Chick Corea: The story of how he became famous
He's always been on the frontier of the jazz world
Last updated 11th Jun 2021
Since starting his solo career in 1966, Chick Corea was on the frontier of the jazz world as a renowned pianist, keyboardist and composer.
The 25-time Grammy Award-winning pianist is the fourth-most-nominated musician in Grammy history, with his style spanning the musical world, not defined by a single genre.
How did Chick Corea become famous?
Born in 1941, the pianist began his jazz career by playing with Stan Getz, Herbie Mann, Blue Mitchell and Sarah Vaughan before getting his break with Miles Davis in 1968 when Herbie Hancock needed a replacement when he was on his honeymoon before replacing him full time.
Corea's time with Miles led to him recording on Miles' famous fusion album Bitches Brew (1970).
Chick Corea's Piano Improvisations and Return to Forever
Corea's fame rose with the release of his three Piano Improvisations albums and his fusion group Return to Forever, particularly with the release of Light as a Feather (1972) and My Spanish Heart (1976).
Chick Corea's later work and death
Later, his work featured a heavy Latin influence, although his final album will be a solo live performance. He was Grammy-nominated 67 times and won 23 of those - more than anyone else in the history of jazz music. In 2006 he was made an NEA Jazz Master, the highest accolade within the jazz world in the US.
Continuing to experiment and innovate throughout his career, he has firmly stamped his name as one of the jazz greats. We were even lucky enough to have him play at our Virtual Jazz Festival as part of UK Music Day.