Chick Corea

Chick Corea's Elektric Band II found bassist John Patitucci, drummer Dave Weckl and guitarist Frank Gambale going out on their own and being replaced by Jimmy Earl, Gary Novak and Mike Miller. Saxophonist Eric Marienthal was the only sideman from the first Elektric Band to stick with Corea. Although the new members are not as distinctive as their predecessors, the high-quality material played on this release (which includes Jimmy Heath's "CTA," "Blue Miles" and a variety of Corea originals) is very jazz-oriented and occasionally there are straightahead sections. This set is recommended even to listeners who have not yet acquired a taste for fusion.

The Chick Corea Elektric Band (1986). Nine years after the breakup of the final version of Return to Forever, Chick Corea ended a long period of freelance projects by forming his Elektrik Band. This set, the group's initial release, finds Corea meeting up for the first time with the great bassist John Patitucci and drummer Dave Weckl; half of the selections also have either Carlos Rios or Scott Henderson on guitar. Due to the high musicianship, the personalities of the players, and Corea's colorful compositions, the Elektrik Band quickly became one of the top fusion groups of the late '80s…

This may not be the ultimate Chick Corea collection, but fans aren't likely to find a better one on video anytime soon. A near-complete portrait of the legendary pianist's non-fusion career is captured on the 10-DVD Rendezvous In New York boxed set, featuring performances from his three-week run of reunion concerts at the New York's Blue Note in 2003 to celebrate his 60th birthday. Those craving more after hearing the Grammy-nominated double-CD released that year under the same name will find the extended material equally satisfying. It also stands commendably on its own as a showcase for some of the most talented musicians from the past 25 years including Bobby McFerrin, Roy Haynes, Gary Burton, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride, Michael Brecker, Steve Gadd and John Patitucci.

Chick’s brilliant trio album from 1968, Now He Sings, Now He Sobs is held in the same kind of rarefied esteem as the classic Bill Evans trio sessions. One listen will tell you why …. the exquisite interplay between Chick, Czech bassist Miroslav Vitous and drum master Roy Haynes make it abundantly clear why this album has achieved such legendary status among jazz piano trio recordings…

2013's Trilogy showcased the engaging collaboration between pianist Chick Corea, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade. Virtuoso leaders in their own right, Corea, McBride, and Blade found common ground as a trio, exploring a mix of sophisticated standards as well as originals culled from Corea's extensive book. The album cracked the Top Ten of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart and earned two Grammys, including for Best Jazz Instrumental Album. The super-trio's follow-up, 2018's Trilogy 2, features further in-concert performances captured during their various tours between 2010 and 2016 in places like Ottawa, Bologna, Zurich, and St. Louis…

'The Montreux Years' showcases some of the legendary pianist's remarkable Montreux Jazz Festival live performances. The set includes brand new liner notes, as well as rare photos from his Montreux shows. Combos featured include Chick Corea Quartet, Chick Corea New Trio, Chick Corea Freedom Band, Chick Corea Akoustic Band, and Chick Corea Elektric Band, plus an appearance by The Bavarian Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra.

This 2CD set by Chick Corea - recorded in Quebec - contains several tracks called Chick Talks. During the first, he explains, "I have to begin by getting a feel for this piano…I have no plan for this evening", so I was prepared for free improvisations and a scholarly lecture. But when Corea says "Welcome to my living room" we are transported from the concert hall to an intimate solo recital that is coloured by his relaxed, conversational introductions. How Deep is the Ocean? eventually emerges empirically from a collection of apparently unrelated phrases, after which Corea comments, "I don’t know where that came from". Although there is a lot of improvisation in this piece, all of the other pieces are premeditated. Corea prefaces each batch of tunes with background details and personal reminiscences.

This LP features pianist Chick Corea, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Barry Altschul during the brief period that, along with Anthony Braxton, they were members of the fine avant-garde quartet Circle. The music heard on this set is not quite as free as Circle's but often very explorative. Four of the six songs are Corea originals which, in addition to Holland's "Vedana" and Wayne Shorter's "Nefertiti," form a very viable set of adventurous jazz, recorded just a few months before Corea changed direction.