Live In Montreux

Performer: Chick Corea
Engineer: Al Schmitt
Producer: Chick Corea
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: /Joe Henderson/Roy Haynes/Gary Peacock. Personnel: Chick Corea (piano); Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone); Gary Peacock (bass); Roy Haynes (drums); Recorded live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland in 1981. Includes liner notes by Tony Cohan. This important live recording from 1981 features the great pianist with a stunning group: Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Gary Peacock on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums. Haynes worked with Corea on many prior occasions, and Henderson was about to collaborate with him on the Griffith Park albums of the early '80s, but this is the first time the three appear together. Peacock's presence is an additional delight. The probing bassist contributes the multi-layered, magnificent "Up, Up and...." Three of Corea's compositions here -- "Hairy Canary," "Folk Song," and "Slippery When Wet" -- would later wind up as bonus tracks on Stretch's 1994 reissue of the 1981 CD Three Quartets. In addition, there are valuable renditions of two dense and challenging Corea tunes, "Psalm" and "Quintet #2," along with two standards: Thelonius Monk's "Trinkle, Tinkle" and Cole Porter's "So in Love." The latter culminates in a four-minute Haynes drum solo. Overall, the record is essential for fans of any and all of the four musicians involved. ~ David R. Adler "Without music, life would be a mistake." Nietzche's words grace the liner notes of LIVE IN MONTREUX, a collaboration of post-bop heavies who play as if they exist to prevent such an error. Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Roy Haynes and Gary Peacock present a program infused with an intense rapport, and enough energy to summon from beyond the spirit of Nietzche himself. The playing on this date is outstanding; Corea, in particular, glides over and attacks the keys with his typical, almost machine-like precision. The set opens with "Hairy Canary," a bent blues on which which he comps as if he were supporting a moving car by stepping out and pushing whenever the engine pauses to shift gears. His choices of chords and clusters are filled with tension and grace. The strength of LIVE IN MONTREUX is its atmosphere of pure communication which allows the unfettered expression of coherent ideas and emotions. Everyone's tone and style complements everyone else's. "Psalm," an extended groove introduced by Chick's angular ruminations, exemplifies this, as Henderson unfurls flurries of energy while Corea and Haynes punctuate, respond and react. There are several spots where they demonstrate such an uncanny awareness of the voices around them, that it seems like these guys are in each other's minds.

Entertainment Weekly (11/25/94, p.78) - "...subtler and more challenging than much of what he recorded with others..." - Rating: B+ Down Beat (12/94, p.60) - 4 Stars - Very Good - "...a bright, engaging, and, at moments, powerful program....Exposure to unrelenting ability may persuade us that facility is an enemy--but Joe and Chick each love what the other is doing and so do the deep, quick rhythmists..." JazzTimes (12/94, p.135) - "...lives up to its potential....a very solid session showing off some of the finest players anywhere. All have an abstract bent, and each is idiosyncratic in his own way....truly a marvel....the essence of live jazz..."

Chick Corea took the piano in new directions following the monumental achievements of McCoy Tyner and Bill Evans. His pioneering electric piano playing with Miles Davis helped shape the sound of fusion in the late '60s. He then turned to acoustic, free-form improv with the group Circle before forming the seminal fusion band Return to Forever. Throughout his lengthy career, Corea has drawn on bebop, Latin, rock, and classical influences to make his mark as both a soloist and a composer.

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