The Chick Corea Songbook
The Manhattan Transfer · 2009
55 min · 12 tracks · blues
A vibrant celebration of jazz fusion, blending intricate harmonies with rhythmic grooves and playful melodies.
Top tracks — play these first
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Spain (I Can Recall) — This track stands out with its rich harmonic textures and rhythmic complexity, encapsulating the essence of Corea's jazz fusion style while allowing the group's vocal prowess to shine.
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500 Miles High — Featuring lush vocal layers and intricate arrangements, this track exemplifies The Manhattan Transfer's ability to reinterpret classic jazz standards while maintaining their signature sound.
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Children’s Song #15 — This brief yet poignant piece showcases the group's ability to convey emotion through minimalist vocal harmonies, highlighting the delicate beauty inherent in Corea's compositions.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong vocal arrangements and rhythmic complexity but lacks a cohesive flow across all tracks.
What we noticed
- The album features intricate vocal harmonies that often overlap, creating a rich texture throughout the tracks.
- Several tracks incorporate rhythmic shifts and tempo changes, particularly in 'Spain' and '500 Miles High', which enhance the dynamic feel.
- The arrangement of 'Children’s Song #15' employs a minimalist piano backdrop that allows the vocals to take center stage, contrasting with more layered tracks.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- vibrant celebration of intricate harmonies
- dynamic journey with rhythmic peaks
- playful arrangements for joyful listening
- engaging storytelling through vocal interplay
Maybe skip if you
- prefer straightforward, linear tracks
- seek instant gratification in music
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 2009, The Chick Corea Songbook came during The Manhattan Transfer’s sustained legacy as a premier vocal group, known for their innovative blend of jazz, pop, and a cappella. This album showcases their interpretation of Chick Corea's influential compositions, marking a point where they continued to explore new musical territories while honoring jazz traditions.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Swingle Singers· Pentatonix· Vocalosity
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Free Samba 5:15
- 2 Prelude to Spain (I Can Recall) 3:10
- 3 Spain (I Can Recall) 6:37
- 4 One Step Closer (The One Step) 5:16
- 5 Children’s Song #15 1:16
- 6 500 Miles High 6:52
- 7 Another Roadside Attraction (Space Circus) 4:21
- 8 Time’s Lie 3:54
- 9 La Chanson du bébé (Children’s Song #1) 2:32
- 10 Ragtime in Pixiland (Pixiland Rag) 1:46
- 11 The Story of Anna & Armando (Armando’s Rhumba) 6:15
- 12 Free Samba (extended version) 8:16
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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