Chick Corea - The Ultimate Adventure

[GA Russell]

Chick Corea has a new album out called The Ultimate Adventure. As everyone knows, Corea is an enthusiastic supporter of Scientology. Last year he made an album called To the Stars, which was his musical interpretation of an L. Ron Hubbard science fiction novel by that name. Now Corea has given us his impressions of a Hubbard fantasy novel called The Ultimate Adventure.

Apparently the novel takes place in southern Spain, northern Africa and Arabia. Corea flavors much of the album with the exotic sounds of these regions, and with the pulsating rhythms (the cliche "pulsating rhythms" is apt here) of sub-Saharan Africa.

There are 19 tracks, totalling 73 minutes of music. All of the music is instrumental. There is no apparent connection to Scientology. There are no hummable melodies. There are three aspects emphasized: Corea's electronic keyboards, flute by Hubert Laws and Jorge Prado, and percussion by among many others Airto Moreira and Steve Gadd.

The core of the musicians is Corea's current group called Touchstone - drums, percussion, bass and sax/flute joining Corea's keyboards. There are many guest artists playing on various cuts.

The result is The Zawinul Syndicate light. Somewhere between Joe Zawinul and Klaus Doldinger's Passport.

Sevety-three minutes is a lot, and the first time I played it I lost interest with about 20 minutes to go. Since then I have been playing it as background music, and I have not found myself tiring of it.

My favorite Corea is his playing on the acoustic piano standards of bebop and other recognizable tunes. This is nothing like that. You might find it an interesting change of pace from what you usually listen to. Don't let the Hubbard connection turn you off. It has no relevance to your enjoyment of the music. I can imagine that all the Scientologists are going to want to buy this, though!

[GA Russell]

This album was nominated for a Grammy today for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

I have not listened to this CD very much since I got it. I quickly became tired of it, and can't recommend it. I'll give it another chance as the Grammy Awards show approaches to see if I like it more. But right now this nomination seems like giving it to a familiar name rather than to a deserving work of art.

[GA Russell]

This won two Grammy's tonight: for Instrumental Arrangement and Jazz Instrumental Album.

As I said above, this isn't a bad album, but I wouldn't have given it any awards either.

[Chuck Nessa]

Ah, the lone publicist.

[Aggie87]

My grammy vote would have gone for either the Ornette or the Trio Beyond recordings. I like the Rollins as well, and wouldn't have a problem with him winning, from a personal standpoint.

I haven't heard this Corea release, nor do I care to. But I can't imagine it being more worthy of an award than it's competition.

[Kari S]

Over composed, as Corea seems to be these days, but still better than the previous effort, "To The Stars". More Spanish flavored than prog-fusion.

[Lush Life]

Anyone see Chick Corea make his guest appearance on the "Emeril Live" cooking show on the Food Channel recently?

You could have knocked me over with a feather!