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Chick Corea & Bela Fleck, 'Two' Double Disc Release on Concord Jazz (REVIEW)

In 2007, pianist Chick Corea and banjoist Bela Fleck teamed up for 'The Enchantment,' which they promptly supported by touring together. Personal chemistry being what it was between these two grand masters, they continued to tour intermittently ever since. When Corea approached Fleck to produce a live album, he readily agreed. This meant culling through eight years of tapes, which Fleck did on an Oregon beach. When he had his favorites, he went over them with Corea. The result is 'Two,' a double-disc of concert moments that show the pair incessantly tag teaming through a variety of their own classics plus well-chosen covers. It's a dizzying elongated listen with more notes than the brain can possibly fathom.
By Mike Greenblatt

  • Joseph C. Phillips, Jr. & Numinous, 'Changing Same,' New Amsterdam Records (REVIEW)

    Every genre has their "alt-dot" in front of it and classical is no exception. Meet Joseph C. Phillips, Jr. and his chamber orchestra Numinous. 'Changing Same' (New Amsterdam Records) is a musical chronicle of his life as a black man in America.
    By Mike Greenblatt

  • Yo-Yo Ma, Kathryn Stott Duet on New Album, 'Songs from the Arc of Life,' via Sony Masterworks

    It isn't unexpected or completely otherworldly for some of the classical world's foremost musicians to have life-long collaborators. For iconic cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Kathryn Stott remains not just a collaborator, but a longtime friend--worthy of sharing both a stage and the bill for their new album, released today (September 18) on Sony Classical/Masterworks. Together, the duo's disc tis aptly name 'Songs from the Arc of Life.' A seemingly intimidating title, actually, the 19 tracks here are more like cadences, respites from their time together that, because life moves so fast, just have not been put to record. Of course, Ma and Stott are exploring a bit, too, offering new contents to their expansive repertoire.
    By Ian Holubiak