Chick Corea Steve Gadd

He may be in his mid-sixties, but pianist Chick Corea hasn’t slowed down in the least. In the past five years there’s been a monumental three-week run at New York’s Blue Note, focusing a bright light on acoustic ensembles past and present and beautifully documented on the ten-DVD set Rendezvous in New York (Image Entertainment, 2005).

A tribute album "Spirit of Chick Corea" by allies who continue their musical journey with Chick Corea's spirits. Steve Gadd Under his production, Japan's proud international marimba player Mika Stoltzman has finally completed a masterpiece of the soul spun with musicians related to Chick Corea!

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.

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.

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.

One of Chick Corea's most ambitious projects was the recording of almost 60 hours of music with nine different groups over a three-week run at the Blue Note in December 2001; it must have been a challenge to choose the dozen performances for this two-CD set. The first disc begins with scat singer par excellence Bobby McFerrin joining the pianist to scat his way through three selections, including a stunning medley of an excerpt from Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez" and Corea's "Spain." Bassist Miroslav Vitous and ageless drummer Roy Haynes provide the pulse to his extended work "Matrix." Corea's well-crafted tribute to Bud Powell, with Terence Blanchard and Joshua Redman in the front line, combines two of Powell's greatest works, "Glass Enclosure" and "Tempus Fugit." But Corea is at his most lyrical when old friend Gary Burton joins him to revisit the pianist's masterpiece, the shimmering "Crystal Silence."

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.