ProJazz.net

My Spanish Heart is a studio album by Chick Corea, recorded and released in 1976. Prominent guest musicians include Corea’s Return to Forever bandmate Stanley Clarke on basses, violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, drummers Steve Gadd and Narada Michael Walden and Corea’s wife Gayle Moran on vocals.

The album combines jazz fusion pieces and more traditional Latin music pieces.

The AllMusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4.5 stars and wrote:”There is no doubt that Corea’s musicianship was up to any task he chose at this point in time. Simply put, he was compositionally and intellectually at the top of his game, and this record, despite the many of his that haven’t aged well, still surprises despite its production shortcomings.”

Reception.
My Spanish Heart received a five-star review from DownBeat magazine.

Track listing:
All tracks composed by Chick Corea (except “The Hilltop” w/ Stanley Clarke)

Side one
“Love Castle” – 4:45
“The Gardens” – 3:12
“Day Danse” – 4:27
“My Spanish Heart” – 1:37
“Night Streets” – 6:08
Side two
“The Hilltop” – 6:16
“The Sky (Children Song No. 8 / Portrait of Children Song No. 8)” – 4:57
“Wind Danse” – 5:00
Side three
“Armando’s Rhumba” – 5:19
El Bozo – 11:32
“Prelude to El Bozo” – 1:34
“El Bozo, Part 1 – 2:52
“El Bozo, Part 2” – 2:03
“El Bozo, Part 3” – 5:03
Side four
Spanish Fantasy – 19:42
“Spanish Fantasy, Part 1” – 6:06
“Spanish Fantasy, Part 2” – 5:14
“Spanish Fantasy, Part 3” – 3:06
“Spanish Fantasy, Part 4” – 5:16

Personnel:
Chick Corea – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Yamaha electric organ, synthesizers (ARP Odyssey, Minimoog, Polymoog, Moog Model 15 modular synthesizer), percussion, vocals, production, arrangement, composer
Stanley Clarke – double bass, bass guitar
Steve Gadd – drums
Narada Michael Walden – drums, handclaps
Don Alias – percussion
Jean-Luc Ponty – violin
Gayle Moran – vocals
String quartet:
Connie Kupka – violin
Barry Socher – violin
Carole Mukogawa – viola
David Speltz – cello
Brass section:
Stuart Blumberg – trumpet
John Rosenburg – trumpet
John Thomas – trumpet
Ron Moss – trombone

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Released: October 1976
Recorded: October 1976
Studio: Kendun Recorders Burbank, California
Label: Polydor
Verve (reissue)
Producer: Chick Corea