Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, October 1, 1994                   TAG: 9410220023
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: B12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MICHAEL CROAN SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LEXINGTON                                 LENGTH: Medium

COREA TELLS HIS STORY WITH JAZZ

The nine-time Grammy-award-winning pianist's quartet played to a packed house at Washington and Lee University's Lenfest Center for the Performing Arts. The university brought in Corea as part of its 1994-95 Lenfest Series. Corea also played Radford University on Wednesday night.

Thursday night, as Corea told his audience, the quartet played ``some old music and some new music.'' The new music, not yet recorded, is called "Time Warp."

In an interview, Corea said that he wrote the new material with a story in mind. The story is of a man who finds himself in a new universe, one that doesn't depend on what Corea called "agreed physical anchor points," such as the steaming cup of coffee Corea was using to illustrate his point. "This man doesn't see the coffee," he said.

The catch is that the man, in his new environment, "didn't freak," said Corea. He merely observed. When "Time Warp" becomes available on CD, the story will be in the liner notes.

"I like the challenge of making music tell the story," the musician said, relaxed in blue jeans and plain black T-shirt. "Music, music is the real story."

The 53-year-old artist has played with some of jazz's most widely recognized names, including Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Herbie Hancock and Sarah Vaughan. Corea modestly avoided being compared to these artists, saying that being mentioned with some of them makes him want to "start pouring the formaldehyde and climb into a coffin."

On the other hand, Corea said that within his current quartet he has the most experience, but that "the fresh ideas come from the younger guys."

Bassist John Patitucci, whose solos begat vigorous applause, has been with Corea since 1985 as a member of Corea's Elektric Band trio.

Drummer Gary Novak has played with Corea for two years as the only member on both the acoustic and electric bands, two disciplines that Corea keeps separate. Novak also has played with George Benson and David Sanborn.

Saxophonist Bob Berg's wailing tones had many in the youthful crowd offering their own high-pitched squeals.

The Lenfest Series continues with the Richmond Symphony on February 21 and Philadanco on April 25.

Michael Croan, a former editorial assistant at this newspaper, is a Washington & Lee student.