Hot House

MAINSTREAM JAZZ. Forty years after first working together, Corea and Burton are back together on a studio album. Unlike “Crystal Silence” (1972) and “Duet” (1979), which are mainly down-tempo, ethereal, and improvisational (typical of ECM releases of that era), this record is more varied, generally more upbeat, and a pleasing potpourri of historical styles. It’s just acoustic grand piano and vibes, plus a string quartet on the last track.

All instrumental. No FCC issues.

1 ** Mid-tempo. A 1930 Broadway tune interpreted by Art Tatum & others. Happy melody is traded back & forth. Corea pays homage to Tatum with some left-hand stride & right-hand flourish. (7:24)
2 Mid-fast, complex fantasy on a Beatles tune. Burton plays the melody fairly straight with rhythmic piano accompaniment. Corea’s leads are more improvisational. (6:59)
3 * Mid-fast. Corea & Burton each played in the ‘60s w Stan Getz, a proponent of Antonio Jobim who wrote this tune. Impressionistic & rhythmic with lots of nice interplay. (10:43)
4 * Mid-slow. Interesting & thoughtful (tho not particularly beautiful) reading of a Bill Evans ballad. Melody takes a back seat to counterpoint & choral exploration. (6:11)
5 ** Very fast. A bebop classic famously recorded by Dizzy Gillespie & Charlie Parker. Astonishing virtuosity; very intricate & technical. Burton really shines. (3:51)
6 * Mid-tempo beat with fast solos. A lesser known Dave Brubeck composition from his epochal “Time Out” LP. A swirling, enveloping world of notes. Quite captivating. (7:03)
7 *** Mid-tempo, swinging. Rhythmic & a bit dissonant as you’d expect in a Thelonious Monk tune. Corea has brilliantly arranged this piano piece for two instruments; the vibes at times sound almost like his right hand. Very enjoyable. (6:01)
8 * Mid-tempo. Another A.C. Jobim tune, this one more in the bosa nova style: easy going, melodic, elegant. Just the thing while enjoying a drink on the Ipanema beach. (7:19)
9 Mid-tempo. Gershwin love song. Much ornamented melody. A bit dull & long. (11:50)
10 Fast, syncopated. Classical-jazz mash-up with the Harlem String Quartet. (7:14)