The vinyl pressing is superior with negligible surface noise. The mics on the piano are situated adroitly and piano tonality is vibrantly produced -Sound 5/5 Audiophileaudition
Captivating triple LP album of solo performances
The latest addition to Chick's remarkable discography is Plays, a captivating and intimate 3LP album of solo performances. While he claims that, "Solo piano is lonely," Chick finds himself in good company throughout these stellar performances, engaging with several of his favorite composers.The list of icons represents a wide swath of musical history, from the classical repertoire of Mozart and Chopin to formative jazz influences such as Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans, on to the Great American Songbook classics, the bossa nova beauty of Jobim, and the modern pop sensibility of Stevie Wonder.
With countless classics having become standards over the last half century, Corea himself deserves to take his place in that pantheon, and Plays includes a number of pieces — reprised from past albums or spontaneously improvised — from his own estimable songbook. The album also showcases his charming rapport with enthusiastic audiences in concert halls across Europe and the U.S., who become integral collaborators in these spirited renditions.
"I'm part of a lineage," Corea explains. "The thing that I do is similar to what Monk did, to what Bill Evans and Duke Ellington did, and moving back into another era of music, what Bach and Mozart and Beethoven did. These were all pianists who were composers at heart, who gathered their own musicians together to play. I feel so proud to be a part of that tradition."
1. Chick Talks Mozart and Gershwin
2. Mozart: Piano Sonata in F, KV332 (2nd Part - Adagio)
3. Someone to Watch Over Me
4. Improvisation on Scarlatti
5. Scarlatti: Sonata in D minor K9, L413 Allegro
6. Yesterdays
7. Chick Talks Bill Evans and Antonio Jobim
8. Waltz for Debby
9. Desafinado
10. Chopin: Prelude Op. 28 #4
11. Scriabin: Prelude Op.11 (Part 1) #4
12. Chick Talks Monk
13. Pannonica
14. Trinkle Tinkle
15. Blue Monk
16. Pastime Paradise
17. Chick Talks Paco
18. The Yellow Nimbus
19. Chick Talks Portraits
20. Portrait: Henrietta
21. Portrait: Chris
22. Chick Talks Duets
23. Duet: Yaron
24. Duet: Charles
25. Chick Talks Children's Songs
26. Children's Song No. 1
27. Children's Song No. 3
28. Children's Song No. 4
29. Children's Song No. 9
30. Children's Song No. 10
31. Children's Song No. 15
32. Children's Song No. 17
33. Children's Song No. 12
