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Chick Corea Quotes

Powerful Chick Corea for Daily Growth

About Chick Corea

**Chick Corea:** *A Musical Journey through Jazz Innovations* Born on June 12, 1941, in Chelsea, Massachusetts, Chick Corea is a multi-GRAMMY award-winning American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. Known for his versatility and fusion of various musical styles, Corea has made significant contributions to the world of jazz over six decades. Raised in a musically inclined family, Corea began his piano lessons at age four. At the age of eleven, he was admitted to the New England Conservatory of Music as a full-time student, where he studied classical music for three years. Corea's love for jazz blossomed during his teenage years after hearing Miles Davis' album "Kind of Blue." In 1960, Corea joined the band of vibraphonist Gary Burton, which led to collaborations with artists like Stan Getz and Herbie Hancock. In 1968, he formed the groundbreaking group Return to Forever, blending jazz with Latin, rock, and electronic music elements. This pioneering fusion band produced classic albums such as "Light as a Feather" (1972) and "Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy" (1976). Throughout his career, Corea has been a prolific composer, creating timeless pieces like "Spain," "500 Miles High," and "Children's Song." He has also collaborated with artists across genres, including Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clarke, Pat Metheny, and Wayne Shorter. In 2016, Corea was awarded the National Medal of Arts, recognizing his exceptional contributions to American culture. Even as he continues to push musical boundaries, Chick Corea remains a beacon of creativity and innovation within the jazz world.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Music is the language of the spirit. It cuts through all the noise and carries its own message."

This quote emphasizes that music transcends the boundaries of words, cultures, or languages; it communicates on a spiritual level. Music can pierce through superficial barriers, reaching directly into the essence of our emotions, thoughts, and experiences, bypassing the noise of everyday life. It carries its own unique message, evoking feelings, telling stories, and uniting people across the globe. In essence, music serves as a universal language that connects us on a profound level with each other and ourselves.

"Life is a series of creative acts. I think we need to redefine work – to make it exciting, creative, something we can't wait to do in the morning."

Chick Corea suggests that life itself is a continuous process of creation, implying that every moment presents an opportunity to shape our experiences through creative actions. He encourages us to reframe our perception of work as not just a duty but rather something exciting, imaginative, and inspiring. This new perspective on work makes it enticing, something one eagerly anticipates each morning, transforming the mundane into the extraordinary.

"I don't want to play what's been played. I want to find out what hasn't been played yet."

This quote by jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea expresses a desire for musical innovation, rather than repeating established patterns. He aims to push the boundaries of what is known in music, exploring new, unexplored territories in his compositions and improvisations. Essentially, he wants to create something fresh, original, and unique with every performance or composition.

"The music is like a river, and it carries you away. It doesn't matter if you're the captain of the boat or not."

This quote by Chick Corea signifies the transcendent power of music. Just as a river can take you on an unpredictable journey regardless of your role, music has the ability to transport individuals beyond their control, transcending personal boundaries and leading them to unexpected emotional landscapes. It's not about who is in command or controlling the music, but rather surrendering oneself to its flow and allowing it to guide one's experience.

"I always felt that improvisation was the most important thing about jazz music, but in order to improvise, you have to know the history of what has been played before you."

This quote by Chick Corea emphasizes the importance of both innovation and tradition in jazz music. He suggests that improvisation, a fundamental aspect of jazz, requires a deep understanding of the musical history that precedes one's own performance. In essence, Corea is implying that to create something new and exciting, one must first respect and learn from the roots of the art form they are exploring.

I came along in the '60s having absorbed as much as I could up until then and added my own tastes and search into the equation. I guess that's how I see 'Now He Sings, Now He Sobs' in relation to the development of jazz in general.

- Chick Corea

Jazz, Sings, Added, Tastes

I like Stevie Wonder as my favorite non-pianist pianist. I mean, I shouldn't call him a non-pianist, because he's really a great pianist, but he doesn't feature it that much - he uses his keyboards and his piano technique to support his great songs and so forth, but he can really blow.

- Chick Corea

Stevie Wonder, Technique, Stevie

You don't have to be Picasso or Rembrandt to create something. The fun of it, the joy of creating, is way high above anything else to do with the art form.

- Chick Corea

Art, Anything Else, Rembrandt

I haven't traveled in Africa nearly as much as I'd like to. I've been there a few times, and I'd like to learn more about the various cultures in Africa. But that's the basis point of where all of the music that I love is based upon, from Africa to Cuba to Puerto Rico to South America.

