ST. PETERSBURG — Chick Corea lives in Tampa Bay, but you can count on one hand, I believe, the number of times he has played here. That alone would make Saturday night's Palladium concert special. But throw in special big band arrangements of his songs as part of the USF Jazz Masterworks series, the excellent Chuck Owen and Jazz Surge providing backing and Chick being honored as a Distinguished Jazz Master and it was a night to remember.
Chick took the stage after a textural and atmospheric chart by bandleader (and USF Distinguished Professor) Chuck Owen called "Tarwathi," which recalled Lyle Mays at his best. Chick was his usual and relaxed self, and he spoke briefly to the audience before announcing the first song would be "The One Step." He struggled to remember which disc it was originally on (someone down front, probably WUSF's Bob Seymour, reminded him it was Friends) and then realized he had come to the stage without his charts. "I haven't played this song in a long time," he quipped as he disappeared backstage.
