Yesterday I learned of the news that Chick Corea had died. It's always sad when a brilliant talent is lost to this world, although in this case it was buffeted by the fact that he continued to make amazing music right up until the end. He released an album each of the last three years. That brought his total of studio albums as the bandleader or central player to 91. In 52 years. He appears on an additional 80 records as a sideman. Oh, and 23 live records. (link)
I started playing drums in the third grade when I started taking lessons. In the fifth grade, I got my first trap set. I took lessons until my junior year in high-school. The very last song I was given to learn in those nine years of lessons was "Spain" by Chick Corea, specifically the version on the Chick Corea Akoustic Band record (here it is live in 1991), with the drums handled by the inestimably great Dave Weckl, who continues to be one of my favorite drummers of all time. I never got the song down.
Because of my drumming and the music given to me to learn in those drum lessons, I developed a taste for jazz, and specifically the jazz fusion of the 70s and 80s. Weather Report, Yellowjackets, Brand X, Brecker Brothers, Pat Metheny Group, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Spyro Gyra, and of course those central Chick Corea bands Return to Forever and the Chick Corea Elektric Band.
Ever since I started a family, there hasn't been much time for drums. I recently started house-sitting for friends, officing from their front room, feeding their fish, cleaning the pool skimmers. I also took the opportunity to set up my drum kit in their extra room. I bought this kit right after I graduated from college with the intent of it being the last kit I bought. They're a Pearl Masters Custom with maple hoops and a natural finish. They were expensive even in 1998. It's followed me around the country and briefly to Europe. For the last number of years, it's sat in a friend's garage storage.
I've played it three times in about as many months, despite its daily availability. Obligations on my time continue to make finding time to play difficult. Today was one of those days, however. I was able to play about four songs before I developed a blister on my thumb. Just long enough to let me know that I still got it.
I started playing drums in the third grade when I started taking lessons. In the fifth grade, I got my first trap set. I took lessons until my junior year in high-school. The very last song I was given to learn in those nine years of lessons was "Spain" by Chick Corea, specifically the version on the Chick Corea Akoustic Band record (here it is live in 1991), with the drums handled by the inestimably great Dave Weckl, who continues to be one of my favorite drummers of all time. I never got the song down.
Because of my drumming and the music given to me to learn in those drum lessons, I developed a taste for jazz, and specifically the jazz fusion of the 70s and 80s. Weather Report, Yellowjackets, Brand X, Brecker Brothers, Pat Metheny Group, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Spyro Gyra, and of course those central Chick Corea bands Return to Forever and the Chick Corea Elektric Band.
Ever since I started a family, there hasn't been much time for drums. I recently started house-sitting for friends, officing from their front room, feeding their fish, cleaning the pool skimmers. I also took the opportunity to set up my drum kit in their extra room. I bought this kit right after I graduated from college with the intent of it being the last kit I bought. They're a Pearl Masters Custom with maple hoops and a natural finish. They were expensive even in 1998. It's followed me around the country and briefly to Europe. For the last number of years, it's sat in a friend's garage storage.
I've played it three times in about as many months, despite its daily availability. Obligations on my time continue to make finding time to play difficult. Today was one of those days, however. I was able to play about four songs before I developed a blister on my thumb. Just long enough to let me know that I still got it.
