Chick has amazing keyboard technique coupled with a limitless musical imagination. He sure keeps a lot of us would be jazz pianists humble! Love these particular renditions of "Spain" and "How Deep is the Ocean". Great work by the rhythm sections - in particular the volcanic support supplied by John Patitucci and Dave Weckl.
I saw the Electric Band in 2001 Paramount Theater Denver. Jimmy Earl on bass. During the track CTA, Jimmy and Chick has about 2 minutes of empathy that I've rarely seen. I cried.
i remember watching Return to Forever playing a set. At the end of one crazy freestyle run - that blew my mind, Stanley Clarke looked over at Chick and mouthed "remember that".
Nothing from his early 70's stint with Miles live band? the Bitches Brew Live compilation features some mind blowing playing, as does Black Beauty At Fillmore West
No wonder that 5 out of 7 pieces are Akoustic Band. Weckl and Patitucci are every bit as prone to go beast mode as Corea, so it gets utterly crazy when they play together.
he played a solo and mimicked a crying baby in the solo. I couldn't believe it and he re-stringed the piano at the same time. Fell in love with him. Thanks Gray Mayfield.
paul penelly I wholeheartedly second your statement.Heard Circle at Shelly's Manne-Hole,1970.My absolute favorite Corea group.Even now.BEFORE Chick joined the "church" of Scientology!(FUCK SCIENTOLOGY!)
Thank you Bernie! It looks like Roy Haynes, not playing the cymbal that Chick made everybody else play, after Roy gave it to him back in the 70s. This is according to Chick on a video of him in his basement playing his drums, he told the story about the ride cymbal that Roy gave him. He was a Powerful force in the universe that we all mis very much!
Thanks so much, Bernie, for all the info and the great compilation of some of Chick's great "out-there" moments, playing "out of his head". Love it! I remember that one of his "Children's Songs" really dove over the edge into "beast-land"...forgot which one at the moment.
@@bassplayerxxd4873 Thanks. I am totally in love with #6. Listened to #20 again. Pretty far out but sounds very approachable and even melodic now. I think my "aesthetic/music bandwidth" has expanded since I was atong man in the 70s!!!
I remember the time a close friend, grey mayfield, told me, "we're going to the very front to see Chick Corea, John Patittuchi and Dave weckl wehn they played as the Elektric Band in Germany and i met him. Phenomenal!!!
Yeah. I love Chick, but a few of his early RTF pieces now sound a bit dated ... a little pretentious, hokey, or repetitive to my ears. I live in Japan, and am surprised Chick's 'Spain' is so popular over here. I much prefer the title cut on his first RTF album, most of 'Light As a Feather', 'Romantic Warrior', 'Where Have I Known You Before', 'Crystal Silence', or his earlier pre-fusion bop. But 'Spain'? Oh well, to each his own.
That's cool too. I liked 'Piano Improvisations'' too .... more than Jarret's 'The Köln Concert. I like most of Chick's stuff and I'd guess he and Herbie are the most influential keyboard artists of this generation. But even the slightly earlier, and understated Bill Evans could go 'Beast Mode'.
Yes..It's a shame whoever assembled this seems to be a purist. Interesting that the thumbnail he used is of Chick playing the MiniMoog. Chick always went total beast on his Song to the Pharaoh Kings solos live.
The bass line pretty much gets to the root by following the lead instrument and then whether Mr Corea is phrasing from a major or minor emphasis the bass can then improvise his heart out...but as abstract as it may sound ... a good bass knows how to nail down that tonic... so Mr Corea can go to beast mode knowing wherever he goes his bass has things rooted ... and rehearsals help...
Walking bass, just tension and release while giving the chord in linear fashion, so its kinda very strict and you have to be aware of the chords 100% of the time, so its lots of chromatic sounds in rhythmically strict way that smoothes out the gaps between chordtones. Basics of this style are very simple to understand if you google any lesson on walkingbass but mastering it takes lifetimes. You always have to think atleast 2 chords at time to smooth em out, the chord you are on at the moment and the next chord so that you land on the tone of the next chord (usually its the root on beat 1 "always" and after that its whatever chordtones you like on each beat, then you can subdivide and superimpose more chords in between with same idea on as many layers as you want) usually its root note on beat 1 because it gives form for the rest of the band and soloist can just hang loose even if they forget the chord, they hear it always. Maybe confusing but its kinda infinite possibilites of creativity while being "strict/very aware" so idk... xD (also if you dont play root on beat 1 you invert the actual chord everyone is hearing because bass defines the strongest part of chord)
Basically sticking to chord tones (roots, fifths, thirds, sevenths) on the important beats and playing leading tones on whatever part of the bar that isn't emphasized. For the most part this means playing chord tones on the first and second beats and whatever on the third and fourth.
i love how most of people agreed that chick is always in beast mode, all his endeavors are completely out of human league, and the spectrum his music offers is really wide, from something like A.R.C. to something like Medieval Overture, my favorites are from electrik band , but the point is ALL CHICK'S ARE ULTIMATE UNEQUIVALENT OVERPOWERED BEASTS OF HEARING EXALTATION POWER AND GLORY
What about Cory Henry in beast mode? Ya know, when he just plays while nodding his head slowly up and down like a lizard, oblivious to the carnage every note (or nod) leaves in its wake. What about umm... Art Tatum?
I've been playing fifty years,where's the root?Oh there it is,opp gone again,it seems the bass patterns are so ? randomOscar Peterson Joe Pass I can follow those guys but this these cat's are playing in outer space wow!
