Customer Reviews

Mad Hatter

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4 star:		(2)
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After years of being a fanatic Chick Corea fan, this 1978 (I think) release is STILL one of my favorite Chick albums. It may even be my #1 favorite...though I guess that depends on the day...but anyway, this album is hot, hot hot! One of the best moments is a "duet" between Steve Gadd and Chick on "Dear Alice." One would never have believed that drums and piano could establish such intriguing interplay. Another highlight is an amazing flute solo from the great Joe Farrell on "Falling Alice." This is one of the greatest fusion albums of all time. No Chick Corea collection is complete without it.

This LP shows Chick Corea at his best and better than ever!Chick swings in these nine tracks which include the title track featuring Chick with Herbie Hancock and Gayle Moran,''Humpty Dumpty''with Joe Farrell,Eddie Gomez and Steve Gadd and the 13 minute long masterpiece''Dear Alice''with Gayle Moran.

This project is the icing on the '70's fusion jazz cake. The best fusion projects are The Romatic Warrior and the Mad Hatter. I can not leave out the My Spanish Heart Project which also topped the jazz charts of that era. Gayle Moran added her vocal flair on the Mad Hatter project that I enjoyed listing to at the Greek Amphitheater in Hollywood, CA. He and his orgestra finished their world tour at the Greek which featured not only the Mad Hatter Project, but most of the RTF Song Book. If the Amphitheater had a roof, the band would have raised it. This Project tells a musical story that is very creative and technically sound. This project features musical arrangements can be studied by all musicans, regardless of their skill level. Once I have purchased this project, my collection of the three most powerful fusion projects of all times will be complete.

This particular group of Corea, Steve Gadd, Joe Farrell, and Eddie Gomez produced Chick's best 'sound'. The Theme Album's "The Leprechaun", "Spanish Heart", and the "Mad Hatter" are by far his most powerful. It is the input of Steve Gadd which make the albums cult classics. Little is known about Gadd's being the first choice of Corea as drummer for RTF, which he was very briefly. Unfortunately, Gadd wasn't inclined to touring and this lead to his early departure. However, Chick Corea unleashes Gadd in "The Mad Hatter" and treats us to a mixture of bee bop, swing, and fusion only Corea can create.

Have you ever had that kind of morning, where you awake early on Saturday to a gentle warm rain. Friends are coming over. You open a window overlooking the street, pour some hot tea, sit down and listen to "Falling Alice". Life is good when you have it. Go out and get it.

A few weeks ago I loaded some discs in the carousel, while I waited for my three brothers to arrive at my home, I chose two recordings with corea as a "side man",and the other one with him as the leader. While listening to the track spain from the priceless jazz collection on verve, I found my eyes welling up with admiration and sorrow, in that knowing the unfortunate reality that someone could be that talented, and for the most part, unknown in the world, outside of our community.As for the release,The mad hatter,all of the recordings from this period of the 1970's, were listened to often and loudly during my junior high and high school years, by my best friend and I , and they bring many fond memories.I RECOMMEND ALL THE CHICK COREA DATES FROM THE 1970'S SECRETDOMINO

Chick Corea's "The Mad Hatter" is probably one of his best albums. Some of the songs are strange but the jazzy parts are indeed excellent. Welcome are the vocals of Gale Moran and the performances of other collaborators (Herbie Hancock might be in this album but I'm not sure). Note the use of strings, percussions, and vocals in all the songs, not to mention earlier generation synthesizers.

One peculiar song that amuses me is "Tweedle Dee". It has a delightful but strange melody with a haunting vocal. The song is followed by a very jazzy "Humpty Dumpty".

I got the CD back in 1993. The CD was a German release. This time, a Japanese release is available and on sale on this site.

I herd this Albun when I was 16 years old in 1978. It's a master piece. You most have. They should remaster it.

This Chick Corea album I once had on Vinyl, but it got destroyed in a basement water heater explosion. Sleeve got destroyed and then the album shortly after got scratched till unplayable in a stack. When I found out it was not available on itunes or mp3, I was very sad. If it was not so expensive on CD, I would buy it in a heartbeat.

One of Chick Corea's different albums. He has done some amazing work being a great jazz pianist, complementing Herbie Hancock in earlier albums with piano duets etc. to albums such as My Spanish Heart and the well known Light as a Feather where Flora Purim and Stanley Clarke were very apparent. Herbie Hancock plays electric piano on 2 tracks of this album. Madhatter is hard to find and for musicians as I am relish in his diversity. The Madhatter is based on the Alice in Wonderland theme. What a blow out! Amazing interpretation. His musicianship is endless. From acoustic piano, to control of the electronic synth, percussion and arrangements. A thorough musician indeed and well ahead of his time.
Thankyou Amazon for delivering yet another brilliant Chick the Corea album in cd form, at its best.
Barbara Meadows.