concert review: Chick Corea & Steve Gadd: Dakota Jazz Club Minneapolis, MN 10-10-17

When two musicians have a connection that goes back a long way, even if they didn't play together on a regular basis in the past, if they reconnect, that's something very special.  Tuesday night at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis, was such an occasion, as Chick Corea and Steve Gadd, played the first night of a two night run of shows there, before their tour is slated to draw to a close, at the end of this week.  The whole band was full of players who have a wealth of creativity and musical empathy among them.  In addition to Chick Corea on keyboards and Steve Gadd on drums, the sextet included Carlitos del Puerto on electric and upright bass, Lionel Loueke on guitar, Steve Wilson on alto and soprano saxophones and flute, and Luisito Quintero on percussion.

The ensemble played an inspiring set, opening with Corea's composition "Humpty Dumpty".  This is a tune, that was featured in a post on the blog, about a month ago.  It's original release was on Corea's 1978 solo record "The Mad Hatter".  The only newer tune in the set, was "Spanish Song", which maintained a theme that Corea has perfected through his great career, but was proof once again, that every time he comes up with a new musical project, he is constantly reinventing himself.  The most moving composition of the evening, came as the third song in the set.  The ethereal, surreal, space-like anthem, "Return To Forever".  Yes, that is not only the name of Corea's longtime band that garnered him such recognition in the jazz and music world at large, it is also, a composition, released in 1972.

"Return To Forever" is a sonic adventure, that brought much joy and awe to the fans in attendance at The Dakota.  This piece was the magnum opus of the entire evening.  After the fans were taken on a musical journey of galactic proportions, what to do, for an encore?  Find a song in your catalog, that fans in attendance will instantly recognize.   ...And so it was, that Corea, Gadd and company, encored with "Spain", and the marvelous intro to that upbeat composition, which is a section of Gabriel Rodrigo's "Concerto de Aranjuez".  "Spain" brought the crowd to it's feet, and had them singing along with the melody.  A fitting encore to a masterful performance.

Chick Corea & Steve Gadd: The Dakota Jazz Club, Minneapolis, MN 10-10-17

1. Humpty Dumpty
2. Spanish Song
3. Return To Forever

Encore:

4. Spain

...And some bonuses for this post.  Here is the original studio recording of "Return To Forever", the composition, the title track to Return To Forever's first LP from 1972, and the third song from the performance... featuring Chick Corea on Rhodes piano, Stanley Clarke on acoustic and electric bass, Airto Moreira on drums and percussion, Joe Farrell on soprano saxophone and flute, and Flora Purim on vocals. 

Here too, is the band's rendition of "Spain", as they played it at The Dakota.  But, this version, is taken from their September 21st gig at the Blue Note in New York City.

Yours truly, also had a chance after the show, to shake hands with Mr. Gadd, the maestro.  That was the best part of the evening at The Dakota.  A great concert to be sure.