Chick Corea Akoustic Band in the Philharmonie im Gasteig

By 1989, the Chick Corea Akoustic Band had become something of a modern jazz institution. Stripping things back to piano, bass and drums, Corea, John Patitucci and Dave Weckl focus on interplay, swing and sheer musical conversation. This set from the Philharmonie im Gasteig moves freely between standards and Corea originals: Coltrane’s hard-driving "Chasin’ the Trane", Bud Powell’s ballad classic "How Deep Is the Ocean" and the cool elegance of "On Green Dolphin Street" sit alongside Corea’s own "Morning Sprite", the searching textures of the Three Quartets pieces and a characteristically expansive take on "Spain". Intimate, alert and full of give-and-take, it’s a vivid snapshot of a trio listening hard and playing at the top of its game.