Claire Thompson
Chick Corea was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. In the late 1960s, Corea played in Miles Davis's ensembles, which set him on a path that would come to define his role in jazz. He played the electric piano on Davis's albums In a Silent Way (1969) and Bitches Brew (1970), which are widely considered to have sounded the opening bell for the fusion era. Corea's compositions Spain, 500 Miles High, La Fiesta, Armando's Rhumba, and Windows are considered jazz standards.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time with the Jazz Messengers | Late 1960s |
| Age at the time | Late 20s |
| Role | Pianist |
| Bands played with previously | Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Blue Mitchell, Herbie Mann, Stan Getz |
| Albums recorded | Filles de Kilimanjaro, In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, On the Corner |
| Awards | 23 Grammy Awards |
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What You'll Learn
Chick Corea's early career
Chick Corea, born Armando Anthony Corea, was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. He was introduced to the piano by his father, a trumpeter who led a Dixieland band in Boston in the 1930s and 1940s, at the age of four. He also played the drums, having received a drum set at the age of eleven. Corea moved to New York City to study music at Columbia University and later Juilliard, but he quickly found himself drawn to the city's jazz clubs.
Corea began his professional recording and touring career in the early 1960s, playing with bands led by Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Blue Mitchell, Herbie Mann, and Stan Getz. During this time, he was influenced by bebop and musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, and Horace Silver. In 1966, he recorded his debut album, "Tones for Joan's Bones", which, along with his 1968 album "Now He Sings, Now He Sobbs", is considered a classic.
In the late 1960s, Corea joined Miles Davis's band, participating in the birth of jazz fusion. He played electric piano on Davis's influential albums "In a Silent Way" (1969) and "Bitches Brew" (1970), which are widely considered to have ushered in the fusion era. In the 1970s, Corea formed his own band, Return to Forever, which became his best-known group. This collective had a rotating membership and incorporated Brazilian, Spanish, and other global influences into their music.
Throughout his five-decade career, Corea moved fluidly between jazz, fusion, and classical music. He collaborated with numerous artists, including Bobby McFerrin, Bela Fleck, Gary Burton, and Ruben Blades. He also led several bands, including the Electric Band, the Acoustic Band, and a trio with musicians Christian McBride and Brian Blade. Corea won numerous awards for his work, including 23 Grammy Awards.
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Joining Miles Davis's band
Chick Corea, an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and percussionist, was a member of Miles Davis's band in the late 1960s. He participated in the birth of jazz fusion and played a pivotal role in defining his career path.
Corea's journey with music began in his childhood home, filled with the sounds of jazz and classical greats. His father, a trumpeter who led a Dixieland band, introduced him to the piano at a young age, and he also played the drums. After moving to New York City, Corea studied music at Columbia University and Juilliard, but the allure of the city's jazz clubs proved irresistible. He started playing gigs while still in high school and quickly became immersed in the vibrant jazz scene.
Corea's early career included collaborations with renowned artists such as Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Blue Mitchell, Herbie Mann, and Stan Getz. In 1966, he released his debut album, "Tones for Joan's Bones," and in 1968, he recorded the acclaimed trio album "Now He Sings, Now He Sobs." It was in this same year that Corea joined Miles Davis's influential quintet, taking on the piano chair and replacing Mr. Hancock.
Corea's contribution to Davis's band was significant. He played the electric piano on Davis's groundbreaking albums "In a Silent Way" (1969) and "Bitches Brew" (1970), which are widely regarded as the catalysts for the fusion era in jazz. Corea's involvement in these albums solidified his place in the evolution of jazz and its fusion with other genres. "Filles de Kilimanjaro," another Davis album, was the first to feature an electric piano played by Corea.
In addition to his work with Davis, Corea continued to explore different musical styles and collaborations throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. He formed his own band, "Return to Forever," which became known for its fusion experiments, blending jazz with global influences. Corea's versatility and mastery across genres earned him widespread recognition, and he went on to win numerous Grammy Awards for his exceptional contributions to the world of music.
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![Chick Corea: The Montreux Years [2 LP]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91y4BxNWXRL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Forming Return to Forever
Chick Corea, an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and occasional percussionist, formed the jazz-rock fusion band Return to Forever in 1971 while working in Stan Getz's band. The band debuted at the Village Vanguard nightclub in New York City in November 1971. Their first self-titled album was recorded in February 1972 but was not released until the following year. The first edition of Return to Forever primarily performed Latin-oriented music. This initial band consisted of singer and percussionist Flora Purim, her husband Airto Moreira on drums and percussion, Corea's longtime musical co-worker Joe Farrell on saxophone and flute, and the young Stanley Clarke on bass.
Corea's Fender Rhodes electric piano formed the basis of this group's sound. While Purim's vocals lent some commercial appeal to the music, many of their compositions were also instrumental and somewhat experimental in nature. The music was composed by Corea, with the exception of the title track of the second album, which was written by Stanley Clarke. Their second album, Light as a Feather (1973), was released by Polydor and included the song "Spain", which also became quite well known.
