1-1 	Very Early 	9:13
1-2 	How Insensitive 	7:37
1-3 	Déja Vu 	9:01
1-4 	Fool On The Hill 	6:46
1-5 	Humpty Dumpty 	7:50
1-6 	Bolivar Blues 	8:45
2-1 	Windows 	7:45
2-2 	Old Castle 	14:56
2-3 	Summertime 	8:50
2-4 	Place To Be 	8:12
2-5 	Do Mo -Children's Song #12 	13:02
2-6 	Concierto De Aranjuez/Spain 	12:11

Chick Corea, Hiromi Uehara – piano (Yamaha)

When Chick Corea invited a then 17-year-old pianist, Hiromi Uehara, to improvise alongside him at the 1996 Tokyo Jazz Festival, it said as much about her already prodigious talent as it did about her confidence. Hiromi has, of course, since earned a world-wide reputation as an exhilarating improviser and performer. Corea, a veteran of over a hundred recordings, has been enjoying a wave of critical acclaim in recent times, almost without precedent in his long and stellar career. So the stage was nicely set when the two reconvened eleven years after their first meeting in the more intimate surroundings of the Blue Note Jazz Club, Tokyo to record the music contained on this double CD.

Two piano virtuosos unleashed simultaneously can be sonically challenging, but thankfully, the duo avoids falling into the trap of trying to compete with each other, and refrains from displaying all their wares at once. Instead, we are treated to graceful, lyrical, and occasionally boisterous interpretations of a familiar set of tunes.

The set list, whilst not overly adventurous, is nicely harmonious; Bill Evans' "Very Early" segues beautifully into the Jobim/De Moraes favorite "How Insensitive," which is in turn followed by the Hiromi's "Déjà Vu." Lyricism runs through these three compositions like a current, forming a kind of triad; that Hiromi's composition fits so snugly reminds us that she is not only a great pianist, but a notable composer.

The flow of ideas back on forth transmitted through the two Yamaha pianos is never less than engaging. Virtuosity is a given, but what impresses is how closely the two pianists listen to each other, finishing each other's lines, playing harmonious improvised unison lines, or playing sympathetic counterpoint. There are plenty of dazzling runs too, not least on the fifteen-minute workout "Old Castle by the river, in the middle of a forest."

A lively, somewhat grand interpretation of Lennon and McCartney's "Fool on the Hill" is followed by a funky take on Thelonious Monk's "Bolivar Blues," which features some very nimble give-and-take improvisation and points up the singularity of Monk as a composer in any era. An energetic rendition of a barely recognizable "Summertime" is a vehicle for extended soloing; the remainder of the tunes are originals.

Almost inevitably the set closes with Corea's calling card "Spain," with the familiar intro of Joaquin Rodrigo's 1939 masterpiece of modern classical music, "Concierto de Aranjuez." It is however, Corea's other compositions which stand out. The lovely "Windows" is an album highlight, and the dissonance of "Humpty Dumpty" and "Do Mo" provide tension, contrasting nicely with the stylistic uniformity of the rest of the tunes—the former with a cartoon-caper energy, the flurry of swirling, crashing notes and fractured rhythms sound as though the fabled king's men are jumping up and down on poor Humpty.

This is serious yet joyous music which demands and repays close listening. In time, Duet will take its place in the pantheon of historically significant recordings. In the meantime, just enjoy. ---Ian Patterson, allaboutjazz.com

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1. Senorita (Corea) - (5:20)
2. Spectacle (Fleck) - (4:40)
3. Joban Dna Nopia (Corea) - (6:28)
4. Mountain (Fleck) - (3:53)
5. Children’s Song #6 (Corea) - (4:02)
6. A Strange Romance (Fleck) - (4:46)
7. Menagerie (Fleck) - (5:53)
8. Waltse for Abby (Fleck) - (3:02)
9. Brazil (Barroso & Russell) - (5:58)		play
10. The Enchantment (Corea) - (5:39)		play
11. Sunset Road (Fleck) - (4:36)

Chick Corea: piano; 
Bela Fleck: banjo.

It is not obvious that music is always musical. Formulaic repetition of past innovations quickly become recognizably trite and, to most ears, off-putting. The duo setting presses a brutal honesty between musicians that has historically not only kept curdled tendencies at bay but has also pushed forth innovation. Jazz musicians of the finest reputation, including guitarists Jim Hall, Joe Pass and Pat Metheny, and pianists Bill Evans and Brad Mehldau, have forged platinum grails of the jazz tradition in this setting. Pianist Chick Corea and banjoist Béla Fleck's The Enchantment is certainly no aberration.

