BN-LA-395-H2

Chick Corea

Released - 1975

Recording and Session Information

A&R Studios, NYC, March 14, 1968
Chick Corea, piano; Miroslav Vitous, bass; Roy Haynes, drums.

(tk.1) The Law Of Falling And Catching Up
(tk.3) Matrix

A&R Studios, NYC, March 19, 1968
Chick Corea, piano; Miroslav Vitous, bass; Roy Haynes, drums.

(tk.3) Now He Sings-Now He Sobs

Bell Sound Studios, NYC, May 11, 12 & 13, 1969
Woody Shaw, trumpet; Hubert Laws, flute, piccolo; Bennie Maupin, tenor sax; Chick Corea, piano, electric piano; Dave Holland, bass; Jack DeJohnette, drums; Horacee Arnold, drums, tenor sax.

Jamala
This
It

A&R Studios, NYC, April 7, 1970
Chick Corea, piano; Dave Holland, bass; Barry Altschul, drums.

6157 (tk.2) Toy Room
6162 (tk.1) Nefertiti

A&R Studios, NYC, April 8, 1970
Chick Corea, piano, percussion; Dave Holland, bass, percussion; Barry Altschul, drums, percussion.

6158 (tk.1) Ballad I
6161 (tk.3) Ballad III

Track Listing

Side One
Title	Author	Recording Date
Matrix	Chick Corea	March 14 1968
Ballad I	Barry Altschul, Chick Corea, Dave Holland	April 8 1970
Toy Room	Dave Holland	April 7 1970
The Law Of Falling And Catching Up	Chick Corea	March 14 1968
Side Two
Now He Sing, Now He Sobs	Chick Corea	March 19 1968
This	Chick Corea	May 11,12,13 1968
Ballad III	Barry Altschul, Chick Corea, Dave Holland	April 8 1970
Side Three
Jamala	Dave Holland	May 11,12,13 1968
Nefertitti	Wayne Shorter	April 7 1970
Side Four
Is	Chick Corea	May 11,12,13 1968

Liner Notes

CHICK COREA

Born Armando Anthony Corea in Chelsea, Massachusetts on June 12th, 1941, Chick began his musical training at the age of six; guided initially by his father, a musician himself, and later by pianist Salvatore Sullo. In his early twenties, Chick began to get jobs in both Boston and New York backing local musicians, subsequently graduating to accompanying Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Hubert Laws, and Herbie Mann. It was while he was playing piano with Mann that he recorded his first album as a leader; Tones for Joan's Bones on Vortex Records, with saxophonist Joe Farrell, trumpeter Woody Shaw, bassist Steve Swallow, and Joe Chambers on drums. Corea then spent two years with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, recording three albums during his stay before departing in 1966 to join Stan Getz' quartet.

The earliest tracks found here, "Now He Sings — Now He Sobs," "The Law of Falling and Catching up," and "Matrix" date back to Chick's first album for Solid State Records. Now He Sings, Now He Sobs, recorded in June of 1968 with Miroslav Vitous on bass and Roy Haynes on drums.

Says Corea of the sessions; "I had just met Miroslav around that period. We had played a bit and we liked playing together. I was working with Stan Getz at the time and Roy Haynes was in the band. And I "love" playing with Roy, so when it came time to do the second recording, I decided to do a trio record with my favorite rhythm section at that time."

"I went to Steinway and Sons and spent a couple of hours choosing a piano for the date. I was like a little kid in a mountain of ice-cream, jumping from Steinway to Steinway. When we got to the date they just turned the tape on, and we just played."

"Matrix" is a joyous, fast-paced blues with a rollicking melody that wanders into harmonic territory originally pioneered by McCoy Tyner. Miroslav's pizzicato solo is sublime, while Roy Haynes adds a melodic, almost whimsical approach to his drumming.

In stark contrast to the light mood of "Matrix," "The Law of Falling and Catching Up" is a darkly textured piece featuring Roy Haynes on percussion, Miroslav playing "collegno" with the wood of his bow, and Chick exploring the piano's sonorities by strumming, damping, and plucking its strings.

Lying somewhere between these two is "Now He Sings — Now He Sobs," moody and impressionistic, with lovely interplay between all three musicians; Roy Haynes' drumming providing subtle, yet clear direction.

Shortly after these sessions, Chick left Stan Getz to work with vocalist Sarah Vaughn. Three months later, in response to a telephone offer from Tony Williams, Chick left Sarah Vaughn to replace the departing Herbie Hancock in Miles Davis' band.