After the second album, Farrell, Purim, and Moreira left the group to form their own bands, and guitarist Bill Connors, drummer Steve Gadd, and percussionist Mingo Lewis were added. Corea continued to collaborate frequently while exploring different musical styles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In 1978, Corea officially disbanded the group. In 1982, the Corea/Clarke/White/Di Meola lineup reunited to record a ten-minute track, "Compadres", which was issued on Corea's 1982 album Touchstone. In 1983, the same Return to Forever lineup played a short reunion tour of the U.S. and Japan.
In 2008, Corea reunited Return to Forever and embarked on a world tour. The 2008 lineup featured Corea on keyboards, Al Di Meola on guitar, Stanley Clarke on bass, and Lenny White on drums.
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Chick Corea's style and collaborations
Chick Corea was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. He was a musical shapeshifter, moving fluidly between jazz, fusion, and classical music throughout his five-decade career. He won 23 Grammy Awards, including Best Instrumental Composition for "Spectacle", and was nominated for the award 72 times.
Corea was introduced to the piano at the age of four by his father, a trumpeter who led a Dixieland band in Boston in the 1930s and 1940s. He also learned to play the drums at a young age, which inspired him to use percussion effects on the piano. Corea developed his piano skills through formal lessons with Italian concert pianist Salvatore Sullo, who taught him classical piano. He began playing gigs while still in high school and later moved to New York City, where he studied music at Columbia University and then Juilliard, though he ultimately dropped out to focus on playing gigs.
Corea's style was a fusion of post-bop, electric fusion, Latin traditions, jazz, and classical music. He was influenced by bebop and musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Horace Silver, and Lester Young. He also had an interest in classical music, drawing inspiration from composers like Mozart and Beethoven.
Corea's career included collaborations with a range of artists, including Bobby McFerrin, Bela Fleck, Gary Burton, Ruben Blades, Christian McBride, Brian Blade, and more. He led several bands, including Return to Forever, the Electric Band, the Acoustic Band, and Chick Corea & The Vigil, which featured bassist Hadrien Feraud and drummer Marcus Gilmore. He also worked with Miles Davis in the late 1960s, participating in the birth of jazz fusion. In the 1970s, he formed Return to Forever, which combined acoustic and electronic instrumentation, drawing initially on Hispanic music styles. During this time, he also collaborated with vibraphonist Gary Burton, recording several duet albums, including Crystal Silence in 1972.
Corea's other collaborations include working with Richie Grasso on the album Season of Grace in 1974, and with flamenco guitarist Paco De Lucía on the Touchstone and Zyryab albums. In 2007, he recorded a duet album, The Enchantment, with banjoist Béla Fleck, and in 2008, he collaborated with Japanese pianist Hiromi Uehara on the live album Duet. In 2015, he reprised his duet concert series with Hancock, integrating synthesizers into their repertoire.
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Chick Corea's death and legacy
Jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader Chick Corea died of a rare form of cancer on February 9, 2021, at the age of 79. Over a five-decade career, Corea's work spanned jazz, fusion, and classical music. He collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Gary Burton, Bobby McFerrin, and Bela Fleck, and led bands such as Return to Forever, the Electric Band, and the Acoustic Band.
Corea was born in 1941 in Chelsea, Massachusetts, into a musical family. His father, Armando Corea, was a trumpeter and bandleader in Boston, and his mother, Anna Corea, was a homemaker. Corea began playing the piano at the age of four and started playing gigs while still in high school. He moved to New York City to study music at Columbia University and Juilliard but quickly dropped out to focus on playing gigs.
Corea's professional recording and touring career began in the early 1960s with Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Blue Mitchell, Herbie Mann, and Stan Getz. In 1966, he recorded his debut album, "Tones for Joan's Bones". In 1968, he recorded the highly regarded trio album, "Now He Sings, Now He Sobs", with drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Miroslav Vitouš. That same year, he began recording and touring with Miles Davis, appearing on widely praised Davis studio albums such as "Filles de Kilimanjaro" and "Bitches Brew".
Throughout his career, Corea won numerous awards, including 23 Grammy Awards (some sources state 20 or 28) and was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2006. He recorded close to 90 albums and was known for his crisp touch and clarion tone on the piano. Corea's legacy lies in his ability to embrace and synthesize many types of music, making him one of the most impactful forces in the music world.
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Frequently asked questions
Chick Corea never played with the Jazz Messengers. However, he was a member of Miles Davis's band in the late 1960s and played with other bands led by Mongo Santamaria, Herbie Mann, Stan Getz and Willie Bobo.
Chick Corea played electric piano in Miles Davis's band. He played the electric piano on Davis's albums "In a Silent Way" (1969) and "Bitches Brew" (1970).
Yes, Chick Corea formed several bands, including Return to Forever, the Electric Band, and the Acoustic Band.
Chick Corea was a pianist, composer, bandleader, and occasional percussionist.
