Chick Corea, Eddie Gomez, Airto Moreira: The Boston Three Party (2007)

2007 Japan Release. Part of the Five Trios package, this outstanding recording features Chick Corea unites with very special friends, Eddie Gomez on Bass and Return To Forever bandmate Airto Moreira on Drums and Percussion. Great Trio and kicking music. A Beautiful homage to the genius of Bill Evans. This music was recorded live on April 28, 2006 at Boston's Berkelee Performance Center.

Tracklist:

1. With a Song in My Heart

2. 500 Miles High
3. Waltz for Debby
4. Desafinado (Intro)
5. Desafinado
6. Sweet and Lovely
7. Sometime Ago (Intro)
8. Sometime Ago (Part 1)
9. Sometime Ago (Part 2)
Personnel:
Chick Corea – piano
Eddie Gomez – bass
Airto Moreira – drums
Boston Three Party-to Bill Evans
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Bobby McFerrin: Beyond Words (2002)

Creative vocalist Bobby McFerrin's return to Blue Note after a nearly ten-year absence indicates a possible desire for a return to improvised jazz, and in a way distancing himself from the classical works he had become increasingly associated with. Working again with pianist Chick Corea and producer Linda Goldstein, his 2002 album, Beyond Words, is reminiscent of the other McFerrin/Corea collaborations (Play, The Mozart Sessions), but somehow these mostly improvised works lack the spark that their previous partnerships have created. Ably backed by Corea's bright piano, Omar Hakim on drums, and Richard Bona on bass, the songs feel to be all the same texture for the most part, never reaching any kind of a peak throughout the album. Beyond Words is a moody and dark affair, with subtle layers of McFerrin's undulating vocals weaving in and out of the musical bed, but instead of sounding earthy and natural, the album is punctuated by synthesized instruments that pull the recordings dangerously close to smooth jazz territory. Unfortunately, by taking one of the most articulate players of man's earliest instrument and layering it in slick, fretless basslines and synthetic Roland XP-80 chords, it almost defeats the purpose of hearing his voice altogether. Still, it is an excellently performed and cleanly produced document of both McFerrin and Corea's abilities, ideal for gentle background textures on a night in alone. -- AMG

Tracklist:
01. Invocation (Goldstein/McFerrin) — 7:10
02. Kalimba Suite (McFerrin) — 3:40
03. A Silken Road (McFerrin) — 4:28
04. Fertile Field (Goldstein/McFerrin) — 5:44
05. Dervishes (McFerrin) — 2:15
06. Ziggurat (Goldstein/McFerrin) — 5:20
07. Sisters (McFerrin) — 1:22
08. Circlings (McFerrin) — 1:14
09. Chanson (McFerrin) — 1:30
10. Windows (Corea) — 4:01
11. Marlowe (McFerrin) — 4:08
12. Mass (McFerrin) — 2:40
13. Pat & Joe (McFerrin) — 2:11
14. Taylor Made (McFerrin) — 4:22
15. A Piece, a Chord (McFerrin) — 3:46
16. Monks/The Shepherd (McFerrin) — 2:48
Beyond Words
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Chick Corea: Rendezvous in New York (2003) [2 cd]

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." The second disc is also full of great music, though disc one clearly gets the edge, with the possible exception of the virtuoso duo piano interpretation with Gonzalo Rubalcaba of the same medley performed with McFerrin on the first CD. It is safe to say that no fan of Chick Corea will be disappointed with this wide-ranging compilation of live music, and itis also a great starting point for those not familiar with his voluminous works. Highly recommended.

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Rendezvous (RS) / Rendezvous (HF) vbr