A Conversation with Eric Gunnison, Piano
Written by Allison Young
In anticipation of our upcoming concert on October 21 celebrating the life and music of pianist Chick Corea, we sat down with our own piano legend Eric Gunnison to talk all things Chick, music, CJRO, and more.
What draws you to the compositions and playing of Chick Corea?
When I was starting to learn jazz piano, Chick was one of the main people on the scene. I always liked that he was great at acoustic piano as a jazz player, but also was leading the way with fusion music. I got to hear him with Miles Davis and Return to Forever, and his versatility and ability to play any style of music was so impressive. His music covered so many genres, and that was (is) the stuff to listen to.
What piece are you most looking forward to at the upcoming concert?
Honestly all of them - I’ve played all of them before and am excited to do them in a new way. I’m going to play ‘Crystal Silence' solo, which is such a beautiful tune. Chick has recorded it a couple times, once with the early Return to Forever and again as a duet with Gary Burton. It epitomizes his writing style at that time (early 70s), which is one of my favorite eras of his music.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
At the time I was learning this music, Chick was one of the biggest. People in the Miles Davis/John Coltrane orbit, like Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Keith Jarret, McCoy Tyner, Miles and his bands, and the Coltrane quartet were all hugely influential. There was also a good dose of big band, especially in high school (I was also playing drums then) – Count Basie, Buddy Rich, and Maynard Ferguson for sure.
How has Chick Corea had an influence on your playing?
Chick has influenced my voicings, hugely. His comping, the way he goes after the piano, and his touch, too. I really tried to emulate his touch, (and Bill Evans’ and Keith Jarrett’s), in addition to his approach on electric piano/Fender Rhodes. If you listen to Chick play Fender Rhodes, you’ll hear he influenced that for me hugely. I’ll be playing electric piano with sounds for the gig and definitely drawing from Chick’s playing. I also love how he plays minimoog, especially the way he solos on that.
What music are you listening to right now? (Can be any genre or artists, just any music you've been enjoying recently)
I’ve enjoyed a fair amount of classical piano lately, particularly pianist Maurizio Pollini playing Prokofiev and Stravinsky’s ‘Petrushka.’ I’ve also been in the trio zone lately too, listening to Chick Corea’s ‘Now He Sings, Now He Sobs.’ Bill Evans I always seem to get drawn back to, as well. There’s a fair amount of pop music in the mix too, one band I enjoy is called Cake - they have some clever tunes and funky grooves. I like to mix it up. Some big band as well, Mel Lewis and the Vanguard band. What I listen to usually has a lot to do with whatever gigs I might be doing at the time. I did a trio residency at Nocturne last month touching on a lot of different trios - McCoy, Chick, Herbie, Bill Evans, Mulgrew Miller - I was immersing myself in that music while we were playing it.
Playing in a small ensemble vs. a big band are very different - how are you approaching this concert differently than you would if playing Corea's music with a smaller group?
When I'm playing with a big band, my role is a little more specific: less involved with melody, moreso a spot here and there to really contribute. In a big band I concentrate on my complimentary role, really supporting soloists. Same in a small group, but you’re more involved with melody statements there, especially in a trio setting. You just kind of adjust and however you can to make the music work best. I’ll be doing a nice mix on this concert, that was [Artistic Director] Drew Zaremba’s intent with the whole thing - everything from quintet, solo, trio with Mike Marlier and Patrick McDevitt - it’s gonna be a blast!
What do you like most about playing with the CJRO?
All of the variety, just encountering all of the different types of music we’ve been playing through the years. I love the Ellington/Basie classic big band stuff, touching on more contemporary music like the Vince Mendoza pieces, and doing things like we did with Tatiana Mayfield this summer. I think I’ve been playing in the band for close to ten years, since around 2013. It’s nice to see the way it’s morphed, and I think it’s in the best spot it’s been since I’ve been a part of it. With the current personnel and the variety of things we do, it’s a pretty cool ensemble.
Do you have any upcoming gigs/releases/projects you're particularly excited for?
I have a trio CD with Eddie Gomez and Paul Romaine that’s out now called Amethyst. We’re going to do an album release concert at the Muse Performance Space in Lafayette on December 16. We recorded that last December at Mighty Fine Studios and did both a live concert and studio recording and put it together using tracks from both sessions. That’s a great connection to Chick Corea right there - Eddie recorded so many times with both Chick and Bill Evans, so it was a real connection to 2 of my favorite piano players.
Any final thoughts?
I’m just thrilled to be doing this, I’m so honored to be doing a tribute to Chick. I had lunch with him once in Japan because a friend of mine was in his band - we met in the lobby of his hotel to hang out and he said ‘Hey, you wanna meet Chick Corea’? It was great to just chat and hang with him in person, so I'm honored to be doing this. He’s one of my great piano heroes. So looking forward!
Eric Gunnison will be featured on our concert Saturday, October 21 at 7:30pm at the Arvada Center. Grab your tickets today and join us in celebrating the legendary Chick Corea!