The Song of Singing is Chick Corea's fifth solo recording, released in 1970.
The album features a trio with Barry Altschul on drums and Dave Holland on bass (together with Corea making up three fourths of Circle). The setting of the album is free and spontaneous with a few scripted pieces to keep everything on track. The lone piece composed by someone not in the band, Wayne Shorter's Nefertiti is now considered a jazz standard.
At 26 Chick recorded...his adventurous yet lyrical trio LP- Now he sings, now he sobs, establishing him as a significant pianist and composer. Over three days in March 1968, Corea recorded with Miroslav Vitous and Haynes and produced a total of 13 great performances only five of which were used on the original albums. The material ranged from soon-to-be Corea classics like "Matrix" and "Windows" to extended improvised pieces like the title tune to creative interpretations of Monk's "Pannonica" and "My One And Only Love". This music-is beyond category. Some of my favorite " power trios" are these two Chick Corea recordings.
The point is here- Chick though influenced by Horace Silver and Bud Powell and the music of Beethoven and Mozart as well had arrived at a personal destination.
He wasn't trying to be someone else, or spend his life doing tributes to people. He created an idiom, compositions and forward motion that is inspirational. My point is, saxophonists need to branch out more and listen to the content,attitude and personal conviction of other instrumentalists. Especially from preceding eras. Chick k in this era is a great case study- and even if your a classical player, this is something that will touch you.To me this has been an extremely valuable source that provides philosophy behind the approach, a conceptual frame-work to apply this philosophy, and detailed repertoire selection,development, and implementation. The relevance of the research into other instruments and musics is exceedingly valuable- and important. These days there is to much attention given to players who are playing well, and very popular but more often students have no idea of things outside of that idiom.
At this time of the year ( May-June) I always think of the recording " The Song Of Singing"...that's about when I bought it
And, from the inspiration side, I had seen and heard some amazing playing by Chick with Stan Getz, Miles and others.The music was fresh.
As it should be, even the Shorter tune, was not a cover.Nor was it destroyed by a time-signature experiment in 66/3 over 9/8. ha! It was
swinging, and on track. The cover, also was a huge feature of the BlueNote records catalog, as my friend Vinny Golia did the cover art.
Any RICO REEDS fan should well know that, Blute Note covers are history. EG- Rico Reeds and Blue Note Records came together for a multi-year licensing
agreement in which Rico will launched sax straps featuring Blue Note session photography and album artwork.Inspired by the great jazz standards recorded on the Blue Note label, each sax strap features the artwork from classic recordings and famous album covers. Three kinds of inspired straps are available now: True Blue, inspired by the 1960 classic featuring saxophonist Tina Brooks; Afro Cuban , influenced by the 1955 recording by trumpeter Kenny Dorham featuring the Jazz Messenger ensemble (Hank Mobley on tenor sax and Cecil Payne on baritone sax); and Black Fire, inspired by the 1963 Blue Note debut recording of jazz pianist Andrew Hill featuring Joe Henderson on tenor sax. Vinnys art work on this record always impressed me- as did his playing. ( Check out Vinny Golia as well- he is a unreal woodwind player, arttist, composer and friend)
To arrive at a personal destination you have to invest in yourself.
Study, practice and life.
Think about this great quote as well ;
The characteristics of a good musician can be summarized as follows:
1. A well-trained ear
2. A well-trained intelligence
3. A well-trained heart
4. A well-trained hand.
Seems like the most practical, right?
Let me go further in the essence of jazz, there must be a constant equilibrium. As soon as one lags behind or rushes ahead, there is something wrong.
Check out the music of the of the 20th century, from twelve tone Schoenbergian music to Broadway; from “Mac the Knife” to operas; from Brecht to Lotte Lenya;Hendrix, Satie, Debussy, Cecil Taylor, composers, arrangers, anyone and anything prolific and interesting to you. By accepting that challenge with an individualistc, interpretive approach,you will broaden and deepened YOUR artistic core as an improvisational musician.
Study, listen well to the association of how rather than what. In other words don’t let a musical idea,vision or concept get borne out of the fingers rather than the music itself, and the try to keep the highest musical value or useful when searching for oneself.Be the best YOU that is available at the moment.
After all,our goal is creativity and the use of the imagination. We are trying to enter the realm of feelings and emotions through music, and to arrive at a point where your fingers go where the ear dictates.Hopefully this blog can instigate the artistic process in an attempt to have a coherent and unified vision of what an art form concerns.
Play, study and approach what you do to the maximum.
Look for inspiration beyond your own instrument. Check out the trio I speak of as well.
