CHICK COREA — Is (review)

CHICK COREA — Is album cover Album · 1969 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
darkprinceofjazz
I found a vinyl copy of "Is" the other day, while I do have the CD, I don't believe I have listened to it more than once, It is has been years since that first listen, My tastes for free jazz have grown, and I don't remember caring much for it back then, probably 10 years ago at least, but now the music makes much more sense, and compared to the Return to Forever music, shocking, to say the least.

A great line up comprises the album Is, Woody Shaw on trumpet, Bennie Maupin on tenor sax, Hubert Laws on flute and piccolo, Dave Holland on Bass, Jack Dejohnette and Horace Arnold on drums and Corea on piano and electric piano.

What I am struck by, is the searching free spirited nature of the music, at time is does seem to come unhinged, and even lost a bit, I am left thinking this music sounds like a rehearsal, or a jam of sorts, things are being worked out and brought to the fold, some things work better than others, but as a whole piece of music, though not refined, it shows a thirst to create something new, I don't remember hearing to many free jazz albums with the electric piano so prominently used, it is interesting to hear it cut through the mix, Corea and Holland really seem to be feeding off of each other, certainly not a perfect album, but easily worth a listen, or two.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
darkprinceofjazz wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I did have that Connoisseur's series issue double disc, Complete Is sessions, Inner Space and Is, and a few alternate takes, I traded it away years ago, It's rather expensive right now on the secondary market, This second listen to Inner Space and Is, 10 years ago My exposure to that style was in it's infancy, it sure made more sense 10 years later.
snobb wrote:
more than 2 years ago
One of not so many Corea's albums I didn't listen. As some other his works from late 60s-early 70s (especially avant-garde jazz ones) it's a rare album to find. I expect that as well as Arc,Circle's and few others this album should be quite unpredictable and "more interesting than pleasant to listen".Need to try harder and find it one day...

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Green Puma / Tropical Dandy Jazz Related Rock
THE LINK QUARTET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Vinny Golia Quintet : Can You Outrun Them? 21st Century Modern
VINNY GOLIA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Bow Code Fusion
SAMPO HIUKKANEN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Anthem For No Man’s Land Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ANDREAS SCHAERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Cabaret Eclectic Fusion
MARIUS NESET
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Paper Plane Pilot
MIKE DE SOUZA
js· 2 hours ago
Green Puma
THE LINK QUARTET
js· 2 hours ago
Heavy Cream
SAMPO HIUKKANEN
js· 4 hours ago
Sunday afternoon
FURIO DI CASTRI
snobb· 17 hours ago
Harmônicos
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed