Chick Corea Elektric Band - 2023 "The Future Is Now"

Founded in 1986, The Chick Corea Elektric Band has long held a high standard, with Eric Marienthal on saxophones, Frank Gambale on guitar, John Patitucci on electric bass, and Dave Weckl on drums. It’s the ensemble with whom brilliant keyboardist, Chick Corea, (pioneer of the genre since the creation of the band Return to Forever in 1972) has been able to experiment with writing jazz fusion the most – both in its grooves, and its sonic textures. After changing the group’s makeup several times and reforming the initial group around the 2000s (see To the Stars released in 2004), Corea led this all-star lineup for his last major “electric” tours, between 2016 and 2018 (before his death in February 2021 from cancer). This album The Future Is Now gives us the opportunity to hear unreleased excerpts from his final tour.

Featuring long and epic performances of some of Corea’s biggest hits, while leaving plenty of room for individual improvisation, the Chick Corea Elektric Band appears here at its best and most seductive. Their organic cohesion, resulting from their collective arrangements that are as sophisticated as they are effective, is balanced with luxurious instrumental virtuosity constantly going beyond the framework of the original songs. The group offers two long hours of consistently lyrical and accessible music, released here for the first time ever.

Led by the legendary pianist and composer Chick Corea - 27-time Grammy® winner and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master - The Elektric Band stormed onto the jazz scene in the mid-1980s, making an immediate and lasting impact on the genre. With their electrifying performances and innovative blend of jazz fusion, the group produced a series of albums that set the bar for excellence in contemporary jazz.

Featuring a core lineup of virtuosic musicians - John Patitucci on bass, Dave Weckl on drums, Eric Marienthal on saxophone and Frank Gambale on guitar - the group created a dynamic and electrifying sound that came to define the jazz fusion style. Their collective musicianship was on full display on each album, as they seamlessly blended complex compositions with captivating improvisations.

After releasing five legendary albums in the span of six years, Corea, always interested in expanding the scope of his work, devoted himself to a myriad of other musical projects.

Compiled by Corea before his passing in February of 2021, this incredible and previously unreleased album of live recordings with the reunited original Elektric Band, was captured during tour stops in 2016 and 2017.

Produced by Corea with original Elektric Band recording engineer Bernie Kirsh, and mastered by Bernie Grundman, this album features in-depth liner notes from Corea, and all of the Elektric Band members. It is a fitting closing chapter, a must-have for any fan of this dynamic and game-changing group.

Featuring liner notes from each individual band member, and descriptions of each track from Chick himself.

This is the definitive live Elektric Band record Chick put together for the world to hear -- featuring tracks spanning their decades-long discography and serving as a celebration, and a fitting closing chapter, to the band's incredible legacy.

Tracks Listing:

CD 1

1. Charged Particles (7:48)

2. Trance Dance (15:41)

3. Cta (16:02)

4. Jocelyn - The Commander (7:59)

5. Beneath the Mask (6:15)

CD 2

1. Ished (11:34)

2. Alan Corday (16:06)

3. Johnny's Landing (18:37)

4. Got a Match (18:47)

Total Time 118:49

Line-up / Musicians

- Chick Corea / keyboards

- John Patitucci / bass

- Frank Gambale / guitar

- Eric Marienthal / saxophone

- Dave Weckl / drums