Stan Getz
Captain Marvel
With Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke,
Airto Moreira, And Tony Williams

Review by Ray Chowkwanyun
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  It's the early seventies. Jazz is in the fevered grip of fusion. Stan Getz comes out with the album Captain Marvel. It was a case of the old lion meets the young Turks. And what young Turks they were. The fiery Chick Corea on electric piano with long time collaborator Stanley Clarke on bass. Joining them are Brazilian super percussionist Airto and the thundering Tony Williams on drums. Oh yeah, Stan Getz on tenor sax if you didn't already know. He has an instantly recognizable high clear tone that is at the same time, slightly dry.

The album opens with rattling castanets and an Iberian melody that put us squarely in Spain, Señor Corea's ancestral home. The Spanish flavor of the opening "La Fiesta" sets the tone for the rest of the album. Getz rips off long haunting melodies and then Chick joins the party with some trademark rippling runs on the electric piano. What a dream rhythm section Williams and Clarke make. Arguably the best electric bassist of his or any other generation coupled with one of the great drummers. Williams lays down a constantly shifting drum line while Clarke provides subterranean bass.

"Five Hundred Miles High" starts off as a gentle ballad and ends as a rip snorting number as Stanley Clarke demonstrates just why he deserves the encomium of best electric bass player with an eye popping display of superfast plucking. Getz does some eye popping himself on Captain Marvel with some equally fast runs. The Old Lion was clearly energized by his encounter with the young bloods.

"Times Lie" is a gently lilting ballad with Getz floating a dreamy tune over Williams cymbals. As with "Five Hundred Miles High," these guys can not keep it slow for long. A light tapping by Airto and they're off to the races again with Chick setting the pace over a rocking bassline. This sets the stage for one of Getz's long smoking solos. 

"Lush Life" features Getz at his most languid and yes, lush toned. The percussionists are in similarly relaxed mood. Tony Williams showing he is a master of the brushes as well as the sticks. Stanley Clarke completing the mood with bowed bass.

"Day Waves" belongs to Stanley Clarke. He starts things off with a pulsing bass line. Getz weaves in an out with his sax amidst Airto's embellishments. Near the end, we see why Clarke once again earns the title of best electric bassist as he plays another one of his ferociously fast solos. 

The sound is the usual Columbia fare - somewhat anemic. A shelf boost around 800Hz perks things up nicely.

Enjoyment: 90

Sound Quality: 80