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Three Quartets is a jazz album released in 1981 by American jazz pianist Chick Corea, in collaboration with saxophonist Michael Brecker, bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Steve Gadd. All compositions are by Corea who wanted to create an album of quartets like the many string quartets of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Impressionist periods, but with jazz instrumentation.

Three Quartets
Studio album by Chick Corea
Released	July 1981
Recorded	January/February 1981 at Mad Hatter Studios Los Angeles, California
Genre	Post-bop, jazz rock
Length	39:08 (original album) / 61:03 (CD reissue)
Label	Stretch Records
Producer	Chick Corea
Chick Corea chronology
Live in Montreux (1981) Three Quartets (1981) Trio Music (1981)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[2]

"Quartet No. 1" uses a 1-chord (G altered) solo vamp over a rock beat in 3/4, and a repeated theme that uses stacked fourths. The second track, "Quartet No. 2 (Part I)" is a ballad, dedicated to jazz pioneer Duke Ellington, incorporating many of the Western classical harmonies and tensions that Ellington used in much of his playing. "Quartet No. 2 (Part II)" is dedicated to jazz saxophone legend John Coltrane.

Track listing

All compositions by Chick Corea except as noted.

1. "Quartet No. 1" – (10:16)
2. "Quartet No. 3" – (9:41)
3. "Quartet No. 2" - Part I (Dedicated to Duke Ellington)" – (7:09)
4. "Quartet No. 2" - Part II (Dedicated to John Coltrane)" – (12:01)

The CD reissue contains several tracks that were recorded during the same sessions as the original album but not released at the time. These are:

5. "Folk Song" – (5:51)
6. "Hairy Canary" – (3:43)
7. "Slippery When Wet" – (6:02)
8. "Confirmation" (Charlie Parker) – (6:17)

Corea plays drums on "Confirmation" instead of Steve Gadd.

Personnel

• Chick Corea – piano; drums (track 8)
• Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
• Eddie Gómez – double bass
• Steve Gadd – drums (tracks 1-7)
• Bernie Kirsh – recording and mixing engineer
• Duncan Aldrich – assistant engineer
• Joel Strote – associate executive producer
• Adam Zelinka – post producer
• Stephen Marcussen – remastering
• Sonny Mediana – graphic design
• Andy Baltimore – creative director
• Dan Serrano – graphic design
• Andy Ruggirello – graphic design
• Darryl Pitt – photography
• Susan Garson – project coordinator
• Richard Veloso – art producer

Chart performance

Year	Chart	Position
1981	Billboard 200	179 [3]
1981	Billboard Jazz Albums	17 [3]

References

External links

• Chick Corea - Three Quartets (1981) album review by Scott Yanow, credits & releases at AllMusic
• Chick Corea - Three Quartets (1981) album releases & credits at Discogs
• Chick Corea - Three Quartets (1981, Remastered 1992 with Bonus Tracks) album to be listened as stream on Spotify

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