Musician of the Month: Chick Corea
As both a pianist and a composer, Chick Corea has become a fixture on the jazz landscape. Moreover, he was a key figure in the birth of the jazz fusion genre and is widely considered to be one of the most significant jazz pianists in the post-Coltrane era of jazz.
Chick Corea Tunes
Unless you're a huge jazz fan or unless you remember learning about Chick Corea in your high school band classes, you may not have listened to Chick Corea's music before.
How can you tell if it's a Chick Corea song? Listen for a mix between hard bop, Latin jazz, and even classical music along with lighthearted melodies and electronics (the latter more prominent in later works).
This is your opportunity to hear a truly incredible pianist. Have a listen:
Fun Facts
Corea's "Now He Sings, Now He Sobs" album is upheld as one the best jazz trio recording ever made
He's a DownBeat Hall of Famer, NEA Jazz Master, and a 22-time Grammy winner
He's the fourth-most-nominated artist in the history of the Grammys ( 63 nominations)
Married vocalist and musician Gayle Moran in 1972
A Closer Look
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea was born on June 12, 1941 in Chelsea, Massachusetts to parents Anna and Armando Corea. Chick grew up immersed in music; his father Armando was a notable Dixieland bandleader and professional trumpeter. He started studying classical piano at the tender age of four, all the while listening to his father play jazz records at home. Just a few years later, Chick began tinkering with the drums, a course of action that would influence his music forever. Growing up in Boston in the 1950s offered Chick a wealth of music teachers, jazz players, and exposure to music. Chick studied piano with Salvatore Sullo, who helped Chick master the elements of classical training and inspired him to learn more about composition.
Chick moved to Manhattan to study at Columbia University (where he stayed for only a month); he studied at Juilliard for a half-year before calling it quits. However, he fell in love with New York, and by this time, he's gained fluency in the jazz scene as both a pianist and a composer. After several years of gigging, Chick had the opportunity to work with Stan Getz and Miles Davis in the late 1960s, and it was during this time that he and his musical counterparts came together to create and witness the arrival of jazz fusion. Subsequently, Corea formed his own fusion groups (Circle, Return to Forever) in the early 1970s.
These days, Chick Corea is still performing and touring regularly! He's worked with other highly respected musicians over the years to create groundbreaking music; his work with Bela Fleck and collaborations with Bobby McFerrin come to mind. A living legend in his own right, Corea still creates new music, sounds, and ideas even after fifty years in the business.
In the words of Chick Corea, "you don't have to be Picasso or Rembrandt to create something. The fun of it, the joy of creating, is way high above anything else to do with the art form."
Listen to your teacher play and immerse yourself in music like Chick by downloading the Practice Space app!