R.I.P Chick Corea Jazz Legend
- Thread starter dik cashmere
- Start date
Chick Corea, Jazz Pianist Who Expanded the Possibilities of the Genre, Dead at 79
Keyboardist helped Miles Davis usher in the fusion revolution and founded his own revolutionary groups, including Return to Forever
By
HANK SHTEAMER
Jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea poses for a portrait in Clearwater, FL, on September 4th, 2020.
Chick Corea, the virtuosic keyboardist who broadened the scope of jazz during a career spanning more than five decades, died on Tuesday from a rare form of cancer. A post on his Facebook page confirmed the news. Corea was 79.
In the early Sixties, Corea established himself as an A-list pianist, working with Stan Getz, Herbie Mann, and others. Later in the decade, he joined Miles Davis’ band and played a key role in helping the trumpeter make the transition to a more contemporary, plugged-in sound on albums like Bitches Brew. Following his work with Davis, he formed his own groundbreaking electric band, Return to Forever, which played some of the most vibrant and dynamic music of the fusion era. In the ensuing decades, Corea threw himself into countless projects, showing off his limitless range — from a duo with vibraphonist Gary Burton to his trendsetting Elektric Band. His most recent album, the 2020 live solo disc Plays, showed off his wildly diverse skill set and body of influences, touching on classical pieces, bebop, and more.
“I want to thank all of those along my journey who have helped keep the music fires burning bright,” read a message from the pianist on Facebook. “It is my hope that those who have an inkling to play, write, perform or otherwise, do so. If not for yourself then for the rest of us. It’s not only that the world needs more artists, it’s also just a lot of fun.
“And to my amazing musician friends who have been like family to me as long as I’ve known you: It has been a blessing and an honor learning from and playing with all of you. My mission has always been to bring the joy of creating anywhere I could, and to have done so with all the artists that I admire so dearly — this has been the richness of my life.”
Born in 1941, Corea grew up near Boston. His father, a Dixieland-style jazz trumpeter, introduced him to piano. Corea also played drums at an early age. He would go on to study briefly at both Columbia and Juilliard but soon left school and began gigging with established bandleaders such as Getz, Mann, and Blue Mitchell. By the late Sixties, he was already making strong statements as a bandleader, including 1968’s Now He Sings, Now He Sobs, an album featuring bassist Miroslav Vitous and drummer Roy Haynes that set a new benchmark for the modern jazz piano trio.
His work with Davis began with a transitional band known as the Lost Quintet given that it never made a proper studio album. “It really was a bad motherfucker,” Davis once said of the group, which bridged the daring postbop of earlier Davis band and boldly abstract free improvisation featuring Corea on electric piano, an instrument he was initially skeptical of. Corea would go on to appear on foundational Davis albums like In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, A Tribute to Jack Johnson, and On the Corner.
Corea formed Return to Forever in 1972, and the second version of the band — featuring bassist Stanley Clarke, drummer Lenny White, and guitarist Bill Connors, later replaced by Al Di Meola — became a leading group in the jazz-rock movement of the time, along with John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report. The group would prove hugely influential not just in the jazz world, but among rock artists including the members of Bad Brains and Living Colour’s Vernon Reid.
“The hair stood up on my arm,” Corea recalled of writing a piece for Return to Forever’s 1973 classic Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. “It was so exciting and it worked so great and everyone was so enthusiastic about it. It really set a new direction, and it developed from there. The venues we were playing were bigger and the audiences picked up on the vibe. There was a synergy going on between what we were creating and how audiences were digging it. “
Though he established himself early in his career as a virtuosic player, Corea was also a restlessly inventive composer-bandleader who never shied away from new ideas. He explored avant-garde jazz with the collective group Circle; upbeat, Latin-influenced material on the album My Spanish Heart; the Thelonious Monk songbook with the Now He Sings trio; and danceable, pop-informed sounds with the Elektric Band; along with tributes to his musical heroes ranging from Mozart to bebop legend Bud Powell.
“What making music for people does, I’ve observed, is it stimulates what’s natural in all of us,” Corea told Jazz Times in 2020. “It’s native sense, in every person. You don’t have to be a professional anything — all you need to do is be a living human being, and open to the play of imagination.”
Keyboardist helped Miles Davis usher in the fusion revolution and founded his own revolutionary groups, including Return to Forever
By
HANK SHTEAMER
Jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea poses for a portrait in Clearwater, FL, on September 4th, 2020.
