Stella By Starlight
Chick Corea and Lee Konitz
A trio number and then a rare encounter between the two giants
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Altoist Lee Konitz had a very long career (over 70 years) in the limelight while pianist Chick Corea was a major name for nearly 60; despite that, they rarely shared a bandstand.
In fact, other than playing a few numbers together at the jazz festival hosted by Karl Berger’s Creative Music Studio on Sept. 19, 1981 and one selection the following year, they never recorded together.
This clip from the festival first features Corea in a trio with bassist Miroslav Vitous (who takes a passionate bowed solo) and drummer Jack DeJohnette performing an unidentified number.
Then Lee Konitz joins Chick Corea in an adventurous duet version of “Stella By Starlight” in which they inspire each other during an unpredictable and spontaneous improvisation that has a particularly haunting ending.
-Scott Yanow
Ella Fitzgerald