Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (1941 - 2021) was, and continues to be, a huge influence on how I view jazz, jazz performance and composition. This is my small tribute to a hero of mine. It’s not a jazz piece, there are no improvised sections and there’s no attempt to copy either Chick’s compositional or improvisational style, and I don’t quote from (as far as I’m aware, but possibly subconsciously) any of Chick’s music. It’s me thinking about Chick and his music and reflecting on how it’s been part of my life ever since I went to college to study jazz.
Chick seemed ageless. The youthful glint in his eye, his playfulness, playing incredible jazz lines whilst looking not at his hands but directly at the other members of the band and his interplay with the soloists; that was the musician I wanted to be. Armando is a few thoughts on missing someone I never met but who influenced and inspired me from afar.
Instrumentation: Violin; Viola; Clarinet; Bassoon
Composition date: 2021
Duration: 5 minutes
