1978 · Album
Secret Agent
Recorded 1978 · Original release label information not verified · Produced by Producer information not verified
Corea's Brass-Driven Groove in the Fusion Years
Despite its flaws, this album cooks, and good solos abound—Corea in control, his band with him all the way.
By 1978, Chick Corea had already mapped out fusion's possibilities across multiple ensembles and sonic territories. Secret Agent represents a moment when he leans hard into the funkier, more arranged side of his palette—less the sparse elegance of acoustic work, more the kinetic swagger of a tight, horn-heavy group. This is Corea the bandleader, not the solo visionary, and the album feels deliberately constructed around ensemble interplay rather than keyboard heroics.
The record's real draw is the personnel and the arrangements written to showcase them. Joe Farrell on woodwinds, Airto Moreira on percussion, and vocalist Gayle Moran anchor the core sound, but Corea adds a four-piece brass section and string quartet—an unusual move for fusion in 1978, when the genre was either going lean and electric or staying tethered to jazz tradition. Allen Vizzutti gets a flugelhorn spot on "Funk," and Bunny Brunel locks in tight on fretless bass. DownBeat reviewer Douglas Clark heard an album that cooked despite its flaws, praising the solos and noting that Corea held the entire enterprise together without ever overshadowing his players. The presence of Al Jarreau on "Hot News Blues" adds another textural layer—pop accessibility without sacrificing musicianship.
This is neither Corea's peak nor a reinvention. It sits in his discography as a capable, ambitious ensemble record from someone confident enough to build arrangements around others' strengths. If you're exploring his fusion work and want something grittier and more band-focused than his acoustic or solo efforts, this delivers. It's solid, professional work—the sound of a first-rate musician in command of his resources, generously using them.
Who's playing
Bunny Brunelfretless bass
Allen Vizzuttitrumpet
Bob Zottolatrumpet
Jim Pughtrombone
Ron Mosstrombone
Joe Farrellflute
Chick Coreasynthesizer
Tom Brechtleindrums
Airto Moreirapercussion
Paula Hochhaltercello
Carol Shiveviolin
Charles Veal Jr.violin
Where next?
More by Chick Corea
Crystal Silence 1973
Romantic Warrior 1976
The Chick Corea Acoustic Band 1989
The Chick Corea Elektric Band 1986
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