Like the most successful duo pairings, Corea and Fleck burnish their well-deserved credentials through sensitivity. The careful inter-instrumental echoes of the melody on Corea's "Joban Dna Nopia is an impressive example of the musical relationship rather than what the album could have been—a mere amalgamation of two musical giants stomping through tunes together but separately.

And yet, much to the album's benefit, the pair stretches past mere harmonious collaboration to make this record an arresting success. From Appalachan tip-toeing to ponderous laments and striding sambas, The Enchantment's stylistic variety is scintillating and harmonically titillating. The album possesses a wider reach and accessibility than it otherwise would have as an esoteric product of musical brilliance. The record is immensely listenable while also being immeasurably intriguing.

While the album's most laudable merits are earned collectively, Corea and Fleck's individual playing is just stunning. Corea shines forth in his proclivity to drift convincingly between jazz accompaniment, Brazilian musings, and fluttering improvisation. Fleck's right-hand alacrity is as mesmerizing as his gargantuan melodic presence.

As is the case with the most magnificent duo performances, each musician brings a career's worth of experience and innovation to these eleven tracks. The fusion of these two luminaries on this one disc is just as fascinating a result as it is an idea. Anyone with a musical palate—a sense for the beauty of consummate musical expression—will find this record, in many ways, a perfect synthesis of two of the greatest American musical traditions. One could not ask for a more shining and worthy project. ---Stephen Wood, allaboutjazz.com

Although this musical collaboration by pianist Chick Corea and banjoist Béla Fleck is pleasant enough on the surface, it suffers from an uncomfortable, oil-and-water conflict in the admixture, particularly when the pair works over tunes written by Fleck. When they play Corea’s material the two seem mostly in accord, although Fleck is more adaptable, an essential element in duet get-togethers. The pianist’s previous duo efforts in the jazz vein—notably with Gary Burton and Herbie Hancock—largely succeeded because the musicians shared a predisposition toward jazz. That is not the case in this outing: Although Fleck does incorporate jazz into the eclectic music he makes with his band the Flecktones, it is not his regular beat, and that shows here.

Fleck and Corea have worked together on previous album projects, but this is their first full-scale effort at dueting. The blend fits on the opening “Senorita” by Corea and continues to work with Fleck’s “Spectacle,” then spins somewhat aimlessly on the pianist’s “Joban Dna Nopia.” The most notable flaws are on the banjoist’s “Mountain,” on which Corea seems out of his element. Corea’s “Children’s Song No. 6” works well, but “A Strange Romance,” the first of three consecutive Fleck tunes, after a promising beginning, turns too delicate and ultimately goes the way of baroque parlor music. Fleck’s “Menagerie” and “Waltse for Abby” find the pair in an adequate zone. “Brazil,” the only work not written by either participant, goes nowhere, but at least does so in a fairly attractive fashion. The title track by Corea and Fleck’s “Sunset Road” are fitting closers, in a somewhat similar mood. “A Strange Romance” might have been a better album title than The Enchantment. ---Will Smith, jazztimes.com

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01. Love castle
02. Waltz for debby
03. Can't we be frineds?
04. Strange meadow lark
05. Hot house
06. Alegria
07. Crystal silence
08. Chega de saudade
09. Eleanor Rigby
10. Mozart goes dancing
11. Blue monk - encore
12. Armando's rumba – encore

Chick Corea - Yamaha grand piano, vibraphone (12)
Gary Burton – vibraphone

Seoul, Soth Korea, June 14,2014

Chick Corea and Gary Burton are two exquisite musicians, who in their duets have found a way to channel their talents into a performance both unified by their sensibilities and singular in their contributions. Both men took turns introducing numbers with self-deprecating humor, Corea unfolding voluminous charts of new arrangements, as if to belie the supposition that all jazz is improvised.

The so-called standards were less old chestnuts than nods to their musical antecedents, from Mozart to Bud Powell to Lennon/McCartney. “Can’t We Be Friends” was a tune performed by Art Tatum and, while not familiar to the audience, gave Corea an opportunity to demonstrate his chops, which at age 70 are not in the slightest bit diminished.

It was interesting to note their different relationship to Beatles music, Corea explaining that he was barely aware of them, ensonced in Trane and Bird and Miles in the ‘60s, while Burton attended the Beatles’ famous 1965 Shea Stadium concert. When Corea announced the next tune as a Lennon/McCartney number, you could sense the anticipation as they worked their way through an opening bridge, which revealed the familiar chords to “Eleanor Rigby.” Burton led the way with a sometimes jarring line that still managed to retain the essential theme of loneliness, implicit even without the lyrics.

The perfect coda to the evening was the encore, this time devoid of charts. Corea and Burton fell easily into a joyous version of “Blue Monk.” There were no intricate arrangements here, just the two of them riffing as if it was a late night jam session. --- Michael Katz, irom.wordpress.com

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CD1
01. Raju
02. The Disguise
03. New Blues, Old Bruise
04. Hymn To Andromeda

CD2
01. Dr. Jackle
02. Senior C.S.
03. In A Silent Way It's About That Time
04. Someday My Prince Will Come

Vinnie Colaiuta 	- Drums
Chick Corea - Arranger, Keyboards, Piano, Producer
Kenny Garrett - Saxophone
Herbie Hancock - Piano
Christian McBride - Bass (Acoustic), Bass (Electric)
John McLaughlin - Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Producer

Chick Corea and John McLaughlin share one of the great pedigrees in the music of the 20th century: they were both key sidemen on Miles Davis' seminal albums In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. They have played together since those heady days, as a duo or as sit-in guests. Five Peace Band was Corea's idea of putting together a dream band to play all kinds of jazz, and he approached McLaughlin. Corea chose the other members in saxophonist Kenny Garrett, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, and bassist Christian McBride. The group toured for nearly a year following Corea's Return to Forever reunion tour, and this double CD was compiled from that jaunt. It's true that on paper supergroups are suspicious offerings. Not so here. This band includes three younger -- yet veteran -- musicians who team wonderfully with the two legends on this set. Of the eight pieces included here, five are originals -- three by McLaughlin and a pair by Corea -- along with Davis' "In a Silent Way/It's About That Time" (with Herbie Hancock guesting), Jackie McLean's "Dr. Jackle," and a reading of the standard "Someday My Prince Will Come" (a duet between pianist and guitarist that elegantly closes disc two). McLaughlin's compositions are fairly recent; they were recorded with his 4th Dimension group on his excellent Floating Point and Industrial Zen albums. As one can imagine, this material is played here the way it was there -- only more so -- as extremely engaging 21st century electric fusion. His other piece, "Señor C.S.," is reimagined from the studio version on Industrial Zen. Here it is played harder and faster yet gives away none of its Latin groove, and instead comes off as a new, much more technically ambitious mutation of samba.

It should be noted that the rhythm section here is nothing less than startling. McBride is equally at home on an electric bass, and his sense of fire, funkiness, and dynamic range is in every note. Colaiuta is simply one of the most talented and exciting drummers out there, and creates an art form of dressing his timekeeping in impeccable and imaginative ways. Corea's tunes are closer to something resembling mainstream jazz -- though the gorgeous and lengthy (it clocks in at over 27 minutes) "Hymn to Andromeda" moves gradually and beautifully to the outside, with beautiful playing by Garrett and McLaughlin, who can still handle non-fusion material with invention, restraint, and taste. Disc two begins with an odd, idiosyncratic reading of McLean's "Dr. Jackle" as an attempt to stretch hard bop toward something (via Corea's arrangement) -- but what it is, isn't quite clear. The version of "In a Silent Way/It's About That Time" with Hancock is the album's high point. He plays an electric piano and creates the necessary incantatory vibe in the ethereal, soft, speculative beginning for Corea to simply caress into being. McLaughlin just floats about as an accompanist to the keys, and when he does play single lines, they become hesitant, soft, direction-pointing exercises toward what is to come. When the tune splits and becomes more aggressive in the latter half, the band gels and he finds himself in the maelstrom as the two keyboardists vie for dominance and the rhythm section creates a sense of pulse and excitement. His solo is brief and to the point yet full of knots and turns -- his trading lines with Garrett is especially tantalizing. Five Peace Band re-creates an extremely ambitious and beautifully executed gig, where all players were firing on all cylinders. ---Thom Jurek, allmusic.com

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1	Antidote	9:14
2	Duende	10:13
3	The Yellow Nimbus - Part 1	5:47
4	The Yellow Nimbus - Part 2	5:57
5	Prelude To My Spanish Heart	1:11
6	My Spanish Heart	6:57
7	Armando’s Rhumba	8:02
8	Desafinado	5:04
9	Zyryab	11:56
10	Pas de Deux	1:40
11	Admiration	8:29