Chick Corea, the virtuosic keyboardist who broadened the scope of jazz during a career spanning more than five decades, died on Tuesday from a rare form of cancer. A post on his Facebook page confirmed the news. Corea was 79.
In the early Sixties, Corea established himself as an A-list pianist, working with Stan Getz, Herbie Mann, and others. Later in the decade, he joined Miles Davis’ band and played a key role in helping the trumpeter make the transition to a more contemporary, plugged-in sound on albums like Bitches Brew. Following his work with Davis, he formed his own groundbreaking electric band, Return to Forever, which played some of the most vibrant and dynamic music of the fusion era. In the ensuing decades, Corea threw himself into countless projects, showing off his limitless range — from a duo with vibraphonist Gary Burton to his trendsetting Elektric Band. His most recent album, the 2020 live solo disc Plays, showed off his wildly diverse skill set and body of influences, touching on classical pieces, bebop, and more.
“I want to thank all of those along my journey who have helped keep the music fires burning bright,” read a message from the pianist on Facebook. “It is my hope that those who have an inkling to play, write, perform or otherwise, do so. If not for yourself then for the rest of us. It’s not only that the world needs more artists, it’s also just a lot of fun.
“And to my amazing musician friends who have been like family to me as long as I’ve known you: It has been a blessing and an honor learning from and playing with all of you. My mission has always been to bring the joy of creating anywhere I could, and to have done so with all the artists that I admire so dearly — this has been the richness of my life.”
Born in 1941, Corea grew up near Boston. His father, a Dixieland-style jazz trumpeter, introduced him to piano. Corea also played drums at an early age. He would go on to study briefly at both Columbia and Juilliard but soon left school and began gigging with established bandleaders such as Getz, Mann, and Blue Mitchell. By the late Sixties, he was already making strong statements as a bandleader, including 1968’s Now He Sings, Now He Sobs, an album featuring bassist Miroslav Vitous and drummer Roy Haynes that set a new benchmark for the modern jazz piano trio.
His work with Davis began with a transitional band known as the Lost Quintet given that it never made a proper studio album. “It really was a bad motherfucker,” Davis once said of the group, which bridged the daring postbop of earlier Davis band and boldly abstract free improvisation featuring Corea on electric piano, an instrument he was initially skeptical of. Corea would go on to appear on foundational Davis albums like In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, A Tribute to Jack Johnson, and On the Corner.
Corea formed Return to Forever in 1972, and the second version of the band — featuring bassist Stanley Clarke, drummer Lenny White, and guitarist Bill Connors, later replaced by Al Di Meola — became a leading group in the jazz-rock movement of the time, along with John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report. The group would prove hugely influential not just in the jazz world, but among rock artists including the members of Bad Brains and Living Colour’s Vernon Reid.
“The hair stood up on my arm,” Corea recalled of writing a piece for Return to Forever’s 1973 classic Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. “It was so exciting and it worked so great and everyone was so enthusiastic about it. It really set a new direction, and it developed from there. The venues we were playing were bigger and the audiences picked up on the vibe. There was a synergy going on between what we were creating and how audiences were digging it. “
Though he established himself early in his career as a virtuosic player, Corea was also a restlessly inventive composer-bandleader who never shied away from new ideas. He explored avant-garde jazz with the collective group Circle; upbeat, Latin-influenced material on the album My Spanish Heart; the Thelonious Monk songbook with the Now He Sings trio; and danceable, pop-informed sounds with the Elektric Band; along with tributes to his musical heroes ranging from Mozart to bebop legend Bud Powell.
“What making music for people does, I’ve observed, is it stimulates what’s natural in all of us,” Corea told Jazz Times in 2020. “It’s native sense, in every person. You don’t have to be a professional anything — all you need to do is be a living human being, and open to the play of imagination.”
DAMN, RIP Chick!! YOU MADE YOUR MARK!!
R.I.P CC..
My favorite song by him
My favorite song by him
A LEGEND.
Rest In Peace
Rest In Peace
Chick Corea, Jazz Pianist Who Expanded the Possibilities of the Genre, Dead at 79
Chick Corea, the groundbreaking jazz pianist, has died of cancer at the age of 79.
www.rollingstone.com
This is a major loss of the music world. Chick Corea was extremely influential to many musicians including Prince. His groundbreaking work will be studied for years to come.
