Puerto Rico is honoring Chick Corea at its annual jazz festival, which runs through Sunday.

The 13th edition of the Puerto Rico Jazzfest, which began Thursday in San Juan, is a tribute to the 61-year-old pianist-composer for his contributions to jazz and his connections to Latin culture, organizers said.

"Chick's blood is warmed by the Latin rhythms," festival producer Luis Alvarez said this week during a news conference with the artists.

Corea differed. "It's difficult to explain music by blood. It's more easy to explain music by spirit. It could be anything coming from anybody at any time."

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Other performers include saxophonist-clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera, trombonist William Cepeda, vibraphonist Gary Burton and pianist Makoto Ozone.

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