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Chick is on a roll. The past few years he's been putting out an impressive body of work. The Bud Powell cd was great as were the live Origin sets and the new duets w/Burton and Like Minds w/Burton, Metheny,etc... and now this gem - which might be the best of the lot! A really great band playing fresh, challenging and listenable music. This one has dominated my cd player since I got it. Bears repeated listenings! My early vore for cd of the year/jazz musician of the year

Chick is a very deliberate and emphatic pianist--yet playful. (He's learned to work the vibraphone.) His new co-conspirators play a variety of instruments. Sunday's concert (September 5, 1999) began with trombone, soprano saxophone, and bass clarinet, an unusual set of timbres that don't quite congeal and please for just that reason. Well, Origin: great musicians all and very much recommended.

Also recommended: PENTATONIC SCALES FOR THE JAZZ ROCK KEYBOARDIST by Jeff Burns.

. . . this is a great disc: impossibly tuneful, deeply swinging, rhythmically charged, featuring wonderful ensemble playing and stunning soloing.

The question arises--Where're the follow ups?

Yes, there was a previous disc, Origin, as well as a six-disc live recording of this group (too much of a good thing? Said all they wanted to say?).

Then nothing more.

Why?

Probably too hard to hold a band this talented together. Certainly, drummer Jeff Ballard has gone on to other important projects. Bassist Avishai Cohen's become a leader in his own right, turning out five very good discs before stumbling with Lyla. Altoist Steve Wilson's got several solo discs to his credit. As does trombonist Steve Davis. And tenor player Bob Shepherd has any number of projects going. Yet other talented bands, notably Ben Allison's Medicine Wheel and the Dave Holland Quintet, have stuck together.

As great a jazz trio leader and piano player as Chick Corea is--and he's among a handful of the very greatest--I think a larger ensemble fits his prodigal talents even better. There's more instrumental color, increased band interaction, a wider ranging sound signature, and more excitement.

Of the scores of Corea discs out there, this is my favorite.

Give it a whirl; I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I purchased this CD after seeing Chick perform live with this sextet, and I was certainly not disappointed. As much as an album cannot usually capture the experience of a live performance, this CD is truly exceptional. This is a truly unique group, which features non-traditional jazz instruments like bass clarinet, flute and trombone among others. The result is a rich musical tapestry. Chick's piano flourishes certainly enhance the album, but he is not the only virtuouso here - bassist Avishai Cohen is one of the most amazing on the scene right now and you will see why. The best tracks : "Armando's Tango" - a truly rhythmic piece that provides a real taste of Argentina and the atmospheric ballad "Home." That said, there is not a bad track on this disc.

Chick Corea plays a lot of piano and a little marimba with his acoustic jazz group Origin, which comprises Corea; Avishai Cohen on bass; Steve Wilson on soprano and alto sax, flute, and clarinet; Bob Sheppard on tenor sax, bass clarinet, and flute; Steve Davis on trombone; and Jeff Ballard on drums. Corea himself penned all the tunes except one, "Lylah" which was written by bassist Cohen but arranged for the group by Corea. However, there is plenty of musical variety on this CD, with tangos, ballads, a little flamenco, a little Miles-like modal workout titled "Early Afternoon Blues," and all of it is nice stuff, well worthy of repeat listening.

The music was recorded in Corea's living room/studio (Corea's wife must be a saint!), and the sound seems a bit light on the bottom. Cranking up the bass boost a little on the Steradian processor I had at the time this recording came out helped somewhat, but very few listeners will have the benefit of such a device. If you like the music of Chick Corea, however, don't let my slight quibble about the bass put you off; the rest of the sonic spectrum is well enough recorded.