I first heard Chick Corea and Return to Forever played on WRVR in NYC. I was 15 years old, seriously studying classical piano and theory and immersed in the classical piano library. Regardless, this music turned my head. I was stunned. I purchased every recording that was out and even learned some tunes by ear. I remember my mother saying " I pay for you to take piano lessons, and you are playing space music!." I was very fortunate to have met and spoken with Chick several times. He was a gem of a human. He even sent me the score to "The Romantic Warrior." I miss hearing new music by him. So glad he was here with us.
Great post. Loved Chick. Once when I went to see him there was a single snare drum at the front of the stage, I wondered why. Return To Forever came out Chick went to the snare and played the march part from “Sketches Of Spain” then they played “Spain”. He was so wonderful.
This was a great piece you wrote.. I first heard Chick now he sings now he sobs before I had heard bitches brew in 1970 .. It was a beautiful record, but I still wasn’t as connected to jazz like that as I was with somebody like Monk, who I actually studied and understood his language… the first thing I heard chick play electric on was Spanish key and that was just amazing and it changed my whole vision of music and what I wanted to do. I drove 3 1/2 hours with my girlfriend to Chicago from Terre Haute Indiana to see return to forever with Bill. Connor is on Guitar… I left that night after two sets and chick signing the first return to forever album on ECM for me that I still have. I can’t say truthfully that I enjoyed any of the avant-garde stuff… it just didn’t do anything for me and I didn’t know what to.. as years went on, and I started penetrating the music business. He started paying attention to me… the last time I saw him we really talked about synthesizer and what was happening with software that was right after his 75th birthday concerts at the Blue-note.. then one night has everybody was watching him do a piano lesson on Facebook live during Covid.. He saw my name in the comments… he stopped and said “ Hey everybody, I’m seeing that Jason Miles is with us tonight.. what’s happening Jason so glad that you stopped by.. if anybody doesn’t really know Jason, you should check out his music. He’s a great musician.”: well my wife saw the look on my face and then I got several phone calls… what could I say? I went full circle from a fan to a colleague… he is so missed. It’s ridiculous… he really could do anything he wanted to do on that piano and electric piano, and I love the fact that he embraced everything… sorry for the long rant, but you created this wonderful article and I had to respond..
Bret, if there is a keener observer of the jazz scene than you, after 50 years on the scene myself, I have yet to find that individual. Love your vivid accounts of this cultural phenomenon commonly referred to as jazz.
Definite musical presence and force throughout my life. I only got to see him live once, at Toads Place in New Haven. It was a great show with a great band (a bit samba heavy, but great). I had hopes of meeting him one day through our mutual friend, the great trumpet/areanger/composer Marty Sheller, who befriended Chick when they attended Columbia U together. Alas, it did not come to be as now both have passed on.
Brilliant - that was a fun read, worthy of the music! I’m so glad you mentioned Ron. I worked with Chick for 8 years as his Scandinavian agent, and got very close to the organization. Ron and I became close friends until his passing. The last time I saw Chick in person was at an Elektric Band gig in Hong Kong in 2017 - my first time working with him was with the Elektric Band in 1992. 9 gigs across Scandinavia and I was with them on the road. At the end of the 90ties I drove him, recording engineer Bernie Kirsh and tour manager Danny Byrnes around in Denmark for various solo concerts - they were recorded and later released as “Standards” and “Originals”. Chick had a young energy to the very end, musically and personally. He had that extra thing that’s so rare even among great musicians. And Ron was the nicest, most humane, funniest and most capable manager I’ve run into in my 30 years of doing this stuff. Between him, Danny and whoever else they hired for the organization, this shit was on rails. No drama, no complaints, no ego - get the job done to a T. Every time, every day, every gig. Without exception. They are both missed greatly by me and many others.
I first heard Chick Corea and Return to Forever played on WRVR in NYC. I was 15 years old, seriously studying classical piano and theory and immersed in the classical piano library. Regardless, this music turned my head. I was stunned. I purchased every recording that was out and even learned some tunes by ear. I remember my mother saying " I pay for you to take piano lessons, and you are playing space music!." I was very fortunate to have met and spoken with Chick several times. He was a gem of a human. He even sent me the score to "The Romantic Warrior." I miss hearing new music by him. So glad he was here with us.
