What is your favorite Chick Corea CD/Album?


Chick Corea has been a prolific and creative jazz artist for over thirty years. I throughly enjoyed his newest CD, The Ultimate Adventure, which he described as being a "tone poem." It's reminiscent of some of his earlier work (e.g., The Leprechaun) as it is based on literature - in the case of The Ultimate Adventure, a science fiction story by L. Ron Hubbard. The Leprechaun was my introduction to Corea's work and remains a preferred listen. However, my favorite Corea CD is Beneath the Mask, a more traditional jazz CD by the Electric Band. I particularly like Patitucci's bass playing on the first cut - Beneath the Mask played very loudly.
johnrob
Now He Sings, Now He Sobs. Don't get much better than this. It is a monster album. Among the great jazz albums of all, IMHO...
Chick is one of those rare artists who constantly reinvent themselves musically, I've really liked a lot of his musical explorations old and new, that said I think that his early seventies work with Return To Forever especially, Where Have I know You Before; were his strongest and best realized. just MHO.
It's hard to pick a favorite, since Corea has performed a number of different styles of jazz, and recordings ranging from solo and duo to sextets). Here are a few of my favorite Corea albums (both as a leader and as a "sideman":
1. Light As A Feather;
2. Crystal Silence (with Gary Burton);
3. Native Sense (with Gary Burton);
4. Akoustic Band: Alive
5. Trio Music: Live In Europe;
6. Amber Skies (one of my favorite jazz recordings that I continue to return to over the years; Corea was the pianist in sextet; released on Palo Alto Records in late 1980's)
7. Like Minds (with Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, and Roy Haynes.
My favorite is "Musicmagic" by Return To Forever" but "The Mad Hatter" is also another big favorite.
I still find the sound quality and music on Romantic Warrier to be fabulous all these years later. There is something magical about the drum sound on this album, and the overall sonic presentation as well.
Inner Space looked forward to and predicted the new direction jazz piano was headed for, yet was firmly grounded in the instrumentation and modalities of both classical and jazz- brilliant, inspirational and my favorite.
Wow, nobody mentioned "My Spanish Heart" yet. A double album with some very good sound and a wide variety of music to captivate. Perhaps that's why, he coveres a few differen styles while still keeping that Latin/Spanish feel to it.

Enjoy,
Bob
I have to say it's the Return to Forever w/ LaFiesta, etc. It's the first Corea album I bought and I played it to death. May not be the best of the lot, but it takes me back to those early formative jazz years. It has, and always will be one of my all time favorites.
Great thread - I'll have to look for some of these LPs. My favorite is Chick Corea / Friends. Have played it to death over the past 30 years.
Hey Bobgates,
Amen on the Musicmagic--I'll bet I listened to that album a million times!
That particular era was very rich indeed for Chick and the group. Though, I just saw him on a cable channel--recently (hard to say) recorded in a really beautiful, homey venue.
He's amazingly talented and still looks great. The recording was well done for a television production too.
Thanks for reminding me of that one!

Larry
Been a big fan for close to 40 yrs! The last 2 times I've seen him were during his 'Ultimate Adventure' tour and this past summer with the 5 Peace Band. There's a terrific DVD of the Ultimate Adventure band in concert (I have it) that has fantastic music AND audio. My favorite solo piano recording of Chick's would be the GRP record 'Expressions'. Corea at the peak of his abilities playing standards, really beautiful work.
Chazro,
Just went to Amazon and I'll second your astute comments on Chick's playing on "Expressions" from 1992. Wow, what an incredible sampling of an artist.
Having heard him more recently, as I mentioned, I'd say he's not lost a step!

Larry
Fans might try "Duet" with Hiromi. She's incredible: "Beyond Standard" with her band, and "In the Garden" with Stanley Clarke arevery fine. Fun footage of her and CC on youtube. John