Spanish instrumental music in Jazz Instrumental Music

"John & Joe Revisited" (07/14/1998) Jazz Instrument Phillips, Flip, ChiaroscuroPersonnel: Flip Phillips (tenor saxophone); Howard Alden (guitar); Kenny Davern (clarinet); Phil Woods (alto saxophone); Derek Smith (piano); Joe Ascione (drums). Liner Note Author: Gene Lees. Recording information: Floating Jazz Festival, S and D (11/05/1995-11/09/1995); S Norway, Caribbean Sea (11/05/1995-11/09/1995). Photographer: Rollo Phlecks. The 1995 shipboard concerts featuring tenor saxophonist Flip Phillips and clarinetist Kenny Davern are full of memorable moments, though, as liner note writer Gene Lees points out, the music heard defies being pigeonholed into any specific category. With a terrific rhythm section consisting of pianist Derek Smith, guitarist Howard Alden, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Joe Ascione, both musicians are in top form. The songs include a wide range of material, from classic jazz ("Royal Garden Blues") to standards ("Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone," with a great ballad treatment by Davern), and exciting originals by Phillips ("Flip's Dido" and "Miki's Dream") and Davern ("Elsa's Dream"). Alto sax great Phil Woods walks on to join the band during an extended workout of "Lover Come Back to Me." Like all recordings made by Chiaroscuro during its annual Floating Jazz Festival, this one's a keeper! ~ Ken Dryden

"Spanish Eyes" (04/21/1998) Jazz Instrument The Three Amigos, DBK EntertainmentPersonnel: Mike Ianieri (guitar, drums); Jeff Von Stenz (trumpet, flugelhorn); Edgardo Cintron (congas, bongos, claves, shaker, timbales, percussion). Audio Mixers: Edgardo Cintron; Mike Ianieri. Recording information: Eyeball Studios, Cinnaminson, NJ. Arranger: The Three Amigos.

"Spanish Guitar Music" (10/28/1993) Jazz Instrument Romero, Celedonio, Contemporary RecordsRecorded in 1959. Personnel: Celedonio Romero (guitar). Audio Remasterer: Phil DeLancie. Liner Note Author: Lester Koenig. Recording information: Contemporary Records' Studio, Los Angeles, CA. Arranger: Celedonio Romero.

"My Spanish Heart [Japan 2003]" (05/26/2003) Jazz Instrument Corea, Chick, Universal DistributionPersonnel: Chick Corea (vocals, acoustic & electric pianos, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, keyboards, ARP & Moog synthesizers, hand claps); Gayle Moran (vocals); Stuart Blumberg, John Rosenburg, John Thomas (trumpet); Ron Moss (trombone); Jean-Luc Ponty (violin); Stanley Clarke (bass); Steve Gadd (drums); Don Alias (percussion); Narada Michael Walden (hand claps). The Arriaga String Quartet: Barry Socher, Connie Kupka (violin); Carol Mukogawa (viola); David Speltz (cello). Producer: Chick Corea. Reissue producer: Bryan Koniarz. Recorded at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California in October 1976. Originally released on Polydor (9003). Includes liner notes by Stuart Nicholson. Digitally remastered using 24-bit technology by Kevin Reeves (Universal Music Studios-East). This is part of the Verve Records Master Edition series. Personnel: Chick Corea (vocals, acoustic & electric pianos, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, keyboards, ARP & Moog synthesizers, hand claps); Gayle Moran (vocals); Stuart Blumberg, John Rosenburg, John Thomas (trumpet); Ron Moss (trombone); Jean-Luc Ponty (violin); Stanley Clarke (bass); Steve Gadd (drums); Don Alias (percussion); Narada Michael Walden (hand claps). The Arriaga String Quartet: Barry Socher, Connie Kupka (violin); Carol Mukogawa (viola); David Speltz (cello). Recorded at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California in October 1976. This 1976 release features Chick Corea in what was then, and remains, a unique musical setting. While it is truly an electric jazz fusion record, it is also the only solo recording of Corea's on which he attempted to truly explore the Latin side of his musical heritage. My Spanish Heart marks a full-scale, yet thoroughly modern, exploration in the musical lineage Corea sprang from. Making full use of synthesizer technology, a string section, and synth-linked choruses -- of two voices, his own and that of Gayle Moran -- as well as percussionist Don Alias, drummer Steve Gadd, a full brass section, and the sparse use of Jean Luc Ponty ("Armando's Rumba") and bassist Stanley Clark, Corea largely succeeded in creating a Spanish/Latin tapestry of sounds, textures, impressions, and even two suites -- "Spanish Fantasy" and "El Bozo." The string quartet performs its intricate and gorgeously elegant arrangements with verve and grace on "Day Danse" and on the suites, with Corea's contrapuntal pianism creating a sharp yet warm contrast to the shifting tempos, wild interval leaps, and shimmering timbral balances that occur. The only pieces that sound dated on this double-album-length set are the fusion pieces, which are, with their production and knotty stop-and-start modulations and key signature equations -- complete with aggressive arpeggios and scalar linguistics -- destined to be limited in expression by the voice of their use of technology. Thus, "Love Castles," "The Gardens," and "Night Streets" suffer from their rather cheesy production despite their tastefully done double fusion semantics (jazz to rock to Latin music). There is no doubt that Corea's musicianship was up to any task he chose at this point in time. Simply put, he was compositionally and intellectually at the top of his game, and this record, despite the many of his that haven't aged well, still surprises despite its production shortcomings. ~ Thom Jurek This 1976 release features Chick Corea in what was then, and remains, a unique musical setting. While it is truly an electric jazz fusion record, it is also the only solo recording of Corea's on which he attempted to truly explore the Latin side of his musical heritage. My Spanish Heart marks a full-scale, yet thoroughly modern, exploration in the musical lineage Corea sprang from. Making full use of synthesizer technology, a string section, and synth-linked choruses -- of two voices, his own and that of Gayle Moran -- as well as percussionist Don Alias, drummer Steve Gadd, a full brass section, and the sparse use of Jean Luc Ponty ("Armando's Rumba") and bassist Stanley Clark, Corea largely succeeded in creating a Spanish/Latin tapestry of sounds, textures, impressio

