************ Chick Corea (piano) & Bela Fleck (banjo) *********** Two – Concord Jazz

by | Oct 11, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

A terrific live 2-CD album covering many genres which you’ll probably play over and over.

* Chick Corea (piano) & Bela Fleck (banjo) – Two [TrackList follows] – Concord Jazz CIA-37992-2 (2 CDs) [9/11/15] *****: 

This is a live version follow-up to an earlier studio album the pair entitled The Enchantment. Ten of the 11 tracks are repeats, but the improvisations go on about twice as long in each case. These are among the best duets ever recorded, and the rather strange combination of banjo and piano go together just perfectly, in a completely enthralling fashion.

We didn’t get The Enchantment, but this one is a total winner from start to finish. The communication between these two is amazing – They like having more time and space during their concerts, and clearly love performing and improvising together.  Each one gives the other one plenty of room to listen to exactly what they are doing at the moment, and they do this intently and intuitively. Never mind their sometimes corny stage patter when they are talking to the audience, pay attention to the music. The audience goes absolutely wild when Bela says they will be doing a bluegrass number since he played some Flat & Scruggs for Chick.  The Spanish-tinged orientation of Corea makes a perfect foil for the bluegrass/country orientation of Fleck.  And the lightness of most of the banjo playing makes a wonderful combination with the complex, often heavy-handed piano improvisations of Corea. Towards the end of the second CD, they do a completely explosive version of one my personal favorite tunes (and movie), “Brazil.”

Jazz, folk, pop or classical – no matter what your slant musically- don’t miss this delightful live duo album!

TrackList:

Disc 1:
1. CC’s Intro|
2. Señorita
3. Menagerie
4. BF On The Waltse
5. Waltse For Abby
6. CC And BF On Joban
7. Joban Dna Nopia
8. The Climb
9. Mountain

Disc 2:
1. Brazil
2. The Enchantment
3. BF On Bugle Call
4. Bugle Call Rag
5. CC And BF On Dutilleux
6. Prelude En Berceuse (From Au Gré Des Ondes)
7. Children’s Song No. 6
8. CC And BF On Spectacle
9. Spectacle
10. Sunset Road
11. Armando’s Rhumba

—John Henry

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