NEWS FLASH: According to Jimmy Herring's official Facebook page, Herring will appear as a special guest with Return To Forever in Atlanta on Sept 8th.
Some of the stuff I've been digging lately...
Killer modern fusion album with a strong prog influence. Incredible playing from all involved, especially Garsed and bassist Ric Fierabracci. Look for a full review soon.
Corea, Clarke & White - Forever
Two disc set features Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke & Lenny White in an acoustic trio setting, plus Return To Forever studio rehearsals from 2009 with Bill Connors on guitar.
Loaded with insane chops and fun tunes. Hiland is one of the best country pickers around.
This one is several years old but I've had it on heavy rotation lately. Exceptional writing and production. Great guitar work from James Muller also.
Gannin Arnold - 5 World Class Drummers [DVD]
Features Arnold playing with drummers Taylor Hawkins, Jimmy Chamberlain, Simon Phillips, Terry Bozzio and Gary Novak to demonstrate their varying styles. The bonus disc includes interviews and extra footage.
Russ Davis from MoJa Radio and JazzTimes has written a great review of Return to Forever IV's performance at the Montreal Jazz Festival.
JazzTimes - Day One in Montreal: Return To Forever IV!
Syracuse.com has a review and pics of last night's Return to Forever IV performance at the M&T Jazz Fest.
Syracuse.com: Stars of Return to Forever IV close M&T Jazz Fest with shining set
Return To Forever IV will embark on a 32-city US tour this summer with special guest Zappa Plays Zappa. See below for the full list of 2011 RTF IV tour dates and venues, including dates for the band's European tour. RTF IV features Chick Corea on piano and keys, Lenny White on drums, Stanley Clarke on bass, Jean-Luc Ponty on violin, and Frank Gambale on guitar.
24 June NORTHAMPTON, MA Calvin Theater
25 June SYRACUSE, NY Syracuse Jazz Festival
26 June MONTREAL, QC Montreal Jazz Festival
27 June OTTAWA, ON Ottawa Jazz Festival
28 June TORONTO, ON Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival
1 July BERLIN, GERMANY Zitadelle
2 July HAMBURG, GERMANY Stadtpark
3 July NECKARSULM, GERMANY Audi Forum
4 July MUNICH, GERMANY Small Tollwood Arena
5 July KRAKOW, POLAND Hala Wisly
7 July VIENNE, FRANCE Vienne Jazz Festival
8 July ROTTERDAM, NL North Sea Jazz Festival
9 July PARIS, FRANCE Olympia
10 July GENT, BELGIUM Gent Jazz Festival
11 July DUISBURG, GERMANY Piano Festival Ruhr
12 July MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND Montreux Jazz Festival
14 July SETE, FRANCE Theatre de la Mer
15 July AOSTA, ITALY Bard Fortress
16 July PESCARA, ITALY Pescara Jazz Festival
17 July ROVINJ, CROATIA Park Forrest
20 July BASTIA, CORSICA, FRANCE Theatre de Verdure
22 July MADRID, SPAIN Puerta del Angel
23 July SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN Kursaal Auditorium
26 July MARSEILLE, FRANCE Marseille Jazz Festival
28 July SAN FELIU, SPAIN
29 July MARCIAC, FRANCE Marciac Jazz Festival
1 August TEL AVIV, ISRAEL Casesaria Amphitheatre
US Tour with Zappa Plays Zappa
7 August PITTSBURGH, PA Stage AE
8 August BUFFALO, NY UB Center for the Arts
9 August BALTIMORE, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
10 August PHILADELPHIA, PA Mann Center
11 August BOSTON, MA Bank of America Pavilion
12 August NEW YORK, NY The Beacon Theatre
13 August NEW YORK, NY The Beacon Theatre
16 August COLUMBUS, OH LC Pavilion
17 August CLEVELAND, OH State Theatre
18 August CINCINNATI, OH PNC Pavilion
19 August DETROIT, MI Meadowbrook
20 August CHICAGO, IL Horseshoe Casino
21 August INDIANAPOLIS, IN The Murat
22 August NASHVILLE, TN Schermerhorn Symphony Center
24 August MINNEAPOLIS, MN Orpheum Theatre
25 August ST. LOUIS, MO Fox Theatre
26 August KANSAS CITY, MO Midland Theatre
27 August DENVER, CO Paramount Theatre
28 August SALT LAKE CITY, UT Red Butte Garden
8 September ATLANTA, GA Fox Theatre
9 September ORLANDO, FL House of Blues
10 September BOCA RATON, FL Mizner Park Amphitheatre
11 September CLEARWATER, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
13 September AUSTIN, TX Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theatre
14 September GRAND PRAIRIE, TX Verizon Theatre
15 September HOUSTON, TX Verizon Wireless Theatre
17 September MESA, AZ Mesa Arts Center
19 September SAN DIEGO, CA Humphrey’s
20 September LOS ANGELES, CA Greek Theatre
21 September DAVIS, CA Mondavi Center
22 September SAN FRANCISCO, CA Warfield Theatre
23 September EUGENE, OR Hult Center
24 September SEATTLE, WA Paramount Theatre
2-10 October JAPAN
I Heart Guitar has a short but sweet interview up with Frank Gambale. Gambale discusses his new gear, and his new gig with Return To Forever IV.
I Heart Guitar: Interview - Frank Gambale
Yes... it's true. Bill Connors, one of my all-time favorite guitarists, will rejoin his former Return To Forever bandmates Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, and Lenny White for a show at the Hollywood Bowl on September 2nd. This will be the first show of a fall tour for Corea, Clarke, and White. From the All About Jazz article:
"It's official: pianist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White will be joined September 2nd by guest guitarist Bill Connors at the Hollywood Bowl kick-off gig of their fall tour. The band, now billed as Corea, Clarke & White, will also be joined by legendary violinist Jean-Luc Ponty and song stylist Chaka Khan.
Inspired by what his friend and fellow Miles Davis alumnus John McLaughlin was doing with Mahavishnu Orchestra, Corea originally brought Connors extraordinarily expressive electric guitar skills into the band in 1973 so that Return To Forever could musically “make your hair move." As, indeed, they did. A long-time fan favorite among early jazz-rock fusion fans, Connors will join his former band mates when they open their tour at the storied Highland Ave. arena in Los Angeles."
Purchase tickets to the Corea, Clarke, Corea, and Connors Hollywood Bowl show
RTF back in the day...
John Kelman from All About Jazz has a nice write-up on the new Return to Forever DVD Returns: Live at Montreux 2008.
All About Jazz Review: Return to Forever - Returns: Live at Montreux 2008 DVD
John Kelman has written a great review of the new Return To Forever live album Returns for All About Jazz.