Bass – Carlitos Del Puerto
Drums – Marcus Gilmore
Flute, Saxophone – Jorge Pardo
Guitar – Niño Josele
Percussion – Luisito Quintero
Piano, Keyboards – Chick Corea
Tap Dance – Nino De Los Reyes
Trombone – Steve Davis (7)
Trumpet – Michael Rodriguez
Vocals – Gayle Moran (tracks: 5, 6), Maria Bianca (tracks: 8), Ruben Blades (tracks: 1, 6)

Antidote is a completely forward-thinking album, yet its roots date to the 1960s, near the beginning of his career when he played in the bands of Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo. During this period, he encountered the great Latin bandleaders of the era including Machito, Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, and Eddie Palmieri. In 1972, he penned the iconic composition "Spain," inspired by Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez. In 1976, Corea issued his milestone My Spanish Heart, that married fusion to Latin music. In 1982, he delivered another landmark with the Latin-tinged offering Touchstone, which featured flamenco master Paco De Lucia, and in 1990, Corea played on his Zyryab. The Spanish Heart Band is anchored by bassist Carlitos del Puerto, drummer Marcus Gilmore, and percussionist Luisito Quintero. Frontline players include nuevo flamenco/jazz guitarist Nino Josele, flutist and saxophonist Jorge Pardo (a longtime member of de Lucia's group), trumpeter Michael Rodriguez, and trombonist Steve Davis. There are also three guest vocalists: Panamanian salsero Ruben Blades, Brazilian singer/songwriter Maria Bianca, who delivers an elegant read of Tom Jobim's "Desafinado," and Corea's life partner, Gayle Moran Corea (who sings the entire choir part on "My Spanish Heart").

The material on Antidote includes work from the pianist's back catalog, a classical piece, and new compositions. The opening title was penned for Blades, who delivers it with class, conviction, and elegance. It's a meld of salsa and flamenco with Corea's piano, brass, and spiky percussion leading the singer. Josele nails a tight, fluid solo, followed by synth and then sharp, polyrhythmic piano montunos underscored by a smoking trombone break. The revisioned "Duende" (originally from Touchstone) is languid, ushered in by dark minor chords and shakers and spiraling along a newly harmonized melody line. Another Touchstone number, "The Yellow Nimbus," is in two parts with shining interplay between the pianist, percussionist, and guitarist before Pardo's moaning flute solo transports the listener to another time and place. Blades appears again on a reworked "My Spanish Heart," with Corea on acoustic and electric keyboards, percussion, a driving bassline, and a trap kit. "Armando's Rumba," also from My Spanish Heart, is recontextualized with a post-bop horn chart in a piano-driven fusion of salsa and flamenco, kissed by emotive trumpet and guitar breaks. The other covers include De Lucia's "Zyryab," with glorious flute and piano interplay. Igor Stravinsky's "Pas De Deux" features an excavated harmony that joins it to the album's material. Closer "Admiration" was written for this band; it's performed with a lithe Latin jazz groove and highlights Pardo's flute, Quintero's syncopated palmas (handclaps), Josele's sweeping guitar, and guest flamenco dancer Nino de los Reyes. Corea has been on a near-prolific roll over the past decade, but Antidote, his 99th album, stands with the finest recordings in his entire career. ---Thom Jurek, allmusic.com

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01 It Could Happen To You (Jimmy van Heusen)
02 Desafinado (Antonio Carlos Jobim)
03 Turn Out The Stars (Bill Evans)
04 Very Early (Bill Evans)
05 Work (Thelonious Monk)
06 Pasttime Paradise (Stevie Wonder)
07 Mazurka in A-Moll, Op.17. No.4 (Frederic Chopin)
08 The Dortmund Choir (Chick Corea)
09 Portrait #2 - Vilnius (Chick Corea)
10 The Yellow Nimbus (Chick Corea)
11 Improvisation (Chick Corea/ Marialy Pacheco)
12 Improvisation II (Chick Corea/ Igor Zavatckii)
13 Children's Songs (Chick Corea)
14 Armando's Rhumba (Chick Corea)

Chick Corea: Solo Piano

Germany Konzerthaus Klavier-Festival Ruhr 2014, 2014-05-21

When the legendary artist Chick Corea recorded Piano Improvisations on the ECM label in 1971, he was the first jazz pianist of his era to release such a recording. This groundbreaking album literally opened the floodgates to a new genre of solo piano that continues strong today.

