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POSTMASTER: Send change of address to: DownBeat, P.O. Box 11688, St. Paul, MN 55111–0688. CABLE ADDRESS: DownBeat (on sale March 23, 2021) Magazine Publishers Association. Á 4 DOWNBEAT APRIL 2021 APRIL 2021 ON THE COVER 20 Chick Corea (1941–2021) ‘The Joy of Creating’ 20 BY TED PANKEN LEN KATZ/DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL DownBeat pays tribute to one of the most revered musicians of his generation. He was born Armando Anthony Corea in Chelsea, Massachusetts, but he was known around the world by his nickname, “Chick.” Our cover story traces the arc of his long, fruitful career. Also, throughout this issue, we celebrate the life and music of an artist who helped shape the direction of modern jazz. Chick Corea performs at the 2012 Detroit Jazz Festival. Cover photo of Chick Corea shot by Steven Sussman at Infinity Music Hall in Hartford, Connecticut, on Sept. 21, 2014. FEATURES 26 John Patitucci 5-Star Review Sustained Intensity +++++ BY ED ENRIGHT 30 John Santos ‘The Roots Are Still Firm’ BY DAVE CANTOR 38 Veronica Swift 41 Logan Richardson 42 R+R=NOW 44 Leo Genovese 66 Gear Showcase Best of NAMM’s Believe in Music Week DEPARTMENTS 8 First Take 35 Reviews 10 Chords & Discords 70 Master Class BY DAN WILLIS AARON MEEKCOMS SPECIAL SECTION 13 The Beat 73 Jazz On 49 2021 International 14 Doug Beavers Campus Jazz Camp Guide 16 Cameron Graves 74 Blindfold Test 19 Fay Victor Chick Corea Chick Corea 6 DOWNBEAT APRIL 2021 First Take BY FRANK ALKYER JIMMY KATZ Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea in 1998. Chick Corea, Happiness THIS ISSUE OF DOWNBEAT IS DEDICATED endearing livestream tribute on Feb. 16, host- to the life and music of the late Chick Corea, as ed by Christian McBride, with musicians from well as the vast, loving community of musicians Corea’s universe. With nearly 2½ hours of he embraced on stage, and off. laughter and love, it featured drummers Jack It would be impossible to think of another DeJohnette, Lenny White, Steve Gadd, Dave musician who worked with more artists, in Weckl, Brian Blade and Marcus Gilmore; bass- more settings, than Chick. It also would be ists John Patitucci and Eddie Gomez; and pia- impossible to think of an artist more beloved nists Billy Childs and Herbie Hancock. by those musicians. Many are quoted through- “First time I met Chick was in the studio out our coverage, which begins on page 20. This with Miles Davis,” said White. “That was 52 column gives voice to a few more. years ago. Bitches Brew. “I remember our first night playing together, “I’m going like, ‘Whoa!’ It was kind of inter- duo... We walked on stage... Chick noodled esting. It was intimidating, but who would have a couple of disjointed random notes on the known that three or four years later, [Corea] piano... And off we went... Never looking back,” would have invited me to be in his band? wrote Bobby McFerrin, one of Corea’s frequent “When Return to Forever started, when I duet collaborators, in a Feb. 16 Facebook post. got in the band, I was a man. Chick was a man. “He was a musical wonder, my true playmate, Stanley [Clarke] was a man. Al [Di Meola] and stretching me, taking me places I would have Billy Connors were men. But we grew up. We never gone on my own. We GOT each other.” found different principles that we hadn’t found “The moment I first heard Chick Corea’s before with Chick’s music and the opportuni- ‘Spain’ in jazz appreciation class at age 16, I ties that he gave us. became a deep fan,” said Belá Fleck, another “He gave me an opportunity to write music duet conspirator. “And his keyboard work point- to be in that group, for that group. These are ed the way toward an approach to banjo that certain things that, given the opportunity, I was, frankly, thrilling. After seeing a life-altering learned how to do. He also got us in line to learn Return to Forever performance at the Beacon how to represent ourselves as a band in society. Theatre [in New York City] in 1975, I remember Those kinds of qualities make people that are staying up all night to map the banjo finger- in those bands become leaders. Because Chick board and achieve an understanding of how it was learning how to do that with us, he got real- could be done on banjo. ly, really great at it.” “Many years later, I got to play with him, When Hancock and Blade joined McBride, and it exceeded my imaginings of what that they got off-topic, riffing and laughing about might be like, because he brought out the best Herbie’s “Don King” hair during the pandemic. in musicians. Not only would you get to play “This is what I’m talking about,” laughed with him, but you’d get to play with the best McBride. “Happiness. Celebrating Chick.” version of yourself. He became a musical part- “That’s the only way to celebrate Chick,” ner, a mentor and, best of all, a friend.” said Hancock. “Because that’s what he was. He The Newport Jazz Festival offered an was always happy.” DB 8 DOWNBEAT APRIL 2021 Chords Discords Music That Will Live Forever My introduction to Chick Corea’s music hap- pened in 1971. I was in high school, and my buddies and I were just getting into jazz, de- TOSHI SAKURAI vouring the music of as many of the modern jazz masters as we could. My musical relation- ship with Corea has lasted 50 years, and I was shocked to read about his passing. We have lost so many modern jazz mas- ters, the very people whose music I loved as a 16-year-old. I recently read that Chick recorded nearly 90 albums as a bandleader or co-leader. That is incredible. Here are some of my favorite Corea al- bums: Now He Sings, Now He Sobs (1968); Tones For Joan’s Bones (1968); Return To For- ever (1972); Circle’s Paris Concert (1972); Re- turn To Forever’s Light As A Feather and Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy (both 1973); and Solo Piano: Portraits (2014). Listen to any of these records, or others that are meaningful to you. Remember and celebrate Chick’s life and work. We love and miss you, Chick. BOB ZANDER PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA Chick Corea Blues as Mood Elevator cause we have to do it. We have a calling. It’s a All that is necessary to dispel the fallacy that mission. It’s a cry.” the blues is depressing music is to look at the Parker provided, in those few words, the photos of Kingfish Ingram in your February is- very essence of what moves the jazz musician sue.