Play [live]
by Scott YanowIn 1990 singer Bobby McFerrin and pianist Chick Corea teamed up for six concerts that were as much about performance art and wacky comedy as about music; to many people's surprise Corea proved to be as humorous as McFerrin. This CD features musical highlights from a pair of the concerts. Unfortunately without seeing the performers in person, one is not always sure what the audience is laughing at, particularly during the first three selections. Still there are some remarkable moments, primarily from McFerrin who shows that he can switch effortlessly from soaring falsetto to intense basslines; his ideas on "Blue Bossa" are quite impressive. Corea is heard more often as an accompanist than as an equal partner so McFerrin often steals the show on this interesting but not essential release.