1. Origin

Born in the United States, he received his initial musical training from his father, who was a professional musician. From an early age, he was interested in jazz and improvisation.

2. Affiliations

Corea moved between groups in accordance with the evolution of his musical aspirations.

• First, he joined Latin-oriented bands led by Mongo Santamaría and Willie Bobo (1962–1963). This marked Corea's first professional musical engagement.
• Subsequently, he joined Miles Davis's group (1968). Through this group, he became acquainted with jazz-rock, which heavily utilized electronic sounds, and it became a precursor to the "fusion" of the 1970s. Notably, he left this group in 1970 and began to pursue jazz that did not rely on electronic sounds.
• He then formed a trio with Dave Holland and Barry Altschul. This trio later evolved into "Circle" with the addition of reed player Anthony Braxton.
• However, shortly thereafter, in late 1971, he joined the group Return to Forever. The period during which he was a member of this group saw his most prolific creative output.
• In the late 1970s, when many musicians were transitioning from jazz to rock, he pursued music that incorporated small orchestral ensembles and did not rely on electronic sounds. Recordings of these compositions, which also incorporated elements of Western art music, still exist.

3. Style and Techniques

He maintained his interest in Latin American music, which he had shown since childhood, throughout his life. As mentioned in the "Affiliations" section above, Corea was involved in the avant-garde movements of jazz. However, at the same time, his solo album recorded just before the dissolution of "Circle" (1971) suggests that he also sought lyricism in his own music.