Jazz fusion icon Chick Corea has died. A post to his official Facebook page confirmed that Corea passed away on February 9th from “a rare form of cancer which was only discovered very recently.”
The statement continued, "Throughout his life and career, Chick relished in the freedom and the fun to be had in creating something new, and in playing the games that artists do.
He was a beloved husband, father and grandfather, and a great mentor and friend to so many. Through his body of work and the decades he spent touring the world, he touched and inspired the lives of millions."
The end of the statement included a note from Corea himself: “I want to thank all of those along my journey who have helped keep the music fires burning bright. It is my hope that those who have an inkling to play, write, perform or otherwise, do so. If not for yourself then for the rest of us. It’s not only that the world needs more artists, it’s also just a lot of fun.
“And to my amazing musician friends who have been like family to me as long as I’ve known you: It has been a blessing and an honor learning from and playing with all of you. My mission has always been to bring the joy of creating anywhere I could, and to have done so with all the artists that I admire so dearly—this has been the richness of my life.”
In the 60s, the legendary keyboardist played alongside Miles Davis on some of his most notable records, and by the 1970s Corea had established his prolific career with several projects of his own. Chick Corea was a pioneer of jazz fusion, earning 23 Grammy awards and 60 nominations throughout his influential career. He was 79 years old.
