A1 Out On The Coast 	4:30 	
A2 153rd Street Theme 	6:43 	
A3 Inner Crisis 	6:25 	
B1 Bahamian Street Dance 	4:32 	
B2 For A Friend 	6:58 	
B3 Journey's End 	7:11 	

Musicians:
Larry Willis – piano
Roland Prince – guitar
Harold Vick – saxophone
Dave Bargeron – trombone
Eddie Gomez, Roderick Gaskin – bass
Al Foster, Warren Benbow – drums

Inner Crisis by Larry Willis is one of the very finest examples of electric jazz-funk from the mid-'70s. With sidemen who included guitarist Roland Prince, drummer Al Foster, tenor saxophonist Harold Vick, and trombonist Dave Bargeron, as well as bassists Eddie Gomez (acoustic) and Roderick Gaskin (electric), Willis assembled a session that was long on composition and tight on the big groove. Willis' long front lines accentuated deep soul and blues' cadences that were hallmarks of music that walked the line between tough lean groove and the pulsating rhythm of disco without losing its jazz roots to sterile fusion tropes, thanks in large part to his willingness as a pianist to play as part of an ensemble rather than as a soloist. Tracks such as "153rd Street Theme," with its loping saxophone lines juxtaposed against deep groove basslines, offer a deeper perspective on the funk; the shimmering modal intensity of the title cut nods to the expansiveness of Miles Davis' "In a Silent Way,"and the blissed-out soul of "Journey's End," accentuates the wide-open engagement with lyricism that was frequently left out of the electric jazz equation during the period. Along with the other tracks here, they offer a moving, wonderfully conceived and articulated aspect of the music that has been sadly overlooked by all but the most devoted fans of the genre. ---Thom Jurek, Rovi

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01. This Time the Dream's on Me 5:49
02. Sanctuary 7:27
03. True Love 6:17
04. Lazy Afternoon 7:21
05. A Single Petal of a Rose 4:47
06. Blues for Marco 5:27
07. It Could Happen to You 7:07
08. Lotus Blossom 3:11
09. Silly Blues 5:14
10. My Ship 8:59

Larry Willis - piano solo

Larry Willis mixes standards, jazz classics, and potent originals on this solo piano release. The sessions have a late-night, ruminative flavor, starting with a loping take of "This Time the Dream's On Me." His shimmering rendition of "Lazy Afternoon" opens with a spacious improvised introduction, while he makes great use of space in his interpretation of this ballad. The Ellington-Strayhorn songbook is represented by the former's whispering "The Single Petal of a Rose" and the latter's haunting "Lotus Blossom," both played with restraint, as these timeless pieces require few embellishments. The pianist's originals are just as impressive. "Sanctuary" was written for a project that included strings, though his moving solo piano arrangement is no less moving, suggesting an idyllic, isolated beach hideaway on a clear summer afternoon. "Blues for Marco," named for his co-producer, has a whimsical air, while "Silly Blues" starts like a ballad but quickly shifts to a laid-back, closing-hour blues. Recorded over two days on a top-notch Fazioli grand piano, this solo piano CD is easily among Larry Willis' best recordings. ---Ken Dryden, Rovi

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