Symphonic Corea, Solitary Jarrett, and More

Jazz often has been described as the sound of surprise, the sound of unanticipated musical discovery. And rightfully so. But what makes the music even more fascinating is the manner in which those surprises and discoveries arise from so many different, often seemingly contradictory directions.

A quick look at some recent releases reveals a musical horizon ranging from the orchestral timbres of concert hall jazz to the elegant rhythms of Cuban danzon.

“Corea.Concerto” (***, Sony Classical). Chick Corea has occasionally been performing Mozart piano concertos lately. But the influences that course through the two works included here--a three-part orchestra setting of his “Spain” and his Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra--can be traced to a century later. “Spain,” except for its Third Stream-like jazz segments (performed in spirited fashion by Corea and his group, Origin), resonates with connections to Ravel, Bartok and Albeniz. The concerto is primarily a showcase for Corea’s extemporizing, much of it beautifully done within his own interpretation of the concerto form. Although the music is generally positioned in the tonal universe of the early 20th century, Corea’s strong sense of melody and his insertion of jazz-energized rhythms give the piece an attractive contemporary quality. And by using Mozartean instrumentation, he has fulfilled his goal to create a piece that can be performed “with the same size orchestra, . . . a good start for me in my experience with orchestral performance.”

“The Melody at Night, With You” (*** 1/2, ECM Records). Here’s the best of all possible worlds for Keith Jarrett fans. Playing alone, in the intimacy of his home recording studio, he performs with the introspectiveness characteristic of his solo improvisations from the ‘70s and ‘80s. But he does so using the kind of familiar repertoire employed by his Standards Trio (with Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette). Some of the tunes--which reach from “Blame It on My Youth” and “I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good” to “My Wild Irish Rose” and “Shenandoah”--are presented in fairly direct melodic fashion, their impact tracing to the emotionally arching quality Jarrett imparts to each phrase. Others are vividly rhapsodic. But even in the most technically dense passages, there is never a superfluous note. And what becomes especially clear in these lucid performances is Jarrett’s capacity to solo with the controlled equilibrium of a composer writing a score--a remarkable achievement in the spontaneous context of jazz improvisation.

“Round Trip” (***, Bembe Records). Bay Area pianist-composer Rebeca Mauleon has played with everyone from Tito Puente to Mickey Hart. Her piano soloing has distinct connections with Jesus “Chucho” Valdes, but her overview of the associations between American jazz and Latin rhythms is very much her own. And the album teems with compositions and arrangements that effectively combine the former’s spirit with the latter’s authenticity. Among the many highlights: a marvelous danzon version of “ ‘Round Midnight”; a startling blend of flamenco, Afro-Cuban and Spanish Gypsy elements in “Gitana”; and the moving “At the River,” based on Yoruba liturgical songs for Oshun, the goddess of rivers.

“Follow the Moon” (***, Stunt Records). Danish pianist Thomas Clausen has been around the jazz scene since the ‘70s, recording with, among others, Jackie McLean, Dexter Gordon and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis. This recording from his “Brazilian Quartet” is among a group of excellent recordings by Danish jazz artists that have just become available on the Stunt label. Despite the “Brazilian” label, the music tends toward the fusion arena, with Clausen not hesitating to toss in whatever sort of global musical element comes to mind at any given point. Although the playing is universally first-rate (especially by Clausen and woodwind specialist Jan zum Vohrde), it is the cunningly conceived arrangements and imaginative originals that give the album its consistently rewarding appeal. As a bonus, singer Caecilie Norby is present on several tracks to sing Ivan Lins’ atmospheric “The Island” (with lyrics by the Bergmans) and Chick Corea’s “You’re Everything” (with Neville Potter’s lyrics). Any remaining doubters about the international reach of jazz should spend half an hour or so with this release.

“Thad Jones Legacy” (*** 1/2, New World Records). The name and the personnel have changed over the years, but the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is one of the most long-lived ensembles in current jazz history, the contemporary incarnation of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. Formed in 1966 by trumpeter Jones and drummer Lewis (Jones died in 1986, Lewis in 1990), the band has been in residence at New York’s Village Vanguard ever since, and has now named itself after that venerable jazz venue. But the music continues, as it has for more than three decades, primarily as an expression of Jones’ remarkable composition and arranging skills, brilliantly performed by an ensemble of Manhattan’s most adept jazz players. The works included--Jones’ lovely waltz “Quiet Lady,” his multi-sectional “Central Park North” and his technically demanding “Fingers” among them--have been recorded by earlier installments of the Jazz Orchestra. But these refreshingly alive new interpretations, with brilliant soloing from, among numerous others, tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, trombonist John Mosca and pianist Jim McNeely, powerfully underscore Jones’ still not fully acknowledged compositional brilliance.