In 2014, Chick will be releasing a new solo CD and embarking upon a world tour with a presentation that is as fresh and innovative as ever. With a perfect balance of in-the-moment improvisation, Corea Classics, jazz standards, classical renderings and the inimitable “Children’s Songs,” it is a must-see concert if there ever was one.

The CD derives from something Chick occasionally includes in his solo shows — when the spirit moves him. The artist asks for volunteers from the typically packed house, sits them down one at a time next to the piano and proceeds to paint a musical “portrait” unique to each individual. It’s uncanny how the personality of the person is captured in Chick’s improvisations. --- blumenthalarts.org

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1. Allegretto – Piano Concerto No. 24
2. Continent Of America
3. Continent Of Asia

Tim Garland - saxophone, flute, bass clarinet
Hans Glawischnig - bass
Marcus Gilmore - drums
Bavarian Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra
Chick Corea - piano, conductor

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1. Straight Up And Down (Corea) - 6:30
2. Tones For Joan's Bones (Corea) - 6:30
3. Matrix (Corea) - 6:25
4. My One And Only Love (Melin-Wood) - 3:35		play
5. Windows (Corea) - 3:09
6. Samba Yantra (Corea) - 2:39
7. Pannonica (Monk) - 2:58		play
8. Now He Sings, Now He Sobs (Corea) - 7:05
9. Toy Room (Holland) - 5:51
10. Blues Connotation (Coleman) - 7:17
11. Nefretiti (Shorter) - 7:05

Track 1
Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA
November 17, 1966
Blue Mitchell - trumpet
Julian Preister - trombone
Jerry Dodgion - sax alto
Junior Cook - sax tenor
Chick Corea - piano
Gene Taylor - bass
Mickey Roker - drums

Track 2
Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA
November 17, 1966
Blue Mitchell - trumpet
Julian Preister - trombone
Jerry Dodgion - sax alto
Junior Cook - sax tenor
Chick Corea - piano
Gene Taylor - bass
Mickey Roker - drums

Track 3
Recorded at A&R Studios, NYC, NY, USA
March 1968
Chick Corea - piano
Miroslav Vitous - bass
Roy Haynes - drums

Track 4
Recorded at A&R Studios, NYC, NY, USA
March 1968
Chick Corea - piano
Miroslav Vitous - bass
Roy Haynes - drums

Track 5
Recorded at A&R Studios, NYC, NY, USA
March 1968
Chick Corea - piano
Miroslav Vitous - bass
Roy Haynes - drums

Track 6
Recorded at A&R Studios, NYC, NY, USA
March 1968
Chick Corea - piano
Miroslav Vitous - bass
Roy Haynes - drums

Track 7
Recorded at A&R Studios, NYC, NY, USA
March 1968
Chick Corea - piano
Miroslav Vitous - bass
Roy Haynes - drums

Track 8
Recorded at A&R Studios, NYC, NY, USA
March 1968
Chick Corea - piano
Miroslav Vitous - bass
Roy Haynes - drums

Track 9
Recorded at A&R Studios, NYC, NY, USA
April 1970
Chick Corea - piano
Dave Holland - bass
Barry Altschul - drums

Track 10
Recorded at A&R Studios, NYC, NY, USA
April 1970
Chick Corea - piano
Dave Holland - bass
Barry Altschul - drums
Track 11
Recorded at A&R Studios, NYC, NY, USA
April 1970
Chick Corea - piano
Dave Holland - bass
Barry Altschul – drums

When Chick Corea was an up-and-coming modern acoustic jazz pianist, he recorded for the Atlantic, Blue Note, and Solid State labels, producing Now He Sings, Now He Sobs, Song of Singing, and Inner Space. These three sessions, mostly trio dates with drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Miroslav Vitous, signified Corea as a strong melodicist, inventive composer, and deft player. For those who wish to discover Corea before he turned on the electricity, this is an excellent place to start. Originals such as "Straight Up and Down," "Tones for Joan's Bones," "Matrix," "Windows," and "Toy Room" show a challenging side of Corea that made him noticeable and unique. Occasionally, a larger ensemble does crop up here and there. Although his sessions for the Groove Merchant label -- dates with drummer Pete La Roca and the pivotal Is recording where he switched to the Fender Rhodes piano -- are not included, this is still a fascinating overview of where he was heading, especially considering his much edgier creative improvising work that followed with the A.R.C. trio and Anthony Braxton's Circle, prior to Return to Forever. It's highly recommended music from a burgeoning master. --- Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide

