at the age of eight, but by the age 15 he had a passionate love of guitar. In his late teens is when he got serious about the music and cites B.B. King as being a main influence for his overall musical passion and drive. Murali graduated college with a degree in musical theory and composition. He has played with such greats as Duke Robillard and Joe Louis Walker. He was recently inducted into the New York State Blues Hall of Fame in November 2013.
The sound of the CD can best be described as funky, bluesy, jazzy, and guitar driven. Murali does a great job of being a “standard” bluesman by singing about everyday woes such as love, life, money, struggles, and women. The Marvin Gaye classic, “Let’s Get It On” is featured as the last track on the album. It is hard not to like this timeless tune and the funky spin that Murali lays down on it. Track Seven is “I Can’t Give You Up” which features some brilliant trumpet playing and a beat that ties the song together with a nice Motown dance feel.
Another mentionable song is track nine, “I Need Someone to Love” which is a bluesy mix-up about relationships and love. Song one, “Waiting and Wasting Away” will catch the listeners’ attention by describing what we all can understand about needing money. Being broke, living paycheck to paycheck, and feeling like you are wasting your time just to earn a dime is more than relatable for the common man. The title track, “Restless Mind” has an all-encompassing, feel good sound that has an interesting island type aura. Smooth lyrics, almost Jamaican type, bongo “ish” drums, and a hook line chorus will entice the audience leaving them wanting more!
Other artists on the disc include Ernie Durawa on drums, Chris Alcaraz on bass, Joe Morales on the sax, and Jimmy Shortell on the trumpet. Coryell tours regularly including dates ranging from coast to coast including California, New York, and Pennsylvania. The artist has multiple influences as well aside from the great B.B. King. Coryell tends to model his style after the likes of Santana, Hendrix, & Otis Redding. He has also been credited with being “an artist on top of his game by mixing and matching like an enthusiastic chef.”
