CHICK COREA ELEKTRIC BAND: EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

If this is what so called 'jazz', I will always buy the music like this!

It seemed like Chick learned from his mistake with his previous release of 'Light Years' after the success of Elektric band debut album. This third release represents his rebound that sounds much better than the debut album with more contemporary and progressive approaches but still maintaining jazz as his area of expertise. The beauty of this album relies on its excellent solo provided to the musicians not just limited to Chick' piano / keyboard / synthesizer. This time he lets Eric to play mare on the sax and also provides Gambale to perform guitar work. It's not like he gave big chances to Al Di Meola in Return To Forever's releases but at least the audience can tap the message here that Chick is not focusing in his own virtuosity but he lets others to contribute. Bravo, Chick!

The tracks provided here in this record are all excellent with some notes that I take in order for you to make some reference in buying decision, maybe.

'Home Universe' is exploratory and adventurous in nature demonstrated by the way sax is played by Eric Maroienthal. Chick's choice of Eric was a great decision, i believe, because his sax style really matches with the music. Frank Gambale's guitar work provides great textures of the music. 'Eternal Child' demonstrates great piano improvisations by Chick followed with 'Forgotten Past' in which bass provides groove while piano plays on top of it filled with sax work. Frank plays his electric guitar solo excellently. Saxophone then takes solo with high register notes.

'Passage' is basically Eric's solo because Chick really gives a lot of portion for Eric to provide his sax improvisation throughout the song. Chick's piano and synthesizer take some portion of the solo but more on providing textures to strengthen the composition. The main actor is Eric's sax. 'Cascade' is really an excellent track which demonstrates the virtuosities of each player in the band from Eric, Chick, Gambale, Weckl as well as Patitucci. In terms of composition this track is solid in terms melody and harmonies as the music flows in various styles throughout the track. The structural integrity of the song is also powerful. The Dave Weckl drum solo is excellent, followed with sax solo and Chick's keyboard work.

'Trance Dance' demonstrates how brilliant Chick in composing a beautiful music by giving chances for his band members to improvise while at the same time maintaining an excellent tagline melody of the overall song. While Eric performs his solo improvisation, Chick provides his piano as fillers and the other fellows provide nice rhythm section. As far as taste, I like this track very much because it has many progressive elements. 'Eye of the Beholder' is also an excellent composition.

Overall, I recommend you to have this jazz rock fusion album because it offers with quite extensive progressive approach even though the root is on joazz. But it's not like the kind of jazz you used to hear ..it's contemporary and it's proggin' ..really! If jazz music is like this, I will always buy the CD! Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

Third Corea's Elektric Band's album is real return to form. After weak second album, the same team of musicians recorded realy strong jazz fusion album. Yes, in many places you can feel pop-orientation there, but in common the music has it's soul, it's melody and is professional in it's techniques.

Differently from first two albums, the third one is much more melodic. And not only this - there are plenty of solos of both guitar and sax players. If before Corea used all musicians just as additional sound for his electric keyboards ( and for sure it wasn't enough for good balanced music), we have real band of partners there. Everyone won because of that: the music got it's blood and soul.

OK, it's electric jazz fusion from late 80-s, so don't expect Latin scent and warm romantism of early RTF, or melted rock oriented fusion of late RTF. It's a pleasant,but cold synth/electric sound with feelable commercial orientation from "plastic world" era. But as for it's time, it's a competent and pleasant album.