Performers from Harlem Quartet & Imani Winds have vital, vibrant role in 'Chick Corea The Continents'

["The Continents" - Concerto for Jazz Quintet & Chamber Orchestra (CD 1); Jazz Standards / Improvisations (CD 2); Chick Corea / Orchestra (with Jazz Quintet) / Steven Mercurio; Deutsche Grammophon 2 CD 4779952 (2012)]

On March 27, 2012 AfriClassical posted: “Members of Imani Winds &Harlem Quartet Join Chick Corea on 2-CD set 'The Continents' from Deutsche Grammophon.” The Continents was brought to our attention by Michael S. Wright, our friend in the United Kingdom.

We have featured the Harlem Quartet and the Imani Winds as long as we have been blogging. Our principal interest in the 2-CD set involves the roles played in the recording project by violinists Ilmar Gavilan and Melissa White of the Harlem Quartet, and all five members of the Imani Winds. They are Valerie Coleman, flutist; Toyin Spellman-Diaz, oboe; Mariam Adam, clarinet: Jeff Scott, French horn and Monica Ellis, bassoon.

These seven performers participated in recording CD1, Concerto for Jazz Quintet and Chamber Orchestra. Its movements are 1. Africa, 2. Europe, 3. Australia, 4. America, 5. Asia, and 6. Antarctica. Chick Corea writes the liner notes:

“Making music for a combination of orchestral musicians and jazz musicians has endless possibilities. Appreciation for the abilities each has for the other makes for an atmosphere charged with high interest, creative communication and new ideas. This was the setting for the composing and recording of The Continents – for me, a dream come true.

“The process of making the recording was magical.” “The music may have its technical flaws, as perfection was never the goal – but I'm pleased that the music was made in the Spirit of Play, which was the original intent of the composition after being invited to write a 'piano concerto in the spirit of Mozart' by the Wiener Mozartjahr.”

We wondered how the classical and jazz fusion project felt for the two classical performers drawn from the Harlem Quartet, and the members of the Imani Winds Quintet. Stuart Wolferman of Unfinished Side Productions was kind enough to provide the impressions of Monica Ellis, bassoonist for the Imani Winds. Monica's comments begin with Chick Corea's introduction to her ensemble: 

“He heard us play in Marciac, France with Wayne Shorter and met us there for the first time, which spawned the desire to work together. He was very impressed with that project. So when he wanted to record this piece he wanted us specifically to be a part of the wind section, appreciating our sensitivity to understanding jazz and classical worlds.

“Thoughts on the experience:

-unbelievable musical textures within the music

-surprises around every corner

-high level of musical camaraderie

-wonderful to have an open recording feel of allowing the music to breathe because there was ample amount of time to get the best results.

“Chick trusted our opinions and thoughts about his music and allowed for us to give input, which was incredible. He is very nurturing and puts out such a great energy. You couldn't do anything but make great music."

Monica Ellis, Imani Winds bassoonist

The comments of Chick Corea and Monica Ellis persuade us that the jazz composer and the innovative classical performers of color were very much on the same page and were equally pleased with the recording sessions and the final version of Chick Corea's Concerto for Jazz Quintet and Chamber Orchesta recently released by Deutsche Grammophon. The orchestral disc of this 2-CD set was a successful experiment from our perspective. The composition is more jazz than classical, but the performers from the Harlem Quartet and the Imani Winds have a vital, vibrant role in 'Chick Corea The Continents.'

Disclosure: A review copy of this 2-CD set was provided by the record label.