09/05/2026
Chick Corea & the Vigil - Live at Jazz Vienne Festival - Galaxy 32 Star 4
From the moment Chick Corea entered the sphere of Miles Davis in 1968 and first recorded fusion on the electric piano, a love affair was born. As the decades passed, Corea would return again and again to the genre and tonal possibilities of the instrument, creating some of his most compelling music.
A proud successor to his Return To Forever, Elektric and Five Peace bands was The Vigil, featuring the powerhouse rhythm section of bassist Christian McBride, drummer Marcus Gilmore and percussionist Luisito Quintero, rising star guitarist Charles Altura and tenor/soprano saxophonist and bass clarinetist Tim Garland. Corea’s numerous connections with the members of this multi-generational band result in a wonderful rapport and capacity for invention.
For this concert from the ancient Roman amphitheater in France, Corea and Company work out on a pair of tunes from the group’s 2013 release. With Corea’s keyboards and piano, McBride moving between electric and upright, Garland’s panoply of horns and Quintero’s various textures, this is a group of endless possibility. “Portals to Forever” is a groove like only Corea can create, highlighted by saxophone/guitar and keyboard/bass trades, while “Galaxy 32 Star 4” is a Latin-funk workout with keyboard pyrotechnics, McBride in beast mode and deep solos from all the members.
