Candid Records and Chick Corea Productions release ‘Forever Yours: The Farewell Performance’ on CD and 2LP vinyl, capturing the final concerts of the legendary pianist. Recorded just four months before his passing at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida, the album stands as a defining document of the Chick Corea solo experience. It carries both intimacy and magnitude.
The liner notes include tributes from Alicia Keys, Herbie Hancock, Hans Zimmer, Robert Glasper, Bobby McFerrin, Stanley Clarke, Lang Lang and others, underscoring Corea’s reach across generations and genres. The release follows the 2026 GRAMMY win for ‘Trilogy 3’ in Best Jazz Performance, a recognition that affirmed his enduring impact.
The program moves seamlessly between Corea originals such as “Armando’s Rhumba” and selections from ‘Children’s Songs,’ alongside works by Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Stevie Wonder, Bill Evans and Duke Ellington. “He could showcase some unexpected connections in an exciting way,” said longtime collaborator Bernie Kirsh. The performance flows with technical mastery and joyful swing.
Corea’s spoken interludes remain intact, revealing his warmth and humor as he introduces pieces and invites audience members onstage for improvised “Portrait” compositions. An official video for “Overjoyed” further celebrates his artistry. ‘Forever Yours: The Farewell Performance’ resonates as a profound farewell and a vivid reminder of a pianist whose influence continues to shape jazz.