CHICK COREA Plays
Concord Jazz CJA00284
Chick Corea (piano)
Pianist, Chick Corea is undoubtably one of the most distinctive and creative post-bop pianists, but this does not necessarily always garner him with praise. A born eclectic Corea has a devout fan base but among critics and jazz aficionados the jury is often still out. There is no disputing his technique and knowledge of the music that he chooses to perform, but it maybe that his all-encompassing, genre straddling brand of music has meant that at times he has spread himself a little too thin, and for many, a little goes along way.
From his time with Miles in at the end of the sixties and into the seventies, he played on some of the trumpeters most dynamic pre-retirement albums. From this exposure he was able to further his own solo career with superb recordings for ECM with his solo piano improvisations and Return To Forever. His association with Gary Burton also produced outstanding albums before the excesses of jazz/rock on the work of the RTF band and some pretty bland fusion albums. Throughout, Corea would throw in some genuine masterworks, the trio with Miroslav Vitous and Roy Haynes for example, and the excellent Three Quartets album with Michael Brecker, Eddie Gomez and Steve Gadd to pick a couple, but for a good many years was in the musical wilderness, exploring a wide variety of musics rather than focusing his attention in any one discipline.
The very nature of his musical wanderlust has therefore alienated many who have perhaps branded the pianist as gifted but lacking in any real focus or direction. A line of thought that is not without some credence, but glossing over Corea's output without a bit more investigation is a little foolhardy as this wonderful 2-disc set testifies. Recorded live at several concerts, Corea plays with his usual passion and conviction, but as he does when at his best, he does not forget to take the audience with him on his journey. In fact, quite the opposite, inviting two members of the audience to sit in and jam with him, and also creating two impromptu musical portraits much to the delight of the recipients selected at random.
However, the real meat and drink in the set can be heard in some superb recitals of works from the classical world by composers Scriabin, Chopin and Mozart, along with a wonderful reading of Bill Evans' 'Waltz For Debby'. The pianist shows his love and affinity with Thelonious Monk on three of Monk's idiosyncratic compositions, 'Pannonica', 'Trinkle Tinkle', and 'Blue Monk'. It is these performances that capture Corea and his most majestic, imaginative and least flamboyant.
Of his own compositions, 'The Yellow Nimbus' dedicated to guitarist Paco De Lucia, is particularly engaging, as are the delightful selection of pieces from his 'Childrens Songs' that close the album. All in all a more than worthy addition to Corea's discography, that for many will prompt a re-evaluation of this, at times, most enigmatic of musicians.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
Concord Jazz CJA00284
Chick Corea (piano)
Pianist, Chick Corea is undoubtably one of the most distinctive and creative post-bop pianists, but this does not necessarily always garner him with praise. A born eclectic Corea has a devout fan base but among critics and jazz aficionados the jury is often still out. There is no disputing his technique and knowledge of the music that he chooses to perform, but it maybe that his all-encompassing, genre straddling brand of music has meant that at times he has spread himself a little too thin, and for many, a little goes along way.
From his time with Miles in at the end of the sixties and into the seventies, he played on some of the trumpeters most dynamic pre-retirement albums. From this exposure he was able to further his own solo career with superb recordings for ECM with his solo piano improvisations and Return To Forever. His association with Gary Burton also produced outstanding albums before the excesses of jazz/rock on the work of the RTF band and some pretty bland fusion albums. Throughout, Corea would throw in some genuine masterworks, the trio with Miroslav Vitous and Roy Haynes for example, and the excellent Three Quartets album with Michael Brecker, Eddie Gomez and Steve Gadd to pick a couple, but for a good many years was in the musical wilderness, exploring a wide variety of musics rather than focusing his attention in any one discipline.
The very nature of his musical wanderlust has therefore alienated many who have perhaps branded the pianist as gifted but lacking in any real focus or direction. A line of thought that is not without some credence, but glossing over Corea's output without a bit more investigation is a little foolhardy as this wonderful 2-disc set testifies. Recorded live at several concerts, Corea plays with his usual passion and conviction, but as he does when at his best, he does not forget to take the audience with him on his journey. In fact, quite the opposite, inviting two members of the audience to sit in and jam with him, and also creating two impromptu musical portraits much to the delight of the recipients selected at random.
However, the real meat and drink in the set can be heard in some superb recitals of works from the classical world by composers Scriabin, Chopin and Mozart, along with a wonderful reading of Bill Evans' 'Waltz For Debby'. The pianist shows his love and affinity with Thelonious Monk on three of Monk's idiosyncratic compositions, 'Pannonica', 'Trinkle Tinkle', and 'Blue Monk'. It is these performances that capture Corea and his most majestic, imaginative and least flamboyant.
Of his own compositions, 'The Yellow Nimbus' dedicated to guitarist Paco De Lucia, is particularly engaging, as are the delightful selection of pieces from his 'Childrens Songs' that close the album. All in all a more than worthy addition to Corea's discography, that for many will prompt a re-evaluation of this, at times, most enigmatic of musicians.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
