Suite for Chick: Reinterpreting the genius of Chick Corea

This is a really interesting project, a set of “re-interpretations” of fusion maestro Chick Corea tracks by DJ Maarten Goetheer featuring Thai power-house drummer Pong Nakornchai. Four classic Corea tracks — Return to Forever’s “Romantic Warrior” and “City Gate Rumble,” “Time Track” and “Hymn of the Heart” from the Chick Corea Elektric Band — are given the Goetheer / Nakornchai treatment, with each tune getting either a reprise or dub version too, making a total of eight jazz/electronic/house/techno hybrid tracks.

“Romantic Warrior,” in its original 1976 album form, was a sprawling, strolling jazz fusion opus, and the rework takes its melodic ideas, pace and feel and carefully adds some programmed synthetic elements alongside sparkling jazz playing — drum, Rhodes, Moog, etc. — from, I’m assuming Nakornchai’s jazz quartet, turning it into a fiery, stalking, futuristic jazz-funk jam. The Dub meanwhile is a much pacier, sparse, techno-ish affair that ebbs and flows in and out of sequenced, looping, electronic sections and pure jazz moments.

“City Gate Rumble” comes in original, reprise and reprise dub versions. The OG is a light, airy 4/4 jazz-funk jam that kind of self-deconstructs into a more spacey, tripped-out version of itself before an awesome drum break is followed by the introduction of some burbling synth elements. It’s not house, but I bet a few of the world’s braver house DJs could find a place for something like this and like all the tunes we review here, in the right context, this could really hit. Especially as you have three versions to really get into the mix with; the Reprise picks up where the OG finished and takes the groove to a more blippy, bleepy techno-coloured place, and the Reprise Dub puts a funky synth bassline underneath more firey jazz drums, Rhodes and synth action. There are also two broken beat-ish versions of “Time Track” both full of intricate squelch-synth bass and drum interplay, and an epic, beatless, hallucinogenic take on “Hymn of the Heart,” and they’re as strong as the rest of the release.

The jazz-funk / techno / house fusion you didn’t know you needed.

⚪️ Suite For Chick Tracklisting

Maarten Goetheer featuring Pong Nakornchai: Suite For Chick (Nu Northern Soul / 12" Vinyl + Digital)
1. City Gate Rumble (Original) (06:42)
2. City Gate Rumble (Reprise Dub) (05:02)
3. Romantic Warrior (Original) (05:05)
4. Time Track (Original) (05:01)
5. Time Track (Reprise) (05:00)
6. Hymn of the Heart (Original) (08:45)

⚪️ Disclosure Statement

This record was submitted as a promo.

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