A-list musicians, B-list recording.
D | Cincinnati, OH United States | 10/03/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"With players like Chick Corea, Miroslav Vitous (from Weather Report) and Roy Haynes, you'd think that this would be an awesome album. It certainly has its moments, but overall it seems to be a bit empty. The first half of the disc are improv pieces that seem to blend into one another. The second half (the stronger half) is a collection of Monk tunes. If the Monk covers would have been inserted between each of the improv pieces, it would have been a more enjoyable listen. The tracks would be a bit easier to distinguish from one to the next.
This is for fans of Chick Corea only. The general audience may be a bit turned off by this one. ..."
Fantastic Roy Haynes !!
funkyfrenchy | Earth | 09/28/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Buy this album just for Haynes. The finest work ever as far as Hard bop drumming. The tones are unreal ! Monk's tunes are played like never before ( except by the master itself !)."
Inescapable
Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 04/15/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is unreal my jazz pals. It is an ECM double cd package so the price isn't friendly, but it deserves your attention believe me. I was a little bit perplexed in the shop because I read the previous reviews here where a couple of guys said the abstract part (the first cd) wasn't that great. Well, now that luckly I have bought this album, I can say that these guys are wrong, terribly wrong. But let's go on with order. The cover rightly have only the names of these greats on it. It seems saying "Corea, Haynes, Vitous" what else you need to know more? And infact you don't need to know nothing more especially if you like me, already own the other ECM album these giants recorded, "Trio music: Live in Europe". That album was unbelievable, but this one absolutly is no less marvellous. The first cd is made of eight abstract tunes that melt one into the other. It is great what can I say, the interplay is sublime and every player shines. The only thing that personally I could stay without are some parts from Miroslav where he plays with the arch. But it is only a matter of taste. 7 tunes are perfectly abstract tunes .. the last one "Slippery when wet" is a little more prepared tune. What you can hear are three giants for real in the process of creating new music. Some abstract, free jazz albums are boring. I know it. Not this one. The second cd is made only of Thelonious Monk's compositions and I can say, Monk never sounded so good, so right, so intense. I love Monk of course, but it seems to me that in this album these guys surpassed even the master. It is unbelievable how good is this ECM from Chick and the guys. I TOTALLY agree witht the guy who pointed out in his review Roy's drumming. I mean .... you can't beat Roy. He's the number one guy behind the drums. Here he proved why. And one last very important thing. This cd has unreal tones, it is recorded magnificiently. My plause. Hat off to ECM. This album is a MUST, inescapable if you love Jazz trio."
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1