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01. The Woods - 4:23
02. Tweedle Dee - 1:08
03. The Trial - 1:39
04. Humpty Dumpty - 6:27
05. Prelude To Falling Alice - 1:19
06. Falling Alice (lyrics by Gayle Moran) - 8:14
07. Tweedle Dum - 2:50
08. Dear Alice (lyrics by Gayle Moran) - 13:07
09. The Mad Hatter Rhapsody - 10:41

- Chick Corea - acoustic piano, Fender rhodes, Mini-moog, Poly Moog, Moog 15,
 Moog Sample and Hold, Arp Odyssey, Oberheim 8 Voice, MXR Digital Delay,
 Eventide Harmonizer, marimba, finger cymbals, African Shaker, cow bell, vocals
- Herbie Hancock - Fender rhodes (06,09)
- Gayle Moran - vocals
- Steve Gadd, Harvey Mason - drums
- Eddie Gomez, Jamie Faunt - acoustic bass
- Joe Farrell - tenor saxophone, flute, piccolo
- John Thomas - lead trumpet
- Stuart Blumberg, John Rosenberg - trumpet
- Ron Moss - trombone
- Charles Veal Jr. - 1st violin
- Kenneth Yerke - 2nd violin
- Denyse Buffum, Michael Nowack - viola
- Dennis Karmazyn – cello

This post-Return to Forever Chick Corea LP is a bit of a mixed bag. Corea is heard on his many keyboards during an atmospheric "The Woods," interacts with a string section on "Tweedle Dee," features a larger band plus singer Gayle Moran on a few other songs and even welcomes fellow keyboardist Herbie Hancock for the "Mad Hatter Rhapsody." The most interesting selection, a quartet rendition of "Humpty Dumpty" with tenorman Joe Farrell set the stage for his next project, Friends. Overall, this is an interesting and generally enjoyable release. ---Scott Yanow, allmusic.com

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1 Toy Room
2 Ballad I
3 Rhymes
4 Flesh
5 Ballad III
6 Nefertitti

Chick Corea – piano
Dave Holland – bass (fiddle)
Barry Altschul – drums

This LP features the rhythm section of Circle (pianist Chick Corea, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Barry Altschul) playing rather advanced improvisations on group originals (highlighted by Holland's "Toy Room") and "Nefertiti." Influenced by the early Art Ensemble of Chicago, this music is rather free and avant-garde but rewards close listenings. ---Scott Yanow, allmusic.com

"The Song Of Singing" by Chick Corea is quite simply one of the greatest jazz trio albums of all-time. In my estimation, it ranks up there with classics like Bill Evans' Village Vanguard recordings, Monk's "Genius of Modern Music" volumes, "The Amazing Bud Powell" volumes, The Art Tatum "Group Masterpieces," and Paul Bley's "Closer." I know these albums cover a wide array of jazz styles, but what they all have in common is unparalleled musical creation and improvisation for their time. "The Song Of Singing," recorded for Blue Note in 1970, features the stellar trio of Corea, Dave Holland and Barry Altschul, and these three were a major musical force. In a few months they would join saxophonist Anthony Braxton to form the short-lived, but phenomenal avant-garde group Circle. (When Corea left Circle for the fusion group Return To Forever, Braxton, Holland and Altschul continued to play together through the mid 70s, most notably on Braxton's "Dortmund 1976" and Holland's "Conference For The Birds.") Unfortunately, the Circle titles, and of course this Corea disc, are now out of print domestically.

Luckily, "The Song Of Singing" is still available as an import. However, as with most Japanese RVG titles, this version mirrors the original vinyl release, so you don't get the three bonus tracks that were included on the domestic release -- Ornette's "Blues Connotation," "Ballad II," and the lengthy, wild, free jazz tune, "Drone." What you do get is six inventive compositions performed by a trio that, once the song's theme is stated, just takes off into the farthest reaches of collective improvisation. But these three listen to each other very carefully, and as a result the solos soar together like a flock of swallows -- diving and turning suddenly, but always in unison. This is truly a group recording and not Corea with a rhythm section. It is a pleasure to behold! This "Song" is well worth singing. --- Michael Brad Richman, amazon.com

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