| American jazz pianist Date of Birth: 12.06.1941 Country: USA |
Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts on June 12, 1941, Armando Anthony Corea, Jr. began playing the piano at the age of four. Inspired by jazz greats like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, and Lester Young, he also developed a deep appreciation for Beethoven and Mozart, which ignited his composing instincts.
Corea's early career involved collaborations with trumpeter Blue Mitchell on the project "Tones for Joan's Bones." He then accompanied Sarah Vaughan for a year before joining Miles Davis's band, where he played electric piano. In 1970, he formed the avant-garde improvisational group "Circle," which lasted three years before he shifted his musical direction.
Corea's next ensemble, "Return to Forever," embraced a softer, Latin-infused sound. After releasing two albums with them, he ventured into electronic fusion, adding drummer Lenny White and guitarist Bill Connors to the lineup. Experimenting with the Moog synthesizer, he produced groundbreaking albums such as "Where Have I Known You Before," "No Mystery," and "Romantic Warrior."
Following the dissolution of "Return to Forever," Corea embarked on eclectic recordings, ranging from electronic ensembles to solo piano, classical music, and duets with Herbie Hancock and Gary Burton. Other projects, such as "Leprechaun," "My Spanish Heart," and "Musicmagic," culminated in the formation of the "Chick Corea Electric Band" in the 1980s.
In 1992, Corea realized his dream of establishing his own label, Stretch Records. However, he fulfilled his obligations to GRP Records with the release of the five-disc box set "Music Forever & Beyond" in 1996. With Stretch Records, Corea released an album dedicated to Bud Powell as his first offering. He also recorded with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra under Bobby McFerrin and earned his ninth Grammy Award for his second duet album with Gary Burton.
In 1997, Corea assembled a new ensemble, "Origin," where he returned to acoustic piano. The live debut album, "Origin," was a critical and commercial success, leading to the release of the six-disc set "A Week at the Blue Note."
After exploring improvisation with Origin, Corea returned to classical music. He recorded with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and released two solo albums in 2000, one featuring original compositions and the other featuring classical standards.