Name: Best of Chick Corea
Brand: Blue Note Records
SKU: 336628
Availability: OutOfStock

Tracks

Performer Notes

Personnel: Chick Corea (piano); Jerry Dodgion (alto saxophone); Junior Cook (tenor saxophone); Blue Mitchell (trumpet); Julian Priester (trombone); Gene Taylor, Miroslav Vitous, Dave Holland (bass); Mickey Roker, Roy Haynes, Barry Altschul (drums).
Producers: Alfred Lion, Sonny Lester.
Compilation producer: Michael Cuscuna.
Engineers: Rudy Van Gelder, Don Hahn, Tony May.
Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on November 17, 1966 and A&R Studios, New York, New York in March 1968 and April 1970. Includes liner notes by Tom Evered.
Personnel: Chick Corea (piano); Junior Cook (tenor saxophone); Blue Mitchell (trumpet); Julian Priester (trombone); Mickey Roker, Roy Haynes, Barry Altschul (drums).
Liner Note Author: Tom Evered.
Recording information: A&R Studios, New York, NY (11/17/1966-04/??/1970); Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (11/17/1966-04/??/1970).
Photographer: Francis Wolff.
Arranger: Duke Pearson.
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

Professional Reviews

Down Beat (Oct./93, p.34) - 5 Stars - Excellent - "...lives up to its title, charting the pianist's artistic heyday from his mid '60's stint with Blue Mitchell to his 1970 collaboration with [Dave] Holland and [Barry] Altschul...simply brilliant...[Corea] scampers with delicate intensity, hinting at wistful moods yet to come without a trace of sentimentality..."

Album: Best of Chick Corea
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Straight Up and Down
2)	Tones for Joan's Bones
3)	Matrix
4)	My One and Only Love
5)	Windows
6)	Samba Yantra
7)	Pannonica
8)	Now He Sings, Now He Sobs
9)	Toy Room
10)	Blues Connotation
11)	Nefertiti

Album: Best of Chick Corea
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Straight Up and Down
2)	Tones for Joan's Bones
3)	Matrix
4)	My One and Only Love
5)	Windows
6)	Samba Yantra
7)	Pannonica
8)	Now He Sings, Now He Sobs
9)	Toy Room
10)	Blues Connotation
11)	Nefertiti