Chick was a superb musician and person. He is missed. Big time.
Great post. Loved Chick. Once when I went to see him there was a single snare drum at the front of the stage, I wondered why. Return To Forever came out Chick went to the snare and played the march part from “Sketches Of Spain” then they played “Spain”. He was so wonderful.
This was a great piece you wrote.. I first heard Chick now he sings now he sobs before I had heard bitches brew in 1970 .. It was a beautiful record, but I still wasn’t as connected to jazz like that as I was with somebody like Monk, who I actually studied and understood his language… the first thing I heard chick play electric on was Spanish key and that was just amazing and it changed my whole vision of music and what I wanted to do. I drove 3 1/2 hours with my girlfriend to Chicago from Terre Haute Indiana to see return to forever with Bill. Connor is on Guitar… I left that night after two sets and chick signing the first return to forever album on ECM for me that I still have. I can’t say truthfully that I enjoyed any of the avant-garde stuff… it just didn’t do anything for me and I didn’t know what to.. as years went on, and I started penetrating the music business. He started paying attention to me… the last time I saw him we really talked about synthesizer and what was happening with software that was right after his 75th birthday concerts at the Blue-note.. then one night has everybody was watching him do a piano lesson on Facebook live during Covid.. He saw my name in the comments… he stopped and said “ Hey everybody, I’m seeing that Jason Miles is with us tonight.. what’s happening Jason so glad that you stopped by.. if anybody doesn’t really know Jason, you should check out his music. He’s a great musician.”: well my wife saw the look on my face and then I got several phone calls… what could I say? I went full circle from a fan to a colleague… he is so missed. It’s ridiculous… he really could do anything he wanted to do on that piano and electric piano, and I love the fact that he embraced everything… sorry for the long rant, but you created this wonderful article and I had to respond..
Chick touched many people. I'm so grateful for his music, and for the times I got to speak with him.
Bret, if there is a keener observer of the jazz scene than you, after 50 years on the scene myself, I have yet to find that individual. Love your vivid accounts of this cultural phenomenon commonly referred to as jazz.
Thank you, kind sir.
Like so much of your other stuff, Bret, this was so loaded with amusing metaphors, it was pure poetry. What a delight to read!
Definite musical presence and force throughout my life. I only got to see him live once, at Toads Place in New Haven. It was a great show with a great band (a bit samba heavy, but great). I had hopes of meeting him one day through our mutual friend, the great trumpet/areanger/composer Marty Sheller, who befriended Chick when they attended Columbia U together. Alas, it did not come to be as now both have passed on.
Great, vivid prose as always Bret. Thank you!
A masterclass. What a musician. It’s always RTF and the Miles fusion stuff. Never stagnant, always pushing into new directions.
Brilliant - that was a fun read, worthy of the music! I’m so glad you mentioned Ron. I worked with Chick for 8 years as his Scandinavian agent, and got very close to the organization. Ron and I became close friends until his passing. The last time I saw Chick in person was at an Elektric Band gig in Hong Kong in 2017 - my first time working with him was with the Elektric Band in 1992. 9 gigs across Scandinavia and I was with them on the road. At the end of the 90ties I drove him, recording engineer Bernie Kirsh and tour manager Danny Byrnes around in Denmark for various solo concerts - they were recorded and later released as “Standards” and “Originals”. Chick had a young energy to the very end, musically and personally. He had that extra thing that’s so rare even among great musicians. And Ron was the nicest, most humane, funniest and most capable manager I’ve run into in my 30 years of doing this stuff. Between him, Danny and whoever else they hired for the organization, this shit was on rails. No drama, no complaints, no ego - get the job done to a T. Every time, every day, every gig. Without exception. They are both missed greatly by me and many others.
Wonderful memories!
Great article. We shouldn’t forget Herbies three pre Headhunters recordings (Mwandishi, Sextant, and Crossings), though.
Fo sure. I heard the Mwandishi band live several times and was blown away. I think the music was a little advanced for the audience at the time.
Blasting out metaphors!
I must have possessed by a spirit when I wrote this.
bret - remember we interviewed him at N2k? i loved WRVR.
Of course I remember! WRVR was a great station destroyed by corporate America. What else is new?