Chick Corea (1941–2021) was an American jazz pianist and composer born on June 12, 1941, in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Corea started learning piano at age four. He recorded his first album, Tones for Joan's Bones, in 1966. Corea performed with Blue Mitchell, Willie Bobo, Cal Tjader and Herbie Mann in the mid-1960s. In the late 1960s he performed with Stan Getz and Miles Davis. The National Endowment for the Arts states, "He ranked with Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett as one of the leading piano stylists to emerge after Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner, and he composed such notable jazz standards as 'Spain', 'La Fiesta', and 'Windows'."
Albums Studio albums Year Title Label Date recorded Notes 1968Tones for Joan's Bones Vortex 1966-11-30, 1966-12-01 1968 Now He Sings, Now He Sobs Solid State 1968-03-14, -19, -27 1969 Is Solid State 1969-05-11 – -13The Complete "Is" Sessions (Blue Note, 2002) 1972 Sundance Groove Merchant 1969-05-11, -12, -13 1971 The Song of Singing Blue Note 1970-04-07, -08 1971 The Sun Express (Japan) 1970-09-14with Steve Grossman, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette, Steve Jackson 1971 A.R.C. ECM 1971-01-11, -12, -13with Dave Holland and Barry Altschul 1971 Piano Improvisations Vol. 1 ECM 1971-04-21, -22 1972 Piano Improvisations Vol. 2 ECM 1971-04-21, -22 1972 Return to Forever ECM 1972-02-02, -03 1973 Light as a Feather Polydor 1972-10-08, -15 as "Chick Corea and Return to Forever" 1973 Crystal Silence ECM 1972-11-06 with Gary Burton 1975 Circling In Blue Note 1968-03-14, -19, -271970-04-07, 1970-08-13, -19 featuring Circle [2LP] 1976 The Leprechaun Polydor 1975 1976 My Spanish Heart Polydor 1976-10[2LP] 1978 Mad Hatter Polydor 1977-11(#81 Canada May 20, 1978) 1978 Secret Agent Polydor 1978 1978 Friends Polydor 1978 1978 Circulus Blue Note 1970-04-08, 1970-08-19, -21featuring Circle [2LP] 1979 Duet ECM 1978-10-23, -24 with Gary Burton1979 Delphi I Polydor 1978-10-26, -27 1980 Delphi II & III Polydor 1978-10-26, -27 [2LP]1980Chick Corea Featuring Lionel HamptonChiaroscuro1971 1980 Tap Step Warner Bros. 1979-12 – 1980-01 1981 Three Quartets Stretch 1981-01, 1981-02 1982 Trio Music ECM 1981-11 [2CD] 1982 Touchstone Stretch 1982? with Paco de Lucia 1983 Again and Again Elektra/Musician 1982-03-23 1983 Lyric Suite for Sextet ECM 1982-09 with Gary Burton| 1984 Children's Songs ECM 1983-07 1985 Voyage ECM 1984-07 with Steve Kujala 1985 Septet ECM 1984-10 1993 Enter The Spirit Stretch 1993 With Bob Berg 1994 Expressions GRP 1994? 1995 Time Warp Stretch 1995? 1996 The Mozart Sessions Sony Classical 1996-02-05, -06, -07, 1996-05-21 with Bobby McFerrin1996Solo Piano: From NothingStretch1982-07 1997 Remembering Bud Powell Stretch 1996 Grammy nominated album 1997 Native Sense - The New Duets Stretch 1997-06 with Gary Burton 1999 Change Stretch 1999? with Origin2000SeabreezePast Perfect1978-012001 Past, Present & Futures Stretch 2001? 2005 Rhumba Flamenco Chick Corea Productions 2004 [2CD] 2006 The Ultimate Adventure Stretch 2005 2006 Super Trio Universal (Japan) 2005-04 with Christian McBride, Steve Gadd 2007 Chillin' in Chelan Universal (Japan) 2005 with Christian McBride, Jeff Ballard 2007 From Miles Stretch 2006-01 with Eddie Gómez, Jack DeJohnette 2007 The Boston Three Party Universal (Japan) 2006-04 with Eddie Gomez, Airto Moreira 2007 The Enchantment Concord 2006-12 with Béla Fleck 2007 Dr. Joe Stretch 2007? with Antonio Sanchez, John Patitucci 2012 Hot House Concord Jazz 2012? with Gary Burton2012 The Continents: Concerto for Jazz Quintet & Chamber Orchestra Deutsche Grammophon 2012?[2CD] 2013 The Vigil Concord Jazz 2013?with Hadrien Feraud, Marcus Gilmore, Tim Garland and Charles Altura 2014 Solo Piano – Portraits Concord Jazz 2014?[2CD] 2017 Chinese Butterfly Stretch/Concord 2017?with Steve Gadd [2CD] 2018 Tempus Fugit Stretch 2018? with Vigilette (Carlitos Del Puerto (bass), Marcus Gilmore (drums))2019 Antidote Concord Jazz 2019? with The Spanish Heart Band 2020 Plays Concord Jazz 2020?[2CD] 2024 Remembrance Thirty Tigers 2024 with Béla Fleck
