Jazz pioneer Chick Corea has died at the age of 79.
According to a report on his Facebook page, the musician died of a rare form of cancer that was only recently discovered ‘. In his career, Corea has won 23 Grammys and was the fourth artist in the history of Grammys.
“Throughout his life and career, Chick has delighted in the freedom and pleasure of creating something new and playing the games that artists do,” the report reads. “He was a beloved husband, father and grandfather, and a great mentor and friend to so many people. Through his work and the decades he has traveled the world, he has touched and inspired the lives of millions. ”
Corea was a multi-faceted musician, working as a composer, keyboardist, orchestra leader and occasional percussionist. He was part of Miles Davis ‘orchestra in the late’ 60s and appeared on major Davis albums, such as In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, A Tribute to Jack Johnson and On the Corner.
After working with Davis, he formed his own band, Return to Forever, and experimented with different genres and styles. “There was a synergy going on between what we created and how the public was digging it,” Corea said of their music.
He also founded his own avant-garde group, Circle. He has worked on many other projects, including duos with Herbie Hancock and vibraphonist Gary Burton. He recorded and performed classical music, standards, solo originals, Latin jazz and tributes to great jazz pianists.
Last year, Corea released the double album Plays, which captured him during various concerts armed with his piano.
“Like a runner likes to run because it just feels good, I like to play piano just because it feels good,” he told the Associated Press at the time. ‘I can just shift gears and go in a different direction or go to a different song or whatever I want to do. It is therefore an ongoing experiment. ‘
The double album was a glimpse into Corea’s musical heart, with songs he wrote about children decades ago, as well as tunes from Mozart, Thelonious Monk and Stevie Wonder, among others.
Tributes poured in from all over the music industry, including the rapper Q-Tip who tweeted “RIP to one of the coldest pianists / keyboard players / songwriters of ALL TIME”, and the musician Mike Portnoy who posted: “So sad to hear from “The death of @ChickCorea One of the pioneers of jazz / fusion keyboards. Return To Forever was one of the first real Supergroups and such a huge influence.”
“I want to thank everyone who lit my music fires brightly,” Corea said in a final statement that was also shared on Facebook. ‘I hope those who have the idea to play, write, perform or otherwise, should do so. If it’s not for yourself, then for the rest of us. Not only is the world needing more artists, but it’s a lot of fun too. ”