ADDA Simfònica’s tribute album to Chick Corea, Rhythm. Chick Corea Symphony Tribute, earned a Latin Grammy nomination, a milestone for the conductor Josep Vicent and the ensemble he leads. It represents years of dedication by a group that has released about twenty records, a project that grew from a long-held dream into a polished, living document of their craft. The project was developed under the auspices of the Alicante Provincial Council, signaling strong regional support for an ambitious cultural endeavor.
Vicen appeared this week alongside the chairman of the Provincial Council, Toni Pérez, to share in the pride of the nomination. They framed the nomination as the culmination of tireless and invaluable work, praising a symphonic orchestra that brings prestige to its home region and helps place its locale firmly on the cultural map through music and performance.
The album, produced by the Latin Grammy Academy in the Rhythm category, features a thoughtful selection of Corea’s compositions performed by a dozen tracks arranged for orchestra and rendered with the ADDA Simfònica in collaboration with conductor Vicent. Recorded July 2021, the project features soloists such as Paquito d’Rivera, Antonio Lizana, and David Pastor, with Emilio Sollap directing the orchestral parts. The same concert format was revived this past summer as part of the Fijazz 2023 closing events, extending the reach of Corea’s music into the present performance season.
Chick Corea’s music has a long history with the ensemble. For more than two decades, Vicent has guided the project, inspired by the moment his mother gave him a Corea album early in his career, a gift that seeded a lifelong fascination with Corea’s work and a belief that a symphonic treatment could illuminate it in new ways. The director noted that the team and their collaborators were given a window to record with the ADDA Simfònica, marking a second Warner Classics release for the orchestra. He called the moment deeply meaningful, describing it as a state of grace that resonates five years later. Among those singled out for their contribution were the orchestra’s violist Lexter Mejias and concertmaster Anna Sibila, whose performances shaped the recording’s emotional arc.
With the album now available across streaming platforms, the ensemble fills a void left by Corea’s passing in 2021, underscoring a belief that music should cross borders and languages. The project stands as a testament to eclecticism, a fusion of styles performed with the texture and discipline of a symphony orchestra and the improvisational spirit of a jazz ensemble. Vicent, who also serves as artistic director at ADDA, frames the project as a living example of how a resident orchestra can sustain and evolve cultural life year after year. A documentary video about the recording process features Paquito d’Rivera praising ADDA Simfònica as a “symphony orchestra with a jazz quintet mentality,” a description that captures the ensemble’s unique blend of meticulous craft and fearless exploration.
When asked about the album’s potential among other instrumental contenders, Vicent spoke of its singularity and the achievement it represents. He acknowledged the difficulty of the path but celebrated the dream that became a reality, hoping for another small dream to come true. He attributed the album’s strength to the players and their collaborators, highlighting the quality of the arrangements and performances as the core guarantee of its impact. The remark also nods to the recent Grammy recognition of arranger Solla and the extended success of Paquito d’Rivera, whose ongoing accolades further amplify the project’s prestige.
The director also stressed the strategic importance of maintaining a resident orchestra at ADDA, describing it as a crucial investment in the future. Culture, he argued, cannot simply be bought; it must be nurtured and created locally. Keeping a home-grown ensemble fosters cross-pollination across generations and reinforces the idea that a career in culture can be a viable professional path. The perspective reflects a broader commitment to regional talent development and to ensuring that Alicante remains a vibrant hub for high-caliber artistic work.
Despite the triumphant tone surrounding the nomination and the ongoing advocacy for the ensemble, Vicent avoided speculating about future concert repeats until official confirmations materialize. The year 2023 marked a notable point in this ongoing collaboration between ADDA’s leadership, the ensemble, and the broader cultural ecosystem of the province and beyond. The Alicante Provincial Council recently allocated 7,170,000 euros to the ADDA Foundation, a figure that supports the orchestra’s programming, operations, and the maintenance of the auditorium, underscoring the region’s commitment to sustaining this cultural resource for audiences locally and in neighboring markets.