Chick Corea is one of my all-time favourite musicians. The amount of pleasure, happiness and inspiration, his work has allowed me to experience, cannot be overstated.
Chick had remarkable command over the piano, showcasing incredible dexterity, speed, and an innate sense of melody. His music always leaves me in awe of his technical skill and emotional depth. His mastery of improvisation and his ability to adapt and complement other musicians was truly astounding.
The video below is a live concert with John Patitucci on bass and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums. The tune is Round Midnight, composed by the great Thelonious Monk
Beyond his skills as a pianist, Chick was a prolific composer. He crafted a vast repertoire of original compositions that spanned different styles and moods. His compositions have become standards in the jazz world and continue to be celebrated by musicians and listeners alike.
This next video is one of Chick's most famous compositions, Spain. He is accompanied by the great Bobby McFerrin
Chick was a master of combining the harmony and improvisation from jazz with, say, the discipline and precision from classical music or the irresistible rhythmic feel from funk - and much more. He never stopped exploring and never seemed to really have a dip in output quality nor quantity.
The next video is a solo concert in Brussels, Belgium where Chick combines a composer dear to my heart, George Gershwin, with the classical genius Mozart.
There's not much to say. It's just timeless, wonderful music.
Rest in Peace Maestro. What a blessing it was to hear you play - and what a pleasure it is to continue to do so.