Gadd discusses and demonstrates his own marching-band roots, his approach to the trap set, drum rudiments, and chart reading, maintaining strict tempo, practice routines and more. These are techniques that have brought him to session work with such luminaries as Paul Simon, Steely Dan, Paul McCartney, Chick Corea and many, many more.
This encounter between Chick Corea (sticking to acoustic piano), tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, bassist Eddie Gomez, and drummer Steve Gadd lives up to expectations. The program features three lengthy "Quartet" pieces, including sections dedicated to Duke Ellington and John Coltrane. This blowing date is highly recommended for true jazz fans.
A pair of early 80s fusion sets from Al Di Meola – 1980's Splendido Hotel and '82's Electric Rendezvous – in a single package! Splendido Hotel is one of the most stylistically sprawling fusion efforts we can think of – with a vibe that stretches from spacey atmosherics, to muscular riffing, to Latin and Middle Eastern influences – and that's just the in the opening track! The personnel is pretty amazing – with Eddie Colon, Jan Hammer, Les Paul and Chick Corea contribution. Includes "Alien Chase On Arabian Desert", "Silent Story In Her Eyes", "Two To Tango", "I Can Tell", "Spanish Eyes", "Bianca's Midnight Lullaby" and more. Electric Rendevous is another wildly eclectic and far reaching fusion groover from guitarist Di Meola – with a number of players from the Slendido Hotel set, including Jan Hammer, Philippe Saisse, Steve Gadd and Anthony Jackson. Titles include "God Bird Change", "Electric Rendezvous", "Cruisin'", "Ritmo De La Noche", "Jewel Inside A Dream".
A lengthy tone poem based on the L. Ron Hubbard story THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE, Chick Corea's album of the same name is an evocative excursion into jazz fusion. With the help of old friends and cohorts (Airto Moreira, Steve Gadd) and the members of his new band, Touchstone, Corea has created a sound narrative that is as enticing and image-filled as its literary inspiration.
Hubert Laws's sinuous flute and the use of palmas and auxiliary percussion give ULTIMATE ADVENTURE an exotic, Middle Eastern sound, with wisp-like phrases of melody floating above a simmering bed of rhythm. Corea's keys playing is as adventurous as ever, veering between classically-infused flourishes, hard rhythmic comping, and deliciously abstract melodies.