Live albums Year Title Label Date recorded Notes 1978 An Evening with Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea: In Concert Columbia 1978-02 Duet with Herbie Hancock [2CD] 1979 CoreaHancock Polydor 1978-02 Duet with Herbie Hancock 1980 Chick Corea & Lionel Hampton in Concert RVC 1978-01-22 with Lionel Hampton 1980 In Concert, Zürich, October 28, 1979 ECM 1979-10-28 with Gary Burton 1983 On Two Pianos Deutsche Grammophon 1982-06-24 Duet with Nicolas Economou at Münchner Klaviersommer 1983 The Meeting Philips 1982-06-27 Duet with Friedrich Gulda at Münchner Klaviersommer 1986 Trio Music Live in Europe ECM 1984-09 Trio in Willisau and Reutlingen. Grammy nominated album. 1992 Play Blue Note 1990-06-23, -27 with Bobby McFerrin 1994 Live in Montreux GRP 1981-07-15 with Joe Henderson, et al. at Montreux Jazz Festival 1996 The Trio Live from Country Club Stretch 1982-10? Trio at Reseda Country Club 1997 Woodstock Jazz Festival 1 Douglas Music 1981-09-19 with Lee Konitz, et al. 1997 Woodstock Jazz Festival 2 Douglas Music 1981-09-19 with Lee Konitz, et al.1998 Live at the Blue NoteStretch 1997-12with Origin at Blue Note1998 A Week at the Blue NoteStretch 1998-01with Origin at Blue Note [6CD]1999 Corea: Concerto / Spain for Sextet & Orchestra / Piano Concerto, No.1Sony Classical 1999-04with Origin and London Philharmonic Orchestra2000 Solo Piano: OriginalsStretch 1999-112000 Solo Piano: Standards (Part Two)Stretch 1999-112003Rendezvous In New York: Live at The Blue NoteStretch 2001-12with guests Bobby McFerrin, Joshua Redman, Michael Brecker et al. at The Blue Note [2CD]2005 Live in MoldeMNJ 2000-07-18 with Trondheim Jazz Orchestra at Moldejazz 20002008 The New Crystal SilenceConcord 2007-05, 2007-07 with Gary Burton [2CD]2008 Stretch 2007-09 Duet with Hiromi at the Blue Note Tokyo [2CD]2009 Five Peace Band LiveConcord 2008-10 –2008-11-23 with John McLaughlin [2CD]2011 ForeverConcord 2009-09-01, -16, -17, -30, 2009-11-28, 2009-12-12 with Return to Forever members (Stanley Clarke and Lenny White) [2CD] 2011 Further Explorations Concord Jazz 2010-05-04 – -17 with Eddie Gomez and Paul Motian at The Blue Note [2CD] 2011 Orvieto ECM 2010-12-30 Duet with Stefano Bollani at the Umbria Jazz Festival2013 TrilogyUniversal 2010-10 – 2012-12 [3CD] Grammy won album2015 Two with Béla FleckConcord 2007 – 2015? [2CD]2016 The MusicianConcord Jazz 2011 [3CD]2018 (Japan), 2019 (U.S.) Trilogy 2Universal (Japan), Concord (U.S.) 2016 [2CD] Grammy won album2020 Chick Corea Plays Concord Jazz 2018 [2CD]2021 ResonanceUniversal 2016-05-19, -22, -29 Duet with Makoto Ozone [2CD]2023 Sardinia: A Night Of Mozart & GershwinCandid 2018 live with Orchestra Da Camera Della Sardegna 2025 Trilogy 3Candid 2020-02 – 2020-03 Trio with Brian Blade and Christian McBrideForever Yours: The Farewell Performance2020-10
Compilations Inner Space (Atlantic, 1973) – contains all previously published and two unreleased tracks from Tones for Joan's Bones recorded in 1966 & 1968 Chick Corea/Herbie Hancock/Keith Jarrett/McCoy Tyner (Atlantic, 1976) Works (ECM, 1985) Chick Corea Compact Jazz (Polydor, 1987) Best of Chick Corea (Blue Note, 1993) Music Forever & Beyond: The Selected Works of Chick Corea 1964 - 1996 (GRP, 1996) – discs 1-4 are a career-spanning retrospective; disc 5 is all-new recordings of standards, and one original, with the Time Warp quartet Selected Recordings (ECM, 2002) The Complete "Is" Sessions (Blue Note, 2002) – combined the albums Is and Sundance with alternate takes Very Best of Chick Corea (Universal, 2004) The Song Is You (Douglas, 2005)[2CD] – combined version of Woodstock Jazz Festival 1 and Woodstock Jazz Festival 2 (Douglas Music, 1997) Five Trios (Stretch, 2007)[6CD]
Electric Chick (Verve, 2008) The Montreux Years (Montreux Jazz Festival/BMG, 2022) – rec. 1988, 1993, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2010
As group leader