Damm R.I.P.... seen him here two years ago at the jazz fest with Stanley Clarke ....all the old heads are dying off ....
NOOOOOOO!
He was one of the baddest mofos to touch ivory!
RIP
He was one of the baddest mofos to touch ivory!
RIP
I saw someone post his picture earlier today but I didn't pay attention to it until Nile Rodgers posted it on his page. S.I.P.
Chick Corea, the prolific pianist who became a figurehead of jazz fusion, died on February 9, according to a message posted to his social media. Corea, who was 79, died due to “a rare form of cancer which was only discovered very recently.”
Corea began performing in high school, and made it his career after dropping out of Juilliard. He began recording and releasing music in the 1960s, eventually joining Miles Davis’s band. He performed with Davis through 1970, including on the classic Bitches Brew. After leaving Davis’s band, he formed the experimental jazz group Circle, then the fusion group Return to Forever, regarded as a leading jazz-fusion act for drawing from Latin and rock music. Around the same time, Corea began collaborating with musicians including fellow jazz-fusion pianist Herbie Hancock, the vibraphonist Ray Burton, and the banjo player Béla Fleck; he also formed the Chick Corea Elektric Band, the Chick Corea Akoustic Band, and the Chick Corea New Trio.
Throughout his career, Corea was known for provocative playing techniques including modulating his electric piano and plucking piano strings. Many of his songs have become standards, including “Spain,” “500 Miles,” and “Windows.” He won 23 Grammys and released nearly 100 studio and live albums, most recently Plays in September 2020. Corea is currently nominated for two Grammys for Best Improvised Jazz Solo and Best Jazz Instrumental Album for his work on Trilogy 2, a 2019 collaboration with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade.
SIGN UP FOR ONE GREAT STORY
The post announcing Corea’s death included a final message from the musician. “I want to thank all of those along my journey who have helped keep the music fires burning bright,” he said. “It is my hope that those who have an inkling to play, write, perform or otherwise, do so. If not for yourself then for the rest of us. It’s not only that the world needs more artists, it’s also just a lot of fun.” Corea went on to thank his “amazing musician friends.” “It has been a blessing and an honor learning from and playing with all of you,” he said. “My mission has always been to bring the joy of creating anywhere I could, and to have done so with all the artists that I admire so dearly—this has been the richness of my life.”
Corea began performing in high school, and made it his career after dropping out of Juilliard. He began recording and releasing music in the 1960s, eventually joining Miles Davis’s band. He performed with Davis through 1970, including on the classic Bitches Brew. After leaving Davis’s band, he formed the experimental jazz group Circle, then the fusion group Return to Forever, regarded as a leading jazz-fusion act for drawing from Latin and rock music. Around the same time, Corea began collaborating with musicians including fellow jazz-fusion pianist Herbie Hancock, the vibraphonist Ray Burton, and the banjo player Béla Fleck; he also formed the Chick Corea Elektric Band, the Chick Corea Akoustic Band, and the Chick Corea New Trio.
Throughout his career, Corea was known for provocative playing techniques including modulating his electric piano and plucking piano strings. Many of his songs have become standards, including “Spain,” “500 Miles,” and “Windows.” He won 23 Grammys and released nearly 100 studio and live albums, most recently Plays in September 2020. Corea is currently nominated for two Grammys for Best Improvised Jazz Solo and Best Jazz Instrumental Album for his work on Trilogy 2, a 2019 collaboration with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade.
SIGN UP FOR ONE GREAT STORY
The post announcing Corea’s death included a final message from the musician. “I want to thank all of those along my journey who have helped keep the music fires burning bright,” he said. “It is my hope that those who have an inkling to play, write, perform or otherwise, do so. If not for yourself then for the rest of us. It’s not only that the world needs more artists, it’s also just a lot of fun.” Corea went on to thank his “amazing musician friends.” “It has been a blessing and an honor learning from and playing with all of you,” he said. “My mission has always been to bring the joy of creating anywhere I could, and to have done so with all the artists that I admire so dearly—this has been the richness of my life.”
R.I.P.
R. I. P. Maestro
RIP to Chick, I was introduced to him through BGOL, what a talent and his list of accomplishments is staggering, a true legend.
My brother texted me the news this afternoon. 
Light Years was one of those albums we bonded over when I was a kid.
Light Years was one of those albums we bonded over when I was a kid.
Merge threads MODs and once again RIP.
