Jazz pianist and composer Armando “Chick” Corea died this week at the age of 79 from a rare form of cancer, according to a post on his official Facebook page. The grandson of Italian immigrants, Corea had a lengthy career, taking home 23 Grammys. He played in Miles Davis’ band and went on to form multiple groups of his own, including the celebrated Return to Forever.

Corea was known for his love of collaborating with other musicians. In the Facebook post announcing his death, Corea left a message to his “amazing musician friends who have been like family to me as long as I’ve known you.” He wrote: “It has been a blessing and an honor learning from and playing with all of you. My mission has always been to bring the joy of creating anywhere I could, and to have done so with all the artists that I admire so dearly—this has been the richness of my life.”