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Famous Jazz Duets
Chick Corea & Gary Burton
Carla Bley & Steve Swallow
  ARTHAUS
DVD100 334
Crotchet
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Chick Corea - Piano
Gary Burton -Vibraphone
- Mirror, Mirror
- Bud Powell
- Children's Song No1
- Children's Song No2
- Children's song No15
- Children's Song No9
- Children's Song No10
- Children's Song No11
- Children's Song No6
- Senor Mouse
- Song to Gayle
- La Fiesta
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Carla Bley - Piano
Steve Swallow - Bass
- Intro
- Soon I Will Be Done With the Troubles of the World
- Lawns
- Very Very Simple
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The Concert was recorded in Tokyo, Japan 1981.
I have only attended one Chick Corea Concert some 20 or more years ago, the Electric Band, which he played with at the time, was so loud that it was painful to listen to and I left after the first half. It has taken me till now to listen again to his work! On the basis of this DVD I have missed out on a lot, Garry Burton and Chick Corea are master musicians and their work together is really exhilarating. All the compositions are written by Corea, but both musicians contribute to the musical entertainment in equal amounts. I have enjoyed Gary Burton'' playing with Stan Getz and the GRP Big Band and know him to be the leading light of the contemporary vibes field. Both musicians' posses a phenomenal technique and the interplay between the two of them have to be seen and heard to be believed. I liked particularly the tribute to Bud Powell, who is one of my favourite pianists of the past. The Children's Songs are each little cameo gems and Senor Mouse really moves along. Gary Burton claims to be uninfluenced by other vibes players, but I would say no Hampton - No Burton!
The Carla Bley/Steve Swallow performance is equally good, their music is new and would fit into the contemporary description, but this contemporary music is very accessible. Steve Swallow uses a different technique to most players of the Electric Bass, because he uses a plectrum and plays he instrument like a guitar. The empathy between him and Bley is mind boggling, he seems to be able to anticipate everything that she plays and at the same time complement it with his own adornment. They even demonstrate that they too have something which is essential for the jazz performance, a sense of humour, Very Very Simple is done as a vocal as well as a musical duet.
This is essential watching and listening for anyone who is seriously interested in jazz as an art form. It is for me the best jazz DVD to date.
Don Mather
Don Mather is a Saxophone Player and
Bandleader based in Coventry
CD Reviews
