Corea Chases the Long Road Out
A late-career detour where Chick Corea trades his usual piano-trio comfort for a sprawling, world-minded band.
The Ultimate Adventure arrived in 2006, well into Chick Corea's long career, and it sounds like a man deliberately stepping away from the format that made him famous. Rather than another piano-led trio or quartet date, Corea assembled a large and varied ensemble, with flutes, bass clarinet, and multiple percussionists sharing space with the rhythm section. The ambition is obvious, and so is the risk.
The record leans on world and Latin influences as much as jazz, and the textures are the main draw. Hubert Laws and Jorge Pardo on flutes give the arrangements a bright, airy color, while Tim Garland's bass clarinet adds a darker undertow. Steve Gadd and Vinnie Colaiuta bring their usual precision to the drums, and the percussion layers keep things moving even when the writing gets busy.
This is not the place to start with Corea. Listeners who want his essential playing should look first to his trio work from the 1960s and 1970s. The Ultimate Adventure is for people already curious about his wider interests, and it is a more uneven listen than those earlier records. The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings gave it 2.5 stars out of four, which fairly captures a project with real ideas and inconsistent execution.
Who's playing
Carles Benaventbass
Tim Garlandbass clarinet
Hubert Lawsflute
Jorge Pardoflute
Steve Gadddrums
Vinnie Colaiutadrums
Airto Moreirapercussion
Hossam Ramzypercussion
Chick Coreakeyboard
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
