As the Earshot Festival wraps up this week, the finale looms large. It's Chick Corea as featured soloist with The Seattle Symphony Orchestra in Benaroya Hall on November 6.
Although the focus is on the first great melding of jazz and concert music, Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue (premiered in 1924) we were intrigued by the inclusion of Chick Corea's own Piano Concerto No.1. It's a major work in the classical three-movement form for piano and orchestra, but employs improvisation in the piano cadenza at the end of the first movement. We'll hear the first part of the 1999 recording with the London Philharmonic conducted by Steven Mercurio who will conduct here with Chick Corea at the piano. They'll also perform with the Oregon Symphony in Portland the following night.
Also, on this week's show, Floyd Standifer, Greta Matassa, Ruel Lubag, Pete Christlieb and Linda Small, and Emmet Cohen among others. Updates on the regional jazz scene including the best bets for live jazz in the coming week are also included.
Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by host Jim Wilke and airs Sundays at 2 p.m. Listeners may also subscribe to the podcast at KNKX, NPR, Apple, Google or Spotify.