Till next week- Musical nourishment which is "rich in vitamins" is essential for all. Lunch for your ears!
~ Tim Price
PS- LISTENING IS PRACTICE TOO!!!
At 26 Chick recorded...his adventurous yet lyrical trio LP- Now he sings, now he sobs, establishing him as a significant pianist and composer. Over three days in March 1968, Corea recorded with Miroslav Vitous and Haynes and produced a total of 13 great performances only five of which were used on the original albums. The material ranged from soon-to-be Corea classics like "Matrix" and "Windows" to extended improvised pieces like the title tune to creative interpretations of Monk's "Pannonica" and "My One And Only Love". This music-is beyond category. Some of my favorite " power trios" are these two Chick Corea recordings.
The point is here- Chick though influenced by Horace Silver and Bud Powell and the music of Beethoven and Mozart as well had arrived at a personal destination.
He wasn't trying to be someone else, or spend his life doing tributes to people. He created an idiom, compositions and forward motion that is inspirational. My point is, saxophonists need to branch out more and listen to the content,attitude and personal conviction of other instrumentalists. Especially from preceding eras. Chick k in this era is a great case study- and even if your a classical player, this is something that will touch you.To me this has been an extremely valuable source that provides philosophy behind the approach, a conceptual frame-work to apply this philosophy, and detailed repertoire selection,development, and implementation. The relevance of the research into other instruments and musics is exceedingly valuable- and important. These days there is to much attention given to players who are playing well, and very popular but more often students have no idea of things outside of that idiom.
At this time of the year ( May-June) I always think of the recording " The Song Of Singing"...that's about when I bought it
And, from the inspiration side, I had seen and heard some amazing playing by Chick with Stan Getz, Miles and others.The music was fresh.
As it should be, even the Shorter tune, was not a cover.Nor was it destroyed by a time-signature experiment in 66/3 over 9/8. ha! It was
swinging, and on track. The cover, also was a huge feature of the BlueNote records catalog, as my friend Vinny Golia did the cover art.
Any RICO REEDS fan should well know that, Blute Note covers are history. EG- Rico Reeds and Blue Note Records came together for a multi-year licensing
agreement in which Rico will launched sax straps featuring Blue Note session photography and album artwork.Inspired by the great jazz standards recorded on the Blue Note label, each sax strap features the artwork from classic recordings and famous album covers. Three kinds of inspired straps are available now: True Blue, inspired by the 1960 classic featuring saxophonist Tina Brooks; Afro Cuban , influenced by the 1955 recording by trumpeter Kenny Dorham featuring the Jazz Messenger ensemble (Hank Mobley on tenor sax and Cecil Payne on baritone sax); and Black Fire, inspired by the 1963 Blue Note debut recording of jazz pianist Andrew Hill featuring Joe Henderson on tenor sax. Vinnys art work on this record always impressed me- as did his playing. ( Check out Vinny Golia as well- he is a unreal woodwind player, arttist, composer and friend)
To arrive at a personal destination you have to invest in yourself.
Study, practice and life.
Think about this great quote as well ;
The characteristics of a good musician can be summarized as follows:
1. A well-trained ear
2. A well-trained intelligence
3. A well-trained heart
4. A well-trained hand.
Seems like the most practical, right?
Let me go further in the essence of jazz, there must be a constant equilibrium. As soon as one lags behind or rushes ahead, there is something wrong.
Check out the music of the of the 20th century, from twelve tone Schoenbergian music to Broadway; from “Mac the Knife” to operas; from Brecht to Lotte Lenya;Hendrix, Satie, Debussy, Cecil Taylor, composers, arrangers, anyone and anything prolific and interesting to you. By accepting that challenge with an individualistc, interpretive approach,you will broaden and deepened YOUR artistic core as an improvisational musician.
Study, listen well to the association of how rather than what. In other words don’t let a musical idea,vision or concept get borne out of the fingers rather than the music itself, and the try to keep the highest musical value or useful when searching for oneself.Be the best YOU that is available at the moment.
After all,our goal is creativity and the use of the imagination. We are trying to enter the realm of feelings and emotions through music, and to arrive at a point where your fingers go where the ear dictates.Hopefully this blog can instigate the artistic process in an attempt to have a coherent and unified vision of what an art form concerns.
Play, study and approach what you do to the maximum.
Look for inspiration beyond your own instrument. Check out the trio I speak of as well.
Till next week- Musical nourishment which is "rich in vitamins" is essential for all. Lunch for your ears!
~ Tim Price
PS- LISTENING IS PRACTICE TOO!!!
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