Looking forward to this tonight

[Mikey]

I've seen Chick Corea with Return to Forever a couple of times, but never had a chance to see Herbie Hancock live.

It's a different kind of setting - just two pianos and them improvising off of each other. But, these guys are jazz megastars.

Should be interesting.

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

Corea

Uhhh, 'tart...your thoughts?

:?

[Joe in PB]

Have fun.

[BSmack]

There's a few Coreas in my hometown. I should probably keep the cat indoors.

[Mikey]

Soooooo....

How was it, Mikey?

Truthfully, I was pretty much blown away. These guys both have impeccable technique but the amazing thing is how they can play off of each other without ever (apparently) getting in each other's way.

Typically they start out with a (sometimes) recognizable theme and then just take off into outer space for 10 or 15 minutes on each song, then eventually come back to something recognizable. There were two grand pianos facing each other, so that neither could see what the other was doing - just facial communication. A couple of times they got together and talked for a few seconds before starting. Also, they each had an electronic keyboard that they occasionally went to, but mostly the acoustic pianos. We were sitting in the 10th row, about 30 deg out to the right (facing the stage). We could see Chick Corea's piano keyboard, but just Herbie's head and shoulders for the most part.

In two hours, without intermission, they must have played about 9 or 10 songs. I could tell you the names of four of them but I don't know all of their material.

All Blues (a Miles Davis classic from the album Kind of Blue)
Maiden Voyage (from Herbie's album of the same name)
Dolphin Dance (also from Maiden Voyage)

The encore was "Spain" a popular Chick Corea tune from the album Light as a Feather. This included an interesting audience "sing along" where we were supposed to repeat a series of short improvised lines that Chick played. Kind of fun actually and the audience actually sounded pretty good.

The wife, who is not really a big jazz fan (she thought we were going to see Cheech Marin ) came away a fan of both, but Herbie Hancock especially. I had to tell her that I have a bunch of his albums that I play occasionally and she has always liked them.

Would definitely do that again.

[Mikey]

Yeah, the wife really likes music but just isn't that much into who is making it. Pretty much leaves that up to me (thankfully). I just have to throw in an occasional opera or classical performance and she's happy.

Forgot to mention the pre-show stuff:

Antipasto alla Contadina
House salad (wife)
Warm spinach salad with roasted duck breast and goat cheese (me)
Pork osso bucco (wife)
Roasted herb encrusted rack of lamb (me)
Double espresso (wife)
Cappuccino (me)

Bottle of 2010 Barolo

Definitely set a proper mood for the show.