"Spanish Side of Jazz" (11/30/1996) Jazz Instrument Various Artists, Drive - (import)

"My Spanish Heart [Japan 2005]" (04/04/2005) Jazz Instrument Corea, Chick, Universal DistributionPersonnel: Chick Corea (vocals, acoustic & electric pianos, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, keyboards, ARP & Moog synthesizers, hand claps); Gayle Moran (vocals); Stuart Blumberg, John Rosenburg, John Thomas (trumpet); Ron Moss (trombone); Jean-Luc Ponty (violin); Stanley Clarke (bass); Steve Gadd (drums); Don Alias (percussion); Narada Michael Walden (hand claps). The Arriaga String Quartet: Barry Socher, Connie Kupka (violin); Carol Mukogawa (viola); David Speltz (cello). Producer: Chick Corea. Reissue producer: Bryan Koniarz. Recorded at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California in October 1976. Originally released on Polydor (9003). Includes liner notes by Stuart Nicholson. Digitally remastered using 24-bit technology by Kevin Reeves (Universal Music Studios-East). This is part of the Verve Records Master Edition series. Personnel: Chick Corea (vocals, acoustic & electric pianos, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, keyboards, ARP & Moog synthesizers, hand claps); Gayle Moran (vocals); Stuart Blumberg, John Rosenburg, John Thomas (trumpet); Ron Moss (trombone); Jean-Luc Ponty (violin); Stanley Clarke (bass); Steve Gadd (drums); Don Alias (percussion); Narada Michael Walden (hand claps). The Arriaga String Quartet: Barry Socher, Connie Kupka (violin); Carol Mukogawa (viola); David Speltz (cello). Recorded at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California in October 1976. CD contains 1 bonus track. This 1976 release features Chick Corea in what was then, and remains, a unique musical setting. While it is truly an electric jazz fusion record, it is also the only solo recording of Corea's on which he attempted to truly explore the Latin side of his musical heritage. My Spanish Heart marks a full-scale, yet thoroughly modern, exploration in the musical lineage Corea sprang from. Making full use of synthesizer technology, a string section, and synth-linked choruses -- of two voices, his own and that of Gayle Moran -- as well as percussionist Don Alias, drummer Steve Gadd, a full brass section, and the sparse use of Jean Luc Ponty ("Armando's Rumba") and bassist Stanley Clark, Corea largely succeeded in creating a Spanish/Latin tapestry of sounds, textures, impressions, and even two suites -- "Spanish Fantasy" and "El Bozo." The string quartet performs its intricate and gorgeously elegant arrangements with verve and grace on "Day Danse" and on the suites, with Corea's contrapuntal pianism creating a sharp yet warm contrast to the shifting tempos, wild interval leaps, and shimmering timbral balances that occur. The only pieces that sound dated on this double-album-length set are the fusion pieces, which are, with their production and knotty stop-and-start modulations and key signature equations -- complete with aggressive arpeggios and scalar linguistics -- destined to be limited in expression by the voice of their use of technology. Thus, "Love Castles," "The Gardens," and "Night Streets" suffer from their rather cheesy production despite their tastefully done double fusion semantics (jazz to rock to Latin music). There is no doubt that Corea's musicianship was up to any task he chose at this point in time. Simply put, he was compositionally and intellectually at the top of his game, and this record, despite the many of his that haven't aged well, still surprises despite its production shortcomings. ~ Thom Jurek This 1976 release features Chick Corea in what was then, and remains, a unique musical setting. While it is truly an electric jazz fusion record, it is also the only solo recording of Corea's on which he attempted to truly explore the Latin side of his musical heritage. My Spanish Heart marks a full-scale, yet thoroughly modern, exploration in the musical lineage Corea sprang from. Making full use of synthesizer technology, a string section, and synth-linked choruses -- of two voices, his own and that of Gayle Moran -- as well as percussionist Don Alias, drummer Steve Gadd, a full brass section, and the sparse use of Jean Luc Ponty ("Armando's Rumba") and bassist Stanley Clark, Corea largely succeeded in creating a Spanish/Latin tapestry of

"A Spanish Treasure" (01/24/1992) Jazz Instrument Montoliu, Tete, Concord Records (USA)Personnel: Tete Montoliu (piano), Rufus Reid (bass), Akira Tana (drums). Personnel: Tete Montoliu (piano); Akira Tana (drums). Audio Remixer: Wally Buck. Liner Note Author: Leonard Feather. Recording information: Video Sunmall, Tokyo, Japan (06/27/1991). Photographer: Sandi Young. Unknown Contributor Roles: Akira Tana; Mark Slagle; Rufus Reid. Tete Montoliu has long been one of the most talented pianists in jazz but, because he lives in Spain, he tends to be overlooked. A fine bop-based stylist, Montoliu generally offers few surprises to listeners but always swings. This CD is a typical outing for the pianist, featuring ten jazz standards, fine backup work by bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Akira Tana, and enjoyable improvisations from the virtuosic leader. Most of the performances are fairly concise, falling into the three- to seven-minute range except for a lengthy exploration of "What's New." Highlights include creative versions of the rarely played "Israel and "Tricotism," "Like Someone in Love" (which is taken as a jazz waltz) and a treatment of "All of You" that finds the 58-year old Montoliu sounding a bit like Chick Corea. ~ Scott Yanow