"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.
"Spain" was composed in 1971 and appeared in its original (and best-known) rendition on the album Light as a Feather, with performances by Corea (Rhodes electric piano), Airto Moreira (drums), Flora Purim (vocals and percussion), Stanley Clarke (bass), and Joe Farrell (flute). 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".
Contents
Composition
Corea opens the Light as a Feather version of "Spain" with the adagio from Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez.
Corea took inspiration from Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia for this piece.
After the intro, the song switches to a fast, steady samba-like rhythm, in which the main theme and an improvisation part are repeated.
The chord progression used during the improvisation part is based on harmonic progressions in Rodrigo's concerto. It runs as follows:
| Gmaj7 | F#7 | Em7 A7 | Dmaj7 (Gmaj7) | C#7 F#7 | Bm B7 |
Appearances
By Chick Corea
Light as a Feather (1972) – Chick Corea and Return to Forever
Akoustic Band (1989) – Chick Corea Akoustic Band
Play (1990) – Chick Corea and Bobby McFerrin
Return to the Seventh Galaxy: The Anthology (CD 1996) – Chick Corea, Bill Connors, Stanley Clarke, and Lenny White
Alexia In a Jazz Mood (1996) – Chick Corea and Alexia Vassiliou
Solo Piano: Originals (2000) – Chick Corea
Corea.Concerto (2001) – Chick Corea with Origin and the London Philharmonic Orchestra
Rendezvous in New York (CD 2003, DVD 2005) – Chick Corea Akoustic Band
Elektric Band: Live at Montreux 2004 (2004) – Chick Corea Elektric Band
Akoustic Band 1991 (DVD 2005) – Chick Corea Akoustic Band
Duet (2009) – Chick Corea and Hiromi Uehara
Trilogy (2013) – Chick Corea with Christian McBride and Brian Blade
Covers
Manhattan Wildlife Refuge (1974) – Bill Watrous
Live and Improvised (1976) – Blood Sweat & Tears
Something You Got (1977) – Art Farmer