Chick Corea Releases “The Vigil”, Featuring Hadrien Feraud and Stanley Clarke

Chick Corea: The VigilAfter releasing four collaborative albums last year, legendary keyboardist Chick Corea has gotten back to creating his own songs with The Vigil. The effort includes a brand new band filled out by saxophonist Tim Garland, guitarist Charles Altura, drummer Marcus Gilmore and bassist Hadrien Feraud. The band, which is also called The Vigil, gives Corea the opportunity to return to his “favorite format of writing music for a special hand-picked band for recording and touring.”

“I have many young, great musicians who I want to learn from,” Corea stated. “They’re really keeping the culture of music alive. They’re keeping the vigil, and I can see that in the way they dedicate themselves to their music.”

Feraud really shines throughout the album, which dishes up extraordinary playing with classic jazz fusion textures. The bassist delivers incredible solos throughout the album as well as a striking musical conversation with the band leader as they trade on “Portals to Forever.”

While the album is aimed at newness, Corea’s old friend and bassist Stanley Clarke appears on the live track “Pledge for Peace.” Dedicated to John Coltrane, the piece “was written in the style of a prayer that was one of the musical vehicles that Coltrane often used.”

This album is a sign of more to come, says Corea. “That’s the direction of The Vigil, everything I love, including the rapport and high-speed communication of making music with musicians who inspire me and inspire each other. This first set of music tells of spaces and freedoms, of what could be created in an ideal culture in a new world where the creative imagination is considered the most valuable possession one could have.”

The Vigil is out now on CD and digital formats (iTunes and Amazon MP3).

The Vigil Track List:

  1. Galaxy 32 Star 4
  2. Planet Chia
  3. Portals to Forever
  4. Royalty
  5. Outside of Space
  6. Pledge for Peace
  7. Legacy

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