Chick Corea was a musical chameleon. He thrived in a multitude of musical assemblages, as The Montreux Years attempts to show. This recording leans heavily toward Corea’s acoustic side, as it features six different ensembles, all acoustic save the famed Elektric Band.
Even the one pugged-in cut – “Interlude” – is less a vehicle for Chick Corea’s synthesizer or Frank Gambale’s electric guitar than one might expect. It really is less a composition to attract ears than an audience singalong that, as its name suggests, serves as an interlude during a performance. So it’s difficult to determine why it was included rather than another choice.
What’s on The Montreux Years beyond that is the Akoustic Band, Freedom Band, Chick Corea Quartet, the New Trio, and one selection of Corea solo with the Bavarian Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra. That last is perhaps the best, which is not meant to deride the other performances, but it joyfully demonstrates a side of the pianist and composer that typically wasn’t as noted. That’s too bad, as “America (Continentals Pt. 4)” is lively and perfectly integrates the jazz and classical idioms, something decidedly difficult to do. Corea’s playing with and against the strings and winds is fascinating and also deeply moving.
Of course, that’s true of most all of his playing, whatever the setting and band. “Fingerprints,” which opens the recording with his New Trio, finds him dancing around the keys but never losing focus, with great drumming by Jeff Ballard. “Bud Powell” features the Freedom Band, including a scintillating solo by saxophonist Kenny Garrett. “Who’s Inside the Piano?” is by his quartet with John Patitucci, Bob Berg and Gary Novak. But really, every cut features an all-star band, led by perhaps the most versatile and fearless musician of his time.
And really, expecting a single disc to showcase all the facets of Corea’s career is asking too much. Heck, he couldn’t do that with the three-disc set The Musician from his month-long residency at the Blue Note celebrating Chick Corea’s 70th birthday, with a vast array of bands and performers – including Herbie Hancock, Bobby McFerrin, Wynton Marsalis, John McLaughlin and Stanley Clarke among many others.
So take The Montreux Years for what it is, and enjoy.
- Dave Bainbridge of Downes Braide Association: The Albums That Shaped My Career - October 9, 2024
- Greg Cahill of Special Consensus: Albums That Shaped My Career - September 16, 2024
- Narada Michael Walden: The Albums That Shaped My Career - September 9, 2024
