Three Quartets

Three Quartets
Studio album by
Chick Corea
ReleasedJuly 1981
RecordedJanuary/February 1981
StudioMad Hatter Studios Los Angeles, California
GenrePost-bop, jazz
Length39:08 (original album) / 61:03 (CD reissue)
LabelStretch Records
ProducerChick Corea
Chick Corea chronology
In Concert, Zürich, October 28, 1979
(1980) 		Three Quartets
(1981) 		Trio Music
(1982)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide[2]

Three Quartets is a studio album released in 1981 by jazz pianist Chick Corea, in collaboration with tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Steve Gadd.

Composition

All compositions are by Corea who wanted to create an album of quartets like the many string quartets of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Impressionist periods, but with jazz instrumentation.

"Quartet No. 1" uses a 1-chord (G altered) solo vamp over a rock beat in 3/4, and a repeated theme that uses stacked fourths. The third track, "Quartet No. 2 (Part I)" is a ballad, dedicated to jazz pioneer Duke Ellington, incorporating many of the Western classical harmonies and tensions that Ellington used in much of his playing. "Quartet No. 2 (Part II)" is dedicated to jazz saxophone legend John Coltrane.

Track listing

All compositions by Chick Corea except as noted.

  1. "Quartet No. 1" – (10:16)
  2. "Quartet No. 3" – (9:41)
  3. "Quartet No. 2" - Part I (Dedicated to Duke Ellington)" – (7:09)
  4. "Quartet No. 2" - Part II (Dedicated to John Coltrane)" – (12:01)

The CD reissue contains several tracks that were recorded during the same sessions as the original album but not released at the time. These are:

  1. "Folk Song" – (5:51)
  2. "Hairy Canary" – (3:43)
  3. "Slippery When Wet" – (6:02)
  4. "Confirmation" (Charlie Parker) – (6:17)

Corea plays drums on "Confirmation" instead of Steve Gadd.

Personnel

Musicians

Production

  • Bernie Kirsh – recording and mixing engineer
  • Duncan Aldrich – assistant engineer
  • Joel Strote – associate executive producer
  • Adam Zelinka – post producer
  • Stephen Marcussen – remastering
  • Sonny Mediana – graphic design
  • Andy Baltimore – creative director
  • Dan Serrano – graphic design
  • Andy Ruggirello – graphic design
  • Darryl Pitt – photography
  • Susan Garson – project coordinator
  • Richard Veloso – art producer

Chart performance

Year Chart Position
1981 Billboard 200 179 [3]
1981 Billboard Jazz Albums 17 [3]

References

  1. ^ Yanow, Scott. "Chick Corea - Three Quartets (1981) album review | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  2. ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. pp. 51. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  3. ^ a b "Chick Corea - Three Quartets (1981) | Awards | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 27 October 2013.