CD Details
All Artists: Chick Corea, Steven Mercurio, Original Dixieland Jazz Band, London Philharmonic Orchestra Title: Chick Corea: Corea Concerto / Spain for Sextet & Orchestra / Piano Concerto No. 1 Members Wishing: 2 Total Copies: 0 Label: Sony Original Release Date: 10/26/1999 Release Date: 10/26/1999 Album Type: Live Genres: Jazz, Pop, Classical Styles: Modern Postbebop, Vocal Jazz, Vocal Pop, Opera & Classical Vocal, Forms & Genres, Concertos, Historical Periods, Modern, 20th, & 21st Century, Symphonies Number of Discs: 1 SwapaCD Credits: 1 UPC: 074646179925 |
Synopsis
Amazon.comThe resurgence of pianist Chick Corea in the 1990s seemingly knows no bounds, as is demonstrated by his Corea.Concerto. Blending Corea's thrilling regular jazz sextet, Origin, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, this disc is Corea's second journey into classical music, after The Mozart Sessions with conductor and vocalist Bobby McFerrin. But Corea.Concerto is Corea's first original symphonic work and it's a mightily impressive debut. The disc is split into two major pieces: a bombastic, new arrangement of Corea's classic "Spain," first recorded in 1972 with Return to Forever and here featuring lengthy showcases for the members of Origin, and Corea's new "Piano Concerto No. 1," modeled after Mozart's piano concertos and featuring the Philharmonic with Origin bassist Avishai Cohen and drummer Jeff Ballard. Of the two, "Spain" is perhaps more satisfying, only because it gives more room for the members of Origin to shine and because the unusual blend of jazz sextet and symphony orchestra is achieved here to a greater effect. There are moments in Spain's "Opening and Introduction" when Corea attains a wonderful fusion of Latin rhythms, big orchestral blocks of sound that recall composers like Edgar Varese and have a jazz harmonic sensibility. The "Piano Concerto" is a more strictly classical piece that wears its Mozart influence on its sleeve, with melodies spun back and forth between piano and orchestra. --Ezra Gale
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CD Reviews
Inspired by Mozart? Chris Massa | West Chester, PA | 10/12/2000 (3 out of 5 stars) "Chick Corea is, without a doubt, one of the most inventive of all contemporary musicians. He never gives up on his quest to find new ways to express himself through music. This lead to what was, for me, one of the most unexpected releases of 1999.The CD "Corea Concerto" actually contains two pieces, the first is a remarkable arrangement of "Spain" for jazz sextet and orchestra. "Spain" is, in my opinion, one of Corea's finest jazz compositions, and it works very well with an orchestra. However, I would hestitate to call it classical. It's jazz (very good jazz, mind you) with orchestra. Perhaps the only real problem with "Spain" is that it completely outshines the "Piano Concerto." Please don't hear me incorrectly, here. I think it's wonderful for musicians to branch out and try new things. As a musician myself, I don't like boxing myself in to one specific genre. I think Corea has real potential as a classical composer, as there are some marvelous sections in the "Concerto," but overall the piece is very average. The orchestration is, albeit lush, rather uncreative, and Corea quite often seems unsure of where he's trying to go and what he's going to do once he gets there. The piece flounders and spins, occasionally being beautiful and intrinsic, but more often than not being ordinary and easily forgettable. Perhaps the most perplexing this is, for me, that Corea states in the liner notes that the piece is inspired by Mozart. While I admit to not being the world's biggest Mozart fan (I prefer Bach myself), I don't hear any Mozart here at all. Just Chick trying to write a piano concerto. But let's get this straight. I'm glad Corea decided to experiment in classical music. I just hope he (1) cleans up the act and makes something really great out of it, or (2) gives up and gets back to making great jazz instead of mediocre classical.The rating of 3 stars might be sort of harsh. "Spain" clearly deserves 4.5, maybe even 5, but it seems like the CD is mostly about the "Concerto," and that deserves 3. If I could, I would have given the CD 3.5 stars. Whatever. You get the point."
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