Inner Urge is the sort of album some of us wish Larry Coryell had been making for years--strong themes， a sprinkling of jazz classics and some great ensemble work topped of with cool， understated guitar lines. No fusion grandstanding on this set， no pyrotechnics--just the gold-plated workmanship Croyell has always been noted for but sometimes fails to produce. Inner Urge is the third instalment of a HighNote trilogy that began with Monk， 'Trane， Miles & Me in 1998 and continued with New High the next year. Here he is joined by pianist John Hicks， bassist Santi Debriano and drummer Yoron Israel， with trumpeter Don Sickler popping up on two tracks. In places Coryell is almost outshone， by Debriano in particular， so retiring are some of his contributions， but， like he says in the sleevenotes， "it was really a matter of showing up and staying out of the way. I played with， rather than in front of， the musicians". Yet his solos on Ray Bryant's subtly funky "Tonk" and on the chiming， rhyming "Abra Cadabra" just take your breath away. A great set that restores your faith in classic jazz musicianship. --Simon Adams