Circle (with Anthony Braxton, Dave Holland and Barry Altschul) Circle 1: Live in Germany Concert (CBS/Sony, 1971) – recorded in 1970 Circle 2: Gathering (CBS/Sony, 1971) Paris Concert (ECM, 1972) – recorded in 1971 Circling In (Blue Note, 1975) – recorded in 1970 Circulus (Blue Note, 1978) – recorded in 1970
Return to Forever
Studio albums 1972: Return To Forever (ECM, 1972) – as Chick Corea's album 1972: Light as a Feather (Polydor, 1973) 1973: Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (Polydor, 1973) 1974: Where Have I Known You Before (Polydor, 1974) 1975: No Mystery (Polydor, 1975) 1976: Romantic Warrior (Columbia, 1976) 1977: Musicmagic (Columbia, 1977)
Live albums 1977: Live (Columbia)[4LP] – live 2009: Returns (Eagle)[2CD][DVD-Video] – live 2011: Forever (Concord)[2CD] – as Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White's album 2012: The Mothership Returns (Eagle)[2CD + DVD-Video] – live
Compilations 1980: The Best of Return to Forever (Columbia) 1996: Return to the 7th Galaxy: The Anthology (Verve Records) 2008: The Definitive Collection (Verve Records) 2008: R.T.F, the Anthology
Posthumous release Live in Japan 1983 (Hi Hat, 2021) – live recorded in 1983 Alive in America (Renaissance, 2022) – live recorded in 1974
Chick Corea Elektric Band
Studio albums Year Title Label Date recorded Notes 1986The Chick Corea Elektric Band GRP 1986-011987Light YearsGRP1987?1988Eye of the BeholderGRP1988?1990Inside OutGRP1990?1991Beneath the MaskGRP1991?1993Elektric Band II: Paint the WorldGRP1993?2004To the StarsStretch2004
Live albums Year Title Label Date recorded Notes 1996Live from Elario's (First Gig) Stretch 1985-04-192017Live in Tokyo 1987Universal Music1987-10-08reissue of disk 2 of GRP Super Live in Concert (GRP, 1988)[2CD]2023The Future Is NowCandid2016–2017
Chick Corea Akoustic Band
Studio album(s) Year Title Label Date recorded Notes 1989Chick Corea Akoustic Band GRP 1989?
Live albums Year Title Label Date recorded Notes 1987Summer Night: Live Jazz Door 1987-10-01Unofficial release1991AliveGRP1989-12-161996Live from Blue Note TokyoStretch1992Live at Blue Note Tokyo2019LiveStretch2018-01-13[2CD] Grammy won track included
As sideman
With Stanley Clarke Children of Forever (Polydor, 1973) Journey to Love (Nemperor, 1975) Rocks, Pebbles and Sand (Epic, 1980) Up (Mack Avenue, 2014)
With Miles Davis Water Babies (Columbia, 1976) - rec. 1967–1968 Filles de Kilimanjaro (Columbia, 1968) In a Silent Way (Columbia, 1969) Bitches Brew (Columbia, 1970) Miles Davis at Fillmore: Live at the Fillmore East (Columbia, 1970) Jack Johnson (Columbia, 1971) – a.k.a. A Tribute to Jack Johnson Live-Evil (Columbia, 1971) On the Corner (Columbia, 1972) Big Fun (Columbia, 1974) - compilation rec. 1969-1972 Black Beauty: Live at the Fillmore West (Columbia, 1977) - rec. 1970 Circle in the Round (Columbia, 1979) - compilation rec. 1955-1970 1969 Miles Festiva de Juan Pins (CBS/Sony, 1993) - rec. 1969 Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2 (Columbia Legacy, 2013) - rec. 1969 Bitches Brew Live (Sony, 2011) - live rec. 1969-1970 Miles at the Fillmore - Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3 (Columbia Legacy, 2014)[4CD] - rec. 1970
With Joe Farrell Joe Farrell Quartet (CTI, 1970) Outback (CTI, 1971) Skate Board Park (Xanadu, 1979)
With Stan Getz Sweet Rain (Verve, 1967) What the World Needs Now: Stan Getz Plays Burt Bacharach and Hal David (Verve, 1968) Captain Marvel (Verve, 1972)
With Joe Henderson Mirror Mirror (MPS, 1980) Relaxin' at Camarillo (Contemporary, 1981) – rec. 1979 Big Band (Verve, 1996)
With Eric Kloss To Hear Is to See! (Prestige, 1969) Consciousness! (Prestige, 1970)
With Hubert Laws The Laws of Jazz (Atlantic, 1964) Flute By-Laws (Atlantic, 1966) Laws' Cause (Atlantic, 1968) Wild Flower (Atlantic, 1972) Family (Columbia, 1980) Blanchard: New Earth Sonata (Columbia Masterworks, 1985)
With Herbie Mann Herbie Mann Plays the Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd (Atlantic, 1965)