- Chick Corea

Love, Been, South, South America

When I hear the piano played in a compositional way, like in a songwriter's way in a compositional way, there's a certain arc to that that I love.

- Chick Corea

Love, Like, Played, Arc

Without a doubt, my richest relationships are my long-term friendships with musical partners, because we make music together. That's what we love to do with our lives.

- Chick Corea

Love, Musical, Lives, Richest

Every time I see a musician - it doesn't matter what age - that inspires me, there's always a secret little wish that maybe we'll play together, because that's how I learn and grow and so forth, you know. But hopefully there's a lot more.

- Chick Corea

Play, I See, Maybe, Every Time

You get a zero at the end of your age number, and you get some extra attention. That's what I found out.

- Chick Corea

Some, Out, Your, Extra

The sound of the orchestra is one of the most magnificent musical sounds that has ever existed.

- Chick Corea

Most, Ever, Musical, Orchestra

It's a constant challenge to get your arrangement and musical expression across to a new audience, especially when you're playing live every night like we are.

- Chick Corea

New, Audience, Constant, Every Night

It's made music more accessible with YouTube and the ability to trade audio files. But it hasn't made it more popular.

- Chick Corea

Music, YouTube, Accessible, Audio

My one thing is I continue to be interested and want to be a student. I don't want to be a master. When I'm learning something, I'm in my element.

- Chick Corea

Want, Student, One Thing, Element

You'll find little schools of musicians experimenting with different ways of making music in Brooklyn, all through Manhattan, in Queens, in Jersey, you know? The city is still bubbling with creativity.

- Chick Corea

Through, Making, Still, Queens

It's very difficult for me to dislike an artist. No matter what he's creating, the fact that he's experiencing the joy of creation makes me feel like we're in a brotherhood of some kind... we're in it together.

- Chick Corea

Fact, Some, Very, Experiencing

Miles Davis was a part of my life from 1947 on. I was born in 1941 and I first heard him in 1947 on a 78 rpm. And then I followed his career, starting with his first solo album in 1951. He was an icon and inspiration and a mentor to me.

- Chick Corea

My Life, Career, Mentor, Solo

My wife, Gayle, is a wonderful musician and singer. We share music, so it's a deep bond.

- Chick Corea

Music, Deep, Singer, Bond

I get interested in the various ways that music is being done in the culture, and some of it I like thoroughly enough to want to learn about it. The way I have been successful at doing that is to become part of it.

- Chick Corea

Doing, Some, Been, Being Done

Talking about the body getting old, there's a sadness to it in a way.

- Chick Corea

Old, Getting, About, Getting Old

I enjoy playing the band as the band. I 'be' the whole band and I'm playing the drums, I'm playing the guitar, I'm playing the saxophone. To me, the most wonderful thing about playing music is that.

- Chick Corea

Enjoy, Saxophone, About, Wonderful Thing

The title 'Now He Sings, Now He Sobs' comes from 'I Ching,' an ancient Chinese book that I was into in the '60s when I was studying different philosophies and religions.

- Chick Corea

Book, Studying, Sings, Philosophies

If I had to look at 'Now He Sings'... from outside myself, I see it as a natural part of the growth of the jazz culture, which I've always been so happy - honored, really - to be a small part of.

- Chick Corea

Small, Been, Sings, Small Part

When I came to New York after high school in 1959 and started to meet musicians, 'Hot House' was like a standard jam session tune.

- Chick Corea

New, Like, Standard, Jam

I decided that I didn't want to spend my time in a liberal arts college.

- Chick Corea

College, My Time, Decided, Liberal

I got a chance to listen to and watch Thelonious Monk and his quartet play two shows a night, for six weeks. It was a great education. There was my university, man.

- Chick Corea

Chance, Play, Six, Quartet

I've noticed that the more adventurous and in that mode that I am, it seems that the more the audience really likes it.

- Chick Corea

I Am, Audience, Mode, Likes

Now, when I play soul piano, for instance, and I play a rendition of 'Spain,' I do it deconstructively. That's the most fun, but I can only do that when I'm on my own.

- Chick Corea

Play, Spain, Instance, Piano

Art is a subject that is inundated with opinions. In fact, that's all it is about is opinions.

- Chick Corea

Art, Fact, Subject, Opinions

Only a spiritual being has awareness.

- Chick Corea

Spiritual, Only, Being, Awareness

I call myself a teacher because they want me to call myself a teacher, but actually, what I'm doing is I'm studying.

- Chick Corea

Doing, Call, Actually, Studying

People in the music business say don't make too many records because they'll compete against one another.

- Chick Corea

Business, Compete, Records, Music Business

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