Chick Corea – Akoustic Band

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: C     Concert: B-

 

 

Chick Corea remains one of the premiere Jazz pianists, with a career spanning four decades.  His music catalog is a favorite of audiophiles worldwide and here is a July 12, 1986 DVD concert of his work, the latest in a series of DVDs of his work to date.  Chick Corea – Akoustic Band is the latest of over a dozen such releases in the format since, a number usually reserved for more popular genres.

 

The songs here are:

 

1)     Chasin’ The Trane

2)     How Deep Is The Ocean

3)     On Green Dolphin Street

4)     Sophisticated Lady

5)     Morning Sprite

6)     Humpty Dumpty

7)     Round Midnight

8)     Rhythm-A-Ning

9)     Quartet No. 2, Part 2

10)  Spain

 

 

This all runs about 110 minutes and though it is good, some of the selections are not as interesting as others.  The talent is there, though, so fans will be satisfied.  The 1.33 X 1 full frame image looks good for its age off of a clean analog professional NTSC source.  The sound has been remixed for Dolby Digital 5.1 and sounds so good that one wishes Geneon had offered a DTS track, which is why the 16Bit/48khz PCM 2.0 Stereo is a nice option.  Extras include the option of playing the songs without Corea’s introductions, a good 16:35 interview with Corea, credits and text bios on the band.  Not bad, but the music is the thing and it is pretty good here.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo