Return to Forever was on fire at the Blue Note in New York City the last two nights — in a configuration never heard before, unplugged:
Chick (piano)
Frank Gambale (acoustic guitar)
Stanley Clarke (acoustic bass)
Lenny White (drums)
And this is just the beginning — Chick’s at the Blue Note all month, with 10 all-star bands. Check out the Blue Note band lineups.
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The New York Times ran a spotlight on Chick and his Birthday Bash at the Blue Note this month — including two nights with Return to Forever, Unplugged — this ran on the cover of the Arts section yesterday!
“His career is among the most kaleidoscopic in jazz.” — NYT
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Welcome to the 10th Aniversary of Made In Corea. I’m always so honored by the care and depth which Jarle, Ola, Fredrik and Erik arrange and present my compositions. I don’t know of another composer who is so honored as I am.
These four wonderful musicians have performed aspects of my compositions that I never thought other musicians would try. That’s very adventurous – and it is inspiring for me to realize that my compositions can be played so beautifully by musicians other than myself and my own bands. So by
this, you have of course encouraged me to compose more and more. Thank you for that encouragement.
This is the 10th year of Made In Corea’s life and I send my congratulations, love and admiration to the founding quartet and to all the other musicians participating in this wonderful Festival.
I will look forward to hearing the recordings you make of these concerts.
Good luck and cheers.
And:
Keep the Music Fires burning bright – -
Chick – October, 2011
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Return to Forever IV’s World Tour is officially under way!
And this is the way to start: the first show in Northampton, MA was a triumph, with audiences on their feet after every song (often after a solo). One day later, in Syracuse, June 26 was officially declared Return to Forever day.
Check out Lenny below with the proclamation, presented to the band by festival founder Frank Malfitano after a standing-ovation encore of Stanley’s “School Days.”
Find tickets to a show near you on Return2Forever.com!
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Chick’s in a Manhattan recording studio this week laying down The Continents: Concerto for Small Jazz Group and Chamber Orchestra.
Outside, New York is pushing towards 100 degrees, and inside the music hall, doubling a recording studio, the room is full of concentration—three dozen musical minds working in unison.
Conductor Steven Mercurio sits at the head of the orchestra, surrounded by 30 of New York’s top tier of classical musicians.
The jazz contingent—Marcus Gilmore on drums, Hans Glawischnig on bass, Tim Garland on sax and multiple winds—arrange themselves in a jungle of microphones, facing the orchestra. The crew built a makeshift sound cave around Marcus to capture the crisp swing of his drums.
Chick, as you might imagine, is right in the middle: leading the entire ensemble through every note. His solo piano evolves from delicate and lyrical to intense, sometimes in a single run. Then he casts a glance at the orchestra, gives a quick nod, and the full band surges to life.
Even for you longtime Chick fans: this concerto like nothing you’ve ever heard in your life.
It’s one of his most ambitious feats as a composer—which is saying something, when you’re talking about 50 solid years of acclaimed composition and genre-busting.
The big question is where jazz and classical could possibly meet—and each of the concerto’s six movements, “Africa,” “Europe,” “Australia,” “America,” “Asia” and “Antarctica,” offers a unique answer. This is serious, big-hearted and purely thrilling music.
A release date is still being finalized, so check back soon—you’ll hear it here first. You’re going to want to mark your calendars for this one.
All photos by John Rogers.
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