It was during his two and a half year stay with Miles that Chick Corea grew immeasurably as an artist; adding his insight to Miles' music, while continually learning in an improvisational environment. It was also during his education with Miles that Chick cemented several lasting friendships, most notably those with Wayne Shorter, David Holland, and Jack De Johnette.

In fact, it was with De Johnette and Holland, along with Woody Shaw, Bennie Maupin, Horacee Arnold, and Corea's former employer Hubert Laws that Chick entered the studio to record his second album for Solid State, "Is."

Prior to being called to New York by Miles, Dave Holland had been a member of John Stevens' Spontaneous Music Ensemble in London, while Jack De Johnette had originated in Chicago, playing with Muhal Richard Abrams and Roscoe Mitchell in various A.A.C.M. endeavors, and later with Charles Lloyd, Joe Henderson, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, and Stan Getz before joining Miles. Bennie Maupin, originally uncredited on "Is," had worked with Marion Brown, Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver, and Jack De Johnette before joining forces with Chick Corea. Woody Shaw had worked previously with Horace Silver, Art Blakey, and McCoy Tyner: Horacee Arnold with Bud Powell and Stan Getz. Hubert Laws had already been a leader for several years prior to the recording of "Is."

Considering the extensive jazz backgrounds of the musicians involved with this recording, it's remarkable that the only track which even approaches a conventional jazz structure is "This," for quartet with Holland, De Johnette, Chick on Fender Rhodes piano, and Bennie Maupin who enters with a remarkable tenor solo in the latter half of the tune.

"Jamala," a David Holland composition begins as a somber, introspective ballad, then erupts into a chaotic free improvisation with the winds sounding amazingly like Messiaen's birds conversing nervously over the insistent pulse of Corea, Holland, and De Johnette.

The album's title track, the twenty-nine minute "Is," is a frenzied exploration of textural densities, constantly driven by drummer Jack De Johnette, and expounded upon by Horacee Arnold's gamboling marimba work. Chick doubles on both grand and electric piano, while David Holland's percussive pizzicato, and sinuous arco work remains creative throughout.

It is interesting to note at this point that the six musicians on "Is," Chick Corea, Woody Shaw, David Holland, Jack De Johnette, Hubert Laws, and Horacee Arnold formed the original version of Circle, which played a one weekend engagement at New York's Village Vanguard. Only later was the unit refined to become the quartet which toured Europe and America.

The initial step towards the formation of this version of Circle was taken in the Autumn of 1970 when both David and Chick terminated their employ with Miles Davis to form a trio with drummer Barry Altschul, who had previously worked with pianist Paul Bley. The two left behind an impressive recorded legacy with Miles on which Chick can be heard completely revolutionizing the role of the electric piano in jazz.

The first project undertaken by Chick, Barry, and David as a trio was to record "The Song of Singing," released on Blue Note Records. The music produced was very much European in nature, reflecting the cerebral, improvisational discipline of the three musicians involved.

"Ballads I & Ill" are both just that; improvised ballads, sparse and meditative. David Holland's "Toy Room," takes a simple, almost child-like theme and utilizes it as a basis for complex creative interplay, with Barry Altschul's performance nothing less than brilliant.

' 'Nefertiti, " Wayne Shorter's lovely ballad, occupies a special place in Chick Corea's repertoire. And, its performance here reflects Chick's deep respect for Wayne as both a musician and a friend. Versions of "Nefertiti" are also included on Paris Concert, and A.R.C.; a recording of Chick, David, and Barry in Germany shortly after The Song of Singing, and just before the addition of A.A.C.M. multi-reedman and composer, Anthony Braxton.

Braxton's joining completed the final quartet version of Circle. Circle based itself in Europe for the better part of a year, before coming to an untimely demise on the West Coast of America, late in 1971. Chick described the group's philosophy thusly; "We took our way of thinking from Stockhausen, John Cage, and Cecil Taylor. But it got to the stage where we were sending our audiences up the river. The basic element, communication, was getting left out."

"The reason I left Circle to do something else was basically to achieve a better balance between technique and communication, and to bring in the idea of communicating with the audience."

The concept of external, as well as internal communication in his music had become increasingly important to Chick Corea, and so in frustration he left Anthony Braxton, Barry Altschul, and David Holland to go back to New York and form Return to Forever, with the idea of achieving the balance of communication that Circle somehow never found.

And now, three years later, with the music of Return to Forever reaching a larger audience than any previous endeavor, one must assume that Chick Corea has finally found the artistic and communicative balance for which he has searched so long; and for which the music of these two albums provided a solid foundation.

LEIGH KAPLAN