I don't get Chick Corea

[GoogaMooga]

Chick Corea is the fourth most Grammy nominated artist in history. He's done it all, straight-ahead jazz, avant-garde, bebop, fusion, chamber music, symphonies, but what I have heard has always left me cold. His Electric Band Mk I and II, what the hell was that about? I get more pleasure out of even free jazz than I do Corea's fusion. It's a mess. It's all over the place. I get increasingly annoyed as I run through a disc of that. Will it ever end? Maybe I just have to go back to "Return to Forever". Can you guys recommend ANY of his stuff that is even the slightest bit listenable?

[C]

Well, I like Chick Corea but appreciate not all do.

Googs - try this- he made some albums with the vibe player Gary Burton

It also depends how you define 'Listenable'.....







Also the two live Trilogy albums from 2013-ish with Brian Blade (tubs) and Christian Mc Bride (double bass) are excellent







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[C]

Well Googs?





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[GoogaMooga]

The top one is nice and tranquil, the live one is also quite lovely, I could see mysef buying both. Top one sounds more familiar, and that would be my first choice.

[Fonz]

‘No Mystery’ is great. In fact most of the stuff when Al di Meola was in RtF is special.

There’s a piano duet album with Herbie that is good, for quieter moments.

His inner Thetan was chilling out on that one.

[Neige]

I'm very fond of the two first Return To Forever albums, with (a very young) Stanley Clarke on acoustic bass, Joe Farrell on flute and sax, Airto on drums and Flora Purim on vocals. Amazing use (and sound) of the electric piano, especially on the first one.

[Six String]

I'm very fond of the two first Return To Forever albums, with (a very young) Stanley Clarke on acoustic bass, Joe Farrell on flute and sax, Airto on drums and Flora Purim on vocals. Amazing use (and sound) of the electric piano, especially on the first one.

Good call Felix. Corea's discography is arguably more varied than Miles Davis so unless you don't like jazz there is something for everyone.

NP Tones For Joan's Bones on Vortex.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

I only really know him from the Miles Davis electric stuff and man he mashing the keys on that Fillmore East show from March 1970!

[C]

I'm very fond of the two first Return To Forever albums, with (a very young) Stanley Clarke on acoustic bass, Joe Farrell on flute and sax, Airto on drums and Flora Purim on vocals. Amazing use (and sound) of the electric piano, especially on the first one.

Good call Felix. Corea's discography is arguably more varied than Miles Davis so unless you don't like jazz there is something for everyone.

NP Tones For Joan's Bones on Vortex.

I'll endorse these two but to be honest I could do without Flora's vocals....

I played this this afternoon - I still enjoy it:









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[C]

Also the two live Trilogy albums from 2013-ish with Brian Blade (tubs) and Christian Mc Bride (double bass) are excellent




.

I have been playing this for most of then day [3CD about 3.5 hours worth!].

Similar to Trilogy 2 regarding the nucleus but it has a few guests on a small percentage of tracks - a guitarist and flautist and his wife on vocals [not all the same time] - they only perform on a couple of tracks each



An interesting track - music by Jimmy Van Heusen from the 40s.

Performed not only by Chick Corea but my other jazz pianist fave Keith Jarrett also:

Dorothy Lamour, Anita O'Day, Eydie Gormé, Frankie Vaughan, Ryo Fukui, Kimiko Kasai, Julie London, Lena Horne, Lita Roza, Peggy Lee, Perry Como, Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett, Johnny Hartman, Vera Lynn, Shirley Bassey, Miles Davis, Buddy DeFranco, Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, Red Garland, Erroll Garner, Bud Powell, Ahmad Jamal, Art Garfunkel, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein, June Christy, Larry Coryell, Four Freshmen, Robert Palmer, Sonny Clark, Diana Krall, Barry Manilow, Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole, Susannah McCorkle, Dinah Washington, Barbra Streisand, Kiri Te Kanawa, Dave Brubeck, Bob Dorough, Andy Williams, Maynard Ferguson, Roseanna Vitro, Jeff Hamilton Trio, Tete Montoliu, Charles Pasi, Shirley Horn and Monica Zetterlund [thanks Wiki]






.

[Hightea]

Chick Corea is the fourth most Grammy nominated artist in history. He's done it all, straight-ahead jazz, avant-garde, bebop, fusion, chamber music, symphonies, but what I have heard has always left me cold. His Electric Band Mk I and II, what the hell was that about? I get more pleasure out of even free jazz than I do Corea's fusion. It's a mess. It's all over the place. I get increasingly annoyed as I run through a disc of that. Will it ever end? Maybe I just have to go back to "Return to Forever". Can you guys recommend ANY of his stuff that is even the slightest bit listenable?

Yikes really? I guess if your not a fan of fusion then you don't get a bunch of Chick. While his fusion era and mid to late RTF eras are my favorites early RTF is less fusion and more bossa nova.



While fusion I also like the third RTF album with Bill Bill Connors on guitar.


try Miles Black Beauty: Miles Davis At Fillmore West (Live)

I also like his mellow stuff with guys like Gary Burton


More favorite fusion
Romantic Warrior and Friends
some of his classical stuff and lots live.

See Chick a number of times over the years and he never disappoints. Saw him with John McLaughlin a few years ago at Chick's 75th birthday part of his 75th birthday in 2016 by playing with more than 20 different groups during a six-week stand at the Blue Note Jazz Club. Live Corea has never left me cold. He also seeks loved by endless amount of musicians including his wife Gayle Moran.