Chick Corea - 1986 "Elektric Band"

The Chick Corea Elektric Band is an album by jazz fusion keyboard player Chick Corea, released in 1986. It is the eponymous debut album of the Chick Corea Elektric Band, which at that time also featured drummer Dave Weckl, bass player John Patitucci and guitarists Scott Henderson and Carlos Rios.
This album can be described as "jazz-rock", though it is much closer to traditional jazz than the jazz-rock albums of the 1970s. The keyboard sounds on the album are typical for the mid-1980s. The drums played by Dave Weckl dominate the album's sound, with the guitar duties split between Scott Henderson and Carlos Rios.
The album features a heavy use of FM synthesis, MIDI and drum programming, expanding on Corea's previous work in later lineups of Return to Forever (band) and reflecting the technology of the time when it was conceived and recorded.

Chick has a long history of reinvention — not least of which was the stunning high-velocity jazz-rock of Return to Forever. In 1986, after a long period of high-profile, mostly acoustic collaborations, Chick assembled the Elektric Band, a plugged-in unit so tight and flawless that it reinvigorated jazz for a new generation. Their first album, The Chick Corea Elektric Band, is a stunner: from the opening flourish of “City Gate,” Chick was clearly announcing a new direction. The lineup of young masters — Scott Henderson and Carlos Rios on guitar, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Dave Weckl — simply inhabit Chick’s new compositions, creating instant classics out of tunes like “Got A Match?” and “Elektric City.”

Chick Corea's Elektric Band's first disc is the record which formally introduced the bass virtuoso John Patitucci and awe-inspiring drummer Dave Weckl to the world. Patitucci's six-string electric bass technique and Weckl's crystal clean drumming acrobatics would become the stuff of legend and the sparkle in the eyes of rhythm section students from this point forward. Unlike most keyboardists at the time, Corea approached the synthesizer as an individual instrument--not as an electrified piano. As a result, this group's sound was much richer and more creative than similar ensembles of the day.

On "Rumble," Corea's furious fingerings are matched note-for-note by Weckl's use of drum machines and electronic sounds to create a kaleidoscopic backdrop. In contrast, the subdued "Cool Weasel Boogie" displays a softer side to the machines and sampled sounds. The most impressive track is "Got A Match?" Blisteringly fast with jaw-dropping solos by all, this tune cemented the group's status among musicians the world over. The unique "King Cockroach" features a nice blend of Corea's nimble playing, guitarist Scott Henderson's soaring tones and the Weckl/Patitucci rhythm machine. In all, there is little wonder why this band all but defined great electric jazz in the '80s.  

Track listing

All songs by Chick Corea except where noted otherwise.

    "City Gate" – 0:54
    "Rumble" – 4:04
    "Side Walk" (Chick Corea/Dave Weckl/John Patitucci) – 3:48
    "Cool Weasel Boogie" – 6:43
    "Got a Match?" – 5:38
    "Elektric City" – 4:07
    "No Zone" – 5:29
    "King Cockroach" – 6:56
    "India Town" – 5:06
    "All Love" – 5:45
    "Silver Temple" – 8:32

(Tracks #1, #10 & #11 were not included in the original issue of the album)

Personnel: 
 Chick Corea (keyboards, synthesizer, programming) 
 Scott Henderson , Carlos Rios (guitar)
 Bo Tomlyn (voice box)
 John Patitucci (electric bass, 6-string bass)
 Dave Weckl (drums, percussion)