Chick Corea, the jazz great who played in Miles Davis' band before creating a name for himself by composing his own jazz standards and pioneering new sounds on the piano, died Tuesday at age 79. According to a post on his Facebook page, Corea died of a rare form of cancer that was only recently diagnosed.

"Throughout his life and career, Chick relished in the freedom and the fun to be had in creating something new, and in playing the games that artists do," the Facebook post reads. "He was a beloved husband, father and grandfather, and a great mentor and friend to so many. Through his body of work and the decades he spent touring the world, he touched and inspired the lives of millions."