Mark Stryker on Chick Corea

[ghost of miles]

A guest post for Ethan Iverson’s blog, and the best writeup I’ve seen since Chick’s passing:

Chick Corea 1941-2021

[HutchFan]

This is terrific.  Thanks for brining it to my attention, ghost. 

And THANK YOU to Mark for writing such well-balanced and thoughtful remembrance.

 

[Mark Stryker]

David -- thanks for posting and for the kind words. .

Hutch -- thanks for the nice words too,

[JSngry]

Very nice!

[mjzee]

Thanks for writing that, Mark; very incisive.  I've hesitated to offer my opinion on Chick's playing; he was never a favorite of mine, so I never went deep on him.  I thought he played too many notes, and was in a way glib and facile.  Bombastic, especially the mid-70's RTF, which was to my mind the worst of fusion; it was like the musical equivalent of a Star Wars movie - all bombast and flash, little depth.  When I think of Chick, I also always think of Miles' Black Beauty at the Fillmore West.  Chick seems to think he's an equal in the band to Miles; he takes as much time as Miles and seems intent on drowning him out.  So I liked Mark's piece because, first, he let me know that I wasn't alone in what I disliked about Chick's playing, but, two, that it was possible to dislike much of Chick's output but there was much more out there that I might like.  I intend to pursue those areas further.

[Brad]

Thank you for this wonderful, penetrating article. 

[Mark Stryker]

Thanks all ...