A legend of contemporary jazz, American pianist Chick Corea (1941–2021), who had distant Calabrian roots, was also one of the founding fathers of fusion in the 1970s and ’80s. His music crossed boundaries and built bridges between jazz, rock, and funk, captivating audiences around the world and earning him 27 Grammy Awards.
At the heart of his success was, without doubt, his extraordinary virtuosity—shaped not only by jazz greats but also by classical composers such as Domenico Scarlatti and Maurice Ravel. Equally important was his experience alongside Miles Davis during the electric period (Bitches Brew), which introduced him to electronic keyboards, especially the Fender Rhodes.
Corea began performing on stage in the 1960s with jazz and Latin American bands. By the end of the decade, already a well-established figure, he joined forces with Davis before founding his own group, Return to Forever.
Over his long and prolific career, Corea explored a vast array of genres—from avant-garde to bebop, from film and children’s music to powerful fusion, even venturing into classical music. He collaborated with some of the most influential musicians in contemporary jazz, including John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Al Di Meola, Gary Burton, and Stanley Clarke.
He also performed with Pino Daniele, and notably with the London Symphony Orchestra, with whom he earned one of his many Grammy Awards.
