"Spain" is an instrumental jazz fusion composition by jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea. It is likely Corea's most recognized piece, and is considered a jazz standard.[1][2][3][4]
"Spain" was composed in 1971 and appeared in its original (and best-known) rendition on the album Light as a Feather,[5] with performances by Corea (Rhodes electric piano), Airto Moreira (drums), Flora Purim (vocals and percussion), Stanley Clarke (bass), and Joe Farrell (flute).[6] It has been recorded in several versions, by Corea himself as well as by other artists, including a flamenco version by Paco de Lucía, Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin in the 1980s, and a progressive bluegrass version by Béla Fleck in 1979. A version with lyrics by Al Jarreau, "Spain (I Can Recall)", appeared on the 1980 album This Time. More recently, Corea had performed his composition as a duo with Japanese pianist Hiromi Uehara. A version of "Spain" was performed by Stevie Wonder at his 2008 Concert in London. The introduction used in the song is from Concierto de Aranjuez, a guitar concerto by the Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo.
The Light as a Feather version of "Spain" received two Grammy nominations, for Best Instrumental Arrangement and for Best Instrumental Jazz Performance by a Group. In 2001, Corea was awarded the Best Instrumental Arrangement Grammy for "Spain for Sextet and Orchestra".
- ^ "Chick Corea". Blue Note. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ^ Nastos, Michael G., ""Return to Forever Light as a Feather (1973) album review | AllMusic"", allmusic.com, retrieved 2024-04-28,
Perhaps Corea's definitive song of all time, and covered ad infinitum by professional and school bands, "Spain" retains the quirky melody, handclapped interlude, up-and-down dynamics, exciting jam section, and variation in time, tempo, and colorations that always command interest despite a running time of near ten minutes.
- ^ Collar, Matt. "Chick Corea Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
[...] penning such beloved jazz standards as "Spain," [...] Light as a Feather. Another Top Ten jazz album, it earned Corea his first two Grammy nominations, including Best Instrumental Arrangement for "Spain," largely considered his best-known song.
- ^ Swenson, John, ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone jazz record guide. A Random House/Rolling Stone Press Book (1st ed.). New York: Random House. ISBN 978-0-394-72643-4.
Several modern jazz classics reside within, including "You're Everything", "500 Miles High" and "Spain."
- ^ Hoyt, Alex (2011-11-25). "How Chick Corea Wrote 'Spain'". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ Herzig, Monika (2017). "Return to Forever— The Acoustic Years". Experiencing Chick Corea: a listener's companion. The Listener's Companion. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4422-4469-6.