Corea, Burton Display Harmony of Skills

Chick Corea and Gary Burton have been joining forces in musical exploration since the early ‘70s, and on Saturday night at UCLA’s Royce Hall, it was easy to see why their association has had such remarkable longevity.

Duet improvisation demands considerable skills, and Corea and Burton, individually, are world-class imaginative musical artists. But effective pairing also calls for similar musical perceptions--for a common approach to rhythmic swing, a comparable melodic articulation and a willingness to agree upon harmonic choices.

All those factors were present and in sync during the opening set, a brilliantly crafted collection of contemporary chamber jazz pieces. Performing tunes from their “Native Sense” album--”Duende,” “Love Castle” and “Rhumbata” among them--Corea and Burton played with all-encompassing musical empathy. They tossed lines back and forth, sometimes in unison, sometimes in counter-motion, always blending precision with a propulsive rhythmic drive. Their soloing was equally compelling, each complementary, each seemingly inspired by their partnership to explore their most imaginative musical ideas.

The program also featured a lengthy set by Corea and his current band, Origin. Although saxophonist Tim Garland has replaced Bob Sheppard in the lineup, this is an ensemble that has been together for more than two years--a considerable association in today’s jazz world.

The lineup, with each of the horn players doubling on several instruments, has provided Corea with the opportunity to express his substantial arranging skills, notably apparent in his rendering of Bud Powell’s “Tempus Fugit.” But for this program, the emphasis largely centered upon extended soloing, much of it first-rate. And here, as in his work with Burton, Corea was in particularly fine form, displaying an ability to intelligently blend his bebop-driven lines with crisp, Latin rhythms. It was no wonder that the enthusiastic, capacity crowd insisted upon, and got, a spirited encore.