Philzone.org - Philzone Phansite Community Discussion Board: Setlists and Reviews: Non GD Related Reviews: Archive: Bela Fleck & Chick Corea, 6/20/07, Salt Lake City

Initially, this show was announced back around January. The excitement had a long time to build for me and it did. Then I heard their album, "The Enchantment", and I was a little disappointed. I don't know what I was expecting. I thought their music leaned a little to close to classical. A Rythmn section could have filled out their sound, I thought. So, my expectations dropped down a few notches.
Wednesday, my wife and I took measures to ensure we had a better seating arrangement than our last outing with Derek & Susan Trucks. In the past, the staff @ beautiful Red Butte Gardens saw to it that my legally blind wife was granted preferential seating on the lawn. This year's policy has changed. So my wife and I arrived @ 2:30 pm and my wife got in touch with the concert chairman who had us go in with the sponsors. That gave us an unobstructed view, 20 feet back from center stage.
Bela and Chick took a few minutes after beginning to lock in together and the sound left a lot to be desired. But, before the first song was over, Bela and Chick had gelled and the sound man got it all dialed in. From there on, it was a spectacle to behold. The sound of a piano and banjo together alone was strikingly original. These two masters complemeted each other brilliantly. They left a lot of room to play around with backbone of their compositions. Bela seemed to take more of the lead roll, with Chick backing. But, Chick seemed more the one to take unexpected twists and turns. Several times he took us for one heck of a roller coaster ride!
The weather was perfect. With the exception of gnats pestering the players, they seemed to be having a fabulous time amazing the audience. Bela was his usual humorous self and Chick was more amusing than I've ever seen him in the past. The performance lasted approximately 2 1/2 hours not counting a 20 minute break. For this music fan, it was The Show of The Year!

For this music fan, it was The Show of The Year!


Sacrilege! So quickly the Zoner Jam is forgotten!

No, just kidding, glad to hear you enjoyed it!

I would love to see this show, but they're not scheduled anywhere West of you Gunnar.. yet anyway

Nice review, Gunnar.

Glad to hear you guys had such a great time!!

Gunnar --

Check out the thread in OS titled "Utah gets some music..."

Saw them in Gainesville,Fl in March, and they just blew my mind. The rich layering of Chick's piano with heavy latin tones and Bela's banjo runs that matched him every step of the way. At the end some one from the crowd yelled out "You guys are musical Gods!", Bela stepped back, grinned and humbly said "Well, thank you"