Chic Korea | Jazz Legend dies

Alexander Vignelt
Tap

In a bit of a shock, Andre Maynard, co-founder of the Montreal International Jazz Festival (FIJM), was unaware that Chic Korea, one of the jazz symbols that could call this festival friend, had cancer. “The last time I saw him was about a year and a half ago, when he had his normal livelihood,” he said, adding that the disappearance was visually touching.

The American artist died of rare cancer on Tuesday, which was “only recently discovered”, you can read on his official Facebook page on Thursday. His death was confirmed by Web and Marketing Manager Dan Muse Jazzman. “Throughout his life and his career, Chick [Corea] He enjoyed the freedom and the pleasure of creating something new and playing the games that artists do, ”said the text announcing his death.

Chick Korea, born in Massachusetts in 1941, began with Cab Kalove in the early 1960s, recording albums before joining the Miles Davis band at the end of the decade Kilimanjaro girls, In a quiet way, Bitches Brew And జ Tribute to Jack Johnson. “More or less jazz-rock was not invented,” recalls Alain Simard, another co-founder of FIJM. “After this, Chick Korea set up Return to Forever with Billy Kobam,” he said.

Both remember him as an “open” musician. “Chick Korea is a good man,” said Alain Simard, who took his role in music very seriously and wanted to push it further. He always knew how to surround himself and how to form groups that would create an era and famous musicians like Lenny White and Stanley Clark came out of it, “Andre Maynard recalled.

Chic Korea performed a duet with Miles Davis, his predecessor Herbie Hancock, and formed a wonderful duet with vibrophonist Gary Burton. “The duets with Burton, it’s amazing, it’s lace,” said Alain Simard, who categorized Chic Korea as one of his favorite musicians.

FIJM Champion

In 1982, co-founders of FIJM also vividly remember the time when Korea and Burton had to film for television with a short notice for a concert at Thetre Saint-Denis in place of Dexter Gordon. The two musicians were returning from Moscow and caught up with terrorists at a New York airport, from where they agreed to take a flight to Montreal to meet on stage – and in front of television cameras – the same evening.

“It closed the friendship and admiration for Chic Korea, which never moved for years,” said Andre Maynard, who classified the pianist and keyboardist as one of FIJM’s ‘champions’. In 2002, the festival also presented him with the coveted Miles-Davis Prize, for which Chick Korea said he wanted to find a better place in his home and with photos of the legendary trumpeter.

Chick Korea’s Facebook page has a post he left “for everyone he knew and loved and for those who loved him”. “In my journey, I would like to thank all those who have helped to contain the flames of music. I hope that those who have the desire to play, write, compose, and perform blindfolds will do this. If it is not for you, for the rest of us. Not only does the world need more artists, it’s a lot That’s fun. ”

Chick Korea is the highest Grammy Award winning artist in jazz in the 63 year history of the event. He has a posthumous chance to win more honors on March 14 because he was chosen as the best-performing jazz soloist. All blues, As well as for the best instrumental jazz album Trilogy 2.

– With Agence France-Press