To the surprise of some, the Elektric/Akoustic association between Chick Corea, John Patitucci, and Dave Weckl now matched Return to Forever in longevity and productivity (five years, six albums). And the live (though no venue is given) Alive shows the giant steps made by Patitucci and, more so, Weckl during that time. In fact, at this juncture in their relationship, the bassist and drummer show distinctive musical identities that rival the bandleader himself. It makes for a sometimes uneasy musical alliance on these arrangements, solved in part by giving each player plenty of solos. (Corea's "solos" are often introductory expositions on the theme that allow him to explore the melodies and their tangential relationships in wide cuts of the white and black keys.)
Chick Corea and John McLaughlin share one of the great pedigrees in the music of the 20th century: they were both key sidemen on Miles Davis' seminal albums In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. They have played together since those heady days, as a duo or as sit-in guests. Five Peace Band was Corea's idea of putting together a dream band to play all kinds of jazz, and he approached McLaughlin. Corea chose the other members in saxophonist Kenny Garrett, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, and bassist Christian McBride.
Within the last 18 months, Chick Corea has released albums with an eight-piece Latin ensemble (Antidote with the Spanish Heart Band) and a trio (Trilogy 2 with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade). On his new album Plays, the live audience is the band. Here I am with my piano," he says in the opening track. "The piano’s tuned up all nice, but we have to tune up. Yeah, we." Corea strikes a middle A. "Ahhh," the crowd sings back with a nervous giggle. G to A. "Aaah-aaah." So on and so forth; he teases them with increasingly complicated phrases, then settles into a lovely medley of Mozart’s Piano Sonata in F and George Gershwin’s "Someone to Watch Over Me." "It feels uncomfortable to just sit up on stage, play and nod at [people]," he says in the Plays press bio. "I like people to feel like they’re in my living room and we’re hanging out."