Uploaded June 2024 | Updated September 2026, 7 hours ago
Armando’s Rhumba Fantasía is a very heartfelt homage to one of my greatest heroes, Chick Corea.
When Chick Corea died last year (2021), I revisited his enormous discography and found so many gems that I’d previously missed. During that deep dive, I became inspired to work with some of his music, both to study it more deeply, and also to engage in a musical conversation that I hope he would have also enjoyed.
One song that definitely spoke to me was Armando’s Rhumba. I’d been familiar with the original version from his 1976 album, “My Spanish Heart” since I was a child, but I’d missed a lot of the other versions he’d recorded over the next 40+ years in all sorts of contexts; whether solo piano, in duo or with other ensemble types.
I found myself transcribing moments from at least 7 different versions - variations on the melody, individual phrases or longer sections of improvisation, bass lines, reharmonizations - whatever really stood out to me as something to reference while making an arrangement.
From all of this foraging came what’s essentially a mini-concerto (with improvisation) for trumpet, with lots of space for a pianist, and plenty of fun material for a large ensemble to sink their teeth into as well. While my personal touch is pretty evident throughout the arrangement, this is mostly a faithful collage of Chick’s brilliant improvisations.
Armando’s Rhumba is a theme that he clearly cared about a lot. It was an homage to his father, Armando, who happened to be a trumpet player and band leader in Boston. Being from Boston myself makes Chick not only a hero of mine, but a hometown hero as well. He was nearly the same age as my own Dad; they grew up in neighboring towns; both of southern Italian descent. Chick was even a trumpet/bugle soloist in a drum & bugle corps during his childhood — just like me!
Of course, while all of these similarities are a delightful coincidence, it’s Chick’s music and his incredible generosity as a person and an educator that captured my utmost respect and adoration.
Thus I’ve put a great deal of care into this piece, in loving tribute to one of the most influential Jazz musicians of all time.
/Adam Rapa
Armando’s Rhumba Fantasía is a very heartfelt homage to one of my greatest heroes, Chick Corea.
When Chick Corea died last year (2021), I revisited his enormous discography and found so many gems that I’d previously missed. During that deep dive, I became inspired to work with some of his music, both to study it more deeply, and also to engage in a musical conversation that I hope he would have also enjoyed.
One song that definitely spoke to me was Armando’s Rhumba. I’d been familiar with the original version from his 1976 album, “My Spanish Heart” since I was a child, but I’d missed a lot of the other versions he’d recorded over the next 40+ years in all sorts of contexts; whether solo piano, in duo or with other ensemble types.
I found myself transcribing moments from at least 7 different versions - variations on the melody, individual phrases or longer sections of improvisation, bass lines, reharmonizations - whatever really stood out to me as something to reference while making an arrangement.
From all of this foraging came what’s essentially a mini-concerto (with improvisation) for trumpet, with lots of space for a pianist, and plenty of fun material for a large ensemble to sink their teeth into as well. While my personal touch is pretty evident throughout the arrangement, this is mostly a faithful collage of Chick’s brilliant improvisations.
Armando’s Rhumba is a theme that he clearly cared about a lot. It was an homage to his father, Armando, who happened to be a trumpet player and band leader in Boston. Being from Boston myself makes Chick not only a hero of mine, but a hometown hero as well. He was nearly the same age as my own Dad; they grew up in neighboring towns; both of southern Italian descent. Chick was even a trumpet/bugle soloist in a drum & bugle corps during his childhood — just like me!
Of course, while all of these similarities are a delightful coincidence, it’s Chick’s music and his incredible generosity as a person and an educator that captured my utmost respect and adoration.
Thus I’ve put a great deal of care into this piece, in loving tribute to one of the most influential Jazz musicians of all time.
/Adam Rapa
