Chick Corea, Jazz Fusion Pioneer, Has Died Of Cancer At 79
This story was updated at 9:28 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 11.
The keyboardist, composer and bandleader Chick Corea — one of the most revered figures in contemporary jazz, but an artist whose work spanned fusion to classical — died on Feb. 9 at age 79.
Dan Muse from Chick Corea Productions confirmed his death to NPR on Thursday afternoon. Corea's team also reported his death on social media, saying that he died from "a rare form of cancer which was only discovered very recently." No other details about his illness and death were shared.
A pianist whose crisp touchhas long been a touchstone for the modern acoustic piano trio, a format to which he often returned; in 2019 he released another album in that vein, with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade.
