Chick Corea and Béla Fleck – The Enchantment (Concord Records)
By Adam Green
Published in Blues and Soul - July 8th 2007
Chick Corea and Béla Fleck, together at last! They are peas in a pod and belong together for eternity. Corea is a fast, cheeky and mouse-like pianist; unpredictable, hyperactive and perennially hungry. Fleck, meanwhile, has spent decades pushing back the frontiers of the banjo with his whirling, madcap wizadry.
The Enchantment sees the pair launch like twirling torpedoes into eleven original compositions, performed with vim, verve and virtuosity. They rattle along at break-neck speed and with brotherly understanding, deliriously noodling their way through jazz, country, folk and some downright weird stuff.
The melodies are lovely, though good luck trying to whistle along. The Enchantment sounds like Flight of the Bumblebee on speed. I estimate it would take nine years to count up every note on this album and it would come to approximately 18.6 million. Their fingers must be sore, but your ears will be delighted.
