From: plank@cs.utk.edu (Jim Plank)
Newsgroups: rec.music.bluenote
Subject: Re: Chick-Round II
Date: 7 Apr 92 14:30:49 GMT
Organization: University of Tennessee, Knoxville - CS Department
NNTP-Posting-Host: booth.cs.utk.edu

In article <1992Apr7.011934.1@kean.ucs.mun.ca> ebaddour@kean.ucs.mun.ca writes:
>Second, I'm still curious about his pre elek/akoustic band stuff. 

Ok, I posted this a while ago and have changed some opinions, and updated
it a bit -- these are my opinions on the Chick Albums which I own.  Let 
me preface this with my opinion on Chick -- I think he's an incredible
talent.  When his playing is on, it's fantastic and little else beats it.
When it's off, it's lame and almost embarrassing.  Thus the range from 
5 to 1 star.  Just a general recommendation -- if you like the Elektric
Band, you'll probably also like the Return to Forever stuff -- it's kind
of a not-so-slick version of the Elektric band with more adventuresome
music.  The early 80's trio of Corea, Vituos and Haynes is kind of the
precursor to the Akoustic band, which I personally find a bit dull, but
if you like it, you'd probably do well to find these albums.

5 stars:

Piano Improvisations -- spontaneous & refreshing.  Vol 2 is a little more
  free form than vol 1.
Now He Sings, Now He Sobs -- Ditto
Crystal Silence & Duet (w/ Gary Burton).  The two complement each
  other perfectly.
Fantasy for Two Pianos -- I got this on sale from the Musical 
  Heritage Society.  The album is something like "Chick Corea and
  Friedrich Gulda play the music of Mozart, Corea and Gulda".
  I've only listened to the Corea piece, and it's really great --
  exciting, rhythmic & well-written.
RTF: Romantic Warrior -- just fantastic.  Non-tame fusion.

4 stars:

Eye of the Beholder (Elektric Band).  The band is tight and 
  everything seems to progress at a natural pace.  A solid
  album.
RTF: Hymn of the 7th Galaxy.  Things here a coarser than in 
  the elektric band, which I find to be a plus.  Another solid
  album.
An Evening with Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea.  I was really 
  looking forward to this album, but was a little disappointed.
  Some of the stuff is a little too dense (both playing too many
  notes in the same register, so it doesn't sound coherent), but
  after a few listens I liked it better.
My Spanish Heart.  This one has some really great writing and 
  playing (The Gardens, The Hilltop/Sky, Spanish Rhapsody), and
  some horrendous, god-awful lame seventies tripe.  There's about
  40 good minutes of music -- it should have been cut down to one
  album.

3 stars

Sundance -- early experimental stuff.  Good rendition of Song of
  the Wind.
Trio Live in Europe -- This is from the early 80's I think 
  when he and Vitous & Haynes got back together.  Most of the
  first side is kind of bland, a la the acoustic band, but the
  song Mirovisions is a real plus.
Three Quartets -- Nothing fantastic, but it's pretty good.
Elektric Band.  This is one of those opinion changes.  I originally
  thought the album was boring, but it it wore well with time, and I
  like it much more now.  Still not as good as Eye of the Beholder
  and the RTF stuff, but solid and enjoyable.  Tacky album cover.
Leprechaun -- This is more music in the mold of Spanish Heart.  
  Again, a bit 70's-ish, but still good moments.
Sextet & Temple of Ish...(I forgot) -- This is Chick with a classical
  quintet.  It's pretty good, but not as good as the Two Piano 
  Fantasy.  I need to listen to it more to give a full opinion.
Inner Space -- A little inconsistent, but it shows Chick as a good
  writer and early band leader.  Things aren't as controlled or as
  free as in in his later stuff.

2 stars

Akoustic Band (with T.B.C., Bessie's Blues, etc).  Not offensive,
  just unexciting.  The only song that I've ever wanted to hear
  multiple times is T.B.C.  Pretty forgettable.

1 star

Inside Out.  I've met people who like this album, but I just 
  found it dull with patches of annoyingness.
Tap Dance.  Yuck.


As a special mention, I picked up a cheap CD "Leon Bates plays
Gershwin & Corea", which has all of the Children's songs on it,
and is really enjoyable.

Take it E,

Jim Plank
plank@cs.utk.edu
or jsp@princeton.edu


Newsgroups: rec.music.bluenote