Gayle Moran Corea to Sing This Month at Carnegie Hall

Gayle Moran Corea

Gayle Moran Corea, the only person to have performed and recorded with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and also Return to Forever (and, as it happens, Chick’s lovely wife) is singing at Carnegie Hall this month! The details: When: May 30 / 8pm Where: Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall Tickets: Available Here Gayle will join Mika & Richard Stoltzman for their much-anticipated …

Chick & Stanley Clarke + Special Guests at Catalina’s!

Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock at Catalina's

Stanley and I had a big blast last week at Catalina’s. We basked in our “acoustic jazz” roots and Señor Clarke was at the top of his bass game. Hubert Laws added such a warm dimension to the music with his beautiful flute sound and regal presence. Marcus Gilmore’s drumming carried and updated the legacy of his grandfather into the …

Chick’s Big 70th Year — June ’11- June ’12

Chick in Tokyo

Even in a career packed with watershed years, Chick’s 70th stands out as a milestone. Let’s take a look at the numbers: Grammy Awards: 2 Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Forever, with Corea, Clarke & White Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “500 Miles High,” from Forever New albums: 6 Forever, with Corea, Clarke & White Orvieto, with Stefano Bollani Further Explorations, with …

Happy Birthday Chick!

It’s Chick’s Birthday! He’s spending it on tour in beautiful Rio de Janeiro. Help us wish him a resounding “Happy Birthday Maestro” — Leave your birthday wishes on Twitter, Facebook in the comments!

2 Grammy® Wins for Forever!

Chick, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White took home 2 Grammys last night, for their 2-disc set Forever: • Best Jazz Instrumental Album • Best Improvised Jazz Solo (Chick, “500 Miles High”)

RTF, Unplugged and on Fire at the Blue Note, NYC

Return to Forever was on fire at the Blue Note in New York City the last two nights — in a configuration never heard before, unplugged: Chick (piano) Frank Gambale (acoustic guitar) Stanley Clarke (acoustic bass) Lenny White (drums) And this is just the beginning — Chick’s at the Blue Note all month, with 10 all-star bands. Check out the …

Return to Forever IV Tour Begins!

Return to Forever IV’s World Tour is officially under way! And this is the way to start: the first show in Northampton, MA was a triumph, with audiences on their feet after every song (often after a solo). One day later, in Syracuse, June 26 was officially declared Return to Forever day. Check out Lenny below with the proclamation, presented …

Inside the Recording of Chick’s Concerto The Continents

Chick’s in a Manhattan recording studio this week laying down The Continents: Concerto for Small Jazz Group and Chamber Orchestra. Outside, New York is pushing towards 100 degrees, and inside the music hall, doubling a recording studio, the room is full of concentration—three dozen musical minds working in unison. Conductor Steven Mercurio sits at the head of the orchestra, surrounded …

Jazz Backstage: Roy Haynes and the Legend of the Cymbal

Jazz Online, the creators of the Jazz Backstage podcast, just posted a really fantastic interview with the legendary Roy Haynes — a titan of the drums and a frequent collaborator of Chick’s. Roy talks about a certain flat ride cymbal that Chick “borrowed” one day in the early ’60s, and never managed to give back. The cymbal can be heard …

Chick Joins Burghausen, Germany’s Street of Fame

Chick received a rare honor March 22, as the city of Burghausen, Germany unveiled a permanent plaque on its “Street of Fame,” honoring Chick’s contribution to the history of jazz. With a ceremony in his honor, the city announced its “deep bow to a legend.” Chick performed with Gary Burton the next day at the Burghausen Jazz Festival.

Good Morning from Basel

[Chick writes from Basel, Switzerland, where he’s on tour with Gary Burton.] Tonight I’m my own PR man. The concert was over-the-top tonight. The audience was unbelievably receptive. When we walked out on stage they gave the longest ovation I’ve ever gotten. Also the concert went very, very well — the piano was fantastic and the hall was perfect. O, …

Stocking Up at Amoeba Music, Los Angeles

We stocked up on CDs and DVDs at @amoebamusic in LA. That place is wild! We need some entertainment to while away the 14-hour flight to Perth. Australia, here we come with Return to Forever IV!