Trilogy (Stretch Records/Concord Jazz, 2014)
Trilogy is a superb triple live album recorded at various locations throughout the world. Most of the pieces feature the trio composed of three jazz masters: Chick Corea on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Brian Blade on drums.
There are many facets to Chick Corea. He is one of the finest pianists and keyboardists in the jazz scene. The three discs feature a mix of jazz standards and original Chick Corea pieces with plenty of room for improvisation. The impression is that Chick Corea really stands out when he plays his own material.
In recent years, Chick Corea has connected with the flamenco jazz and flamenco scene in Spain. Highlights on Disc 1 include the tracks recorded in 2012. These include ‘My Foolish Hearts’ and ‘Spain’, where special guests join Chick Corea: flamenco guitar maestro Niño Josele and flamenco jazz flute player Jorge Pardo. “The night in Madrid with Jorge Pardo and Niño Josele was magical,” says Chick. “It was our final trio concert of that particular tour – and, of course, Jorge and Niño are stars in Spain. You can feel the audience and band’s excited vibe on the recording.”
Highlights on Disc 2 include ‘Blue Monk’ and the Caribbean-infused Latin Jazz Corea classic ‘Armando’s Rhumba’.
Flamen co returns on Disc 3 with the new composition titled “Homage”. It’s an excellent tribute to the late flamenco guitar prodigy Paco de Lucía. “This is my homage to flamenco musical roots and culture – so warmly shown to me by the great Paco de Lucía along with Carles Benavent, Jorge Pardo and Rubem Dantas, all of whom were integral members of Paco’s bands for two decades,” says Cora. “‘Homage’ is my tip of the hat and thank you to him and the beauty of this musical culture.”
Chick Corea’s wife, renowned vocalist Gayle Moran Corea, makes a guest appearance on the last track on Disc 3: “Someday My Prince Will Come”.
Corea summarizes Trilogy this way: “I’ve made a life of learning and inventing ways to make music, but it often seems unproductive for me to try to describe it in words. But I have one about working with this trio and making this live album: pleasure. I hope listeners experience the same.”
Trilogy reveals impeccable live recordings by three jazz masters in perfect shape, performing a brilliant mix of straight ahead jazz and exquisite flamenco jazz.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
