Gary Burton Like Minds CD

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.
Talk about all-star groups -- this quintet date matches together vibraphonist Gary Burton with pianist Chick Corea, guitarist Pat Metheny, bassist Dave Holland, and drummer Roy Haynes. Burton and Corea have recorded frequently through the years, while Metheny gained some early fame working with Burton; Holland was with Corea in Miles Davis' late-'60s group, and Haynes was formerly with both Burton and Corea. However, not all of these musicians had played together before -- Corea had never worked with Metheny previously, nor Burton with Holland. No matter, the masterful players fit together quite well. The vibraphonist is the lead voice in the ensembles, where Metheny at times sounds close to Jim Hall and seems a bit restrained, but everyone gets a chance to contribute to the success of the CD. Metheny contributed five songs (including "Question and Answer" and "Elucidation," which deserves to be a standard), while Burton brought in two; Corea's three contributions include his classic "Windows." The lone standard is George Gershwin's "Soon." The music is modern straight-ahead jazz; the solos are concise and the rhythm section is quite tight. In fact, this sounds like a regularly working band. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow
Gary Burton has assembled his "dream band" for LIKE MINDS. With his former protege Pat Metheny, duet partner Chick Corea, favorite drummer Roy Haynes and legendary bassist Dave Holland, Burton has formed an ensemble of staggering proportions. Giants all, this is more than a collection of "all-stars;" it is a cohesive entity. The music is performed as if by one mind and soul with five equal divisions.
The recorded results are stupendous to say the least. Original compositions by Metheny and Corea abound, as do two from Burton himself. Metheny's "Question and Answer" gets the proceedings off to a nice start as the rich sonorities provide an elegant backdrop to some fine soloing. Corea's delightful "Windows" is a deceptively intricate waltz that makes for some nice interplay between Burton and Metheny. Although he's not a prolific composer, Burton's own "Country Roads" and the jumping title track provide evidence enough that he is a master in this area as well. As an added treat, Gershwin's "Soon" shows just what masters of this stature can do with a great old standard. Finally, Corea's racing "Straight Up And Down" is a burning ending to this dream of a session.

Also Feat:Pat Metheny/Roy Hay- Nes & Dave HollandEntertainment Weekly (11/6/98, p.89) - "As all-star as this easy swinging set gets...it's remarkably cohesive and ego-free. High-qualtiy material...as well as compact improvisations, add to MINDS' considerable luster." - Rating: B+
Q (3/99, p.93) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "....with Chick Corea and Pat Metheny, arguably his most succesful collaborators and perfect foils for him in terms both of timbre and musical disposition..."
CMJ (11/23/99, p.33) - "....features first-chair talent in every position....It's an all-star session that bristles with the scintillating contributions of each talented player - one of Burton's best albums..."