Chick Corea’s Forever Yours: The Farewell Performance, a 2-LP set,is a fitting finale to the iconic composer and pianist’s career, recorded just four months before his surprising passing in 2021. Perhaps it’s only coincidental, but the word ‘Forever” in the title is a clever nod to Corea’s great fusion group, Return to Forever. Also, although we should take the term ‘Farewell” at its face value, you can be sure that Corea’s recordings will continue to arrive regularly, likely adding to his total of 28 Grammys. His engineer, Bernie Kirsh, recorded every show and has amassed quite a vault.
Those comments aside, this is a masterful tribute that showcases not only Corea’s superb technical ability but his ability to make the listener feel as if they are in the same room with him. His spoken interludes offer warmth, his trademark humor, and insight. Having met Corea personally, he was as approachable and affable as any ‘major name’ musician. Those same traits come across here in his spoken introductions.
The concert was recorded in October 2020 over two solo-piano concerts at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida. Virtually every trait, save the fusion aspects of his artistry, is on display. These include dazzling runs, harmonic depth, rhythmic joy, playful approach, the ability to move seamlessly between classical and jazz, and his rich interpretations of material from composers he admired. It is almost as if he summarizes his career in one fell swoop. Though he never lets on that it’s his last show (“See you next year” are his closing words), nor does he exhibit any hints of weariness, he may well have known he didn’t have much time left.
23 pieces include originals, jazz standards, and tributes to composers – Thelonious Monk (“‘Round Midnight,” “Tinkle, Tinkle”), Bud Powell (‘Dusk in Sandi”), Mozart (“Piano Sonata in F Major K. 322 II. Adagio”), Bill Evans (“Waltz for Debby”), Stevie Wonder (“Overjoyed’), and Duke Ellington (“In a Sentimental Mood”). The standards “It Could Happen to You” and “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” are interspersed with tributes and his own “Armando’s Rhumba.”
The true program highlights, though, arrive in the second half. Corea explains the concept of “Portraits,” in which, as a youngster, he and his friends would dedicate piano pieces to relatives in a playful, perhaps at times derogatory, way. Here, he selects audience members and spontaneously plays a piece inspired by their presence. Here we have “Sam” and “Terri.” These are examples of his legendary generous spirit.
Seeking permission from the audience, Corea delivers a mini-recital of his celebrated “Children’s Songs,” of which there are 20. Corea first recorded the full 20-piece collection for ECM in 1984. They were written to convey the freedom and creativity inherent in the imagination of a young child. He explains that the first ten are rather elemental compared to the more complex second ten and proceeds to play numbers 1, 2, 10, 17, 19, and 20.
Those of you who own his 3-LP solo-piano Plays (Concord, 2020) will find many similarities with this release. On the former, he interprets even more composers (‘I’m a composer first, and pianist second. ‘) and does three portraits, two duets with pianists from the audience, and eight “Children’s Songs.” The familial banter between songs is similar. Yet, Plays collected selections from several performances, whereas Forever Yours: The Farewell Performance is a singular concert. In that sense, it is more intimate. Secondly, it includes liner notes reflections from Herbie Hancock, Alicia Keys, Hans Zimmer, Robert Glasper, Bobby McFerrin, and Stanley Clarke.
This is a gift – Corea’s spirit of joy, exploration, and wonder is unrivaled. Even those unfamiliar with his work will sense those attributes in this recording.
