Chick Corea

Return to Forever

Armando Anthony Corea was born on June 12, 1941 in Chelsea, Massachusetts, to parents from southern Italy; his trumpeter father encouraged piano at age four, he was gigging professionally by high school and left college in New York after about six months. In the early 1960s he recorded and toured with Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Blue Mitchell, Herbie Mann and Stan Getz. His debut album was Tones for Joan's Bones (1966), then Now He Sings, Now He Sobs (March 1968) with Roy Haynes and Miroslav Vitous. From fall 1968 to 1970 he played in Miles Davis's band on Filles de Kilimanjaro, In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew and On the Corner, leaving after the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. In 1970 and 1971 he led Circle with Dave Holland, Anthony Braxton and Barry Altschul, and in 1971 recorded solo piano for ECM.

Return to Forever was founded in New York in 1972 as a more accessible vehicle than his avant-garde work. The first group had Corea on electric piano, Stanley Clarke on double bass, Joe Farrell on saxophone and flute, Airto Moreira on percussion and Flora Purim on vocals; the classic 1974 to 1977 line-up added Lenny White and Al Di Meola. It made Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973), Where Have I Known You Before (1974), No Mystery (1975), Romantic Warrior (1976) and Musicmagic (1977), disbanded in 1977 and officially ended in 1978, and reunited in 1983, 2008 and 2010 to 2021. My Spanish Heart came in 1976, Friends in 1978, Children's Songs in 1984, and the Elektric Band made seven GRP albums from 1986 to 1994; the Akoustic Band with John Patitucci and Dave Weckl recorded in 1989 and 1991. Duets include Gary Burton from Crystal Silence (1972), The New Crystal Silence (2008), Herbie Hancock, Bela Fleck and Hiromi.

He formed the Five Peace Band with John McLaughlin, Kenny Garrett and Christian McBride from 2008, and made Trilogy (2013) and Antidote (2019). Wikipedia counts 29 Grammy wins from 79 nominations as of 2026, while his obituaries at his death said 23. He died on February 9, 2021 at home in Tampa, Florida, aged 79.