Of all of the bands to capitalize on the jazz-rock innovations fostered by trumpeter Miles Davis in the early ’70s, Return to Forever was the most successful commercially. Chick Corea’s tempest of electric keyboards collided with Al Di Meola’s molten guitar outbursts, held together by the relentless and clever rhythm section of bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White. Audiences snapped up millions of albums and turned out in droves as these four guys paraded the excesses of fusion that exemplified a period of stadium rock nearly as well as rock gods like Led Zeppelin did.
And, like Zeppelin, who disbanded in the late ’70s and recently performed live again, Return to Forever has regrouped and is taking it one step further by committing to a full-length tour, which comes through Denver on Tuesday. Those who are skeptical about their ability to summon former powers as a group should take a look at the series of new rehearsal videos posted on their website, . It takes just a few seconds before Di Meola is shredding away, Corea is flailing in response, and the quartet easily rediscovers that old jackhammer synergy.
Conveniently, there’s a just-released collection, “The Anthology” (Concord), that assembles most of the music released by the group between 1973 and 1976, and it delivers a precision wallop. The most effective material is the earliest: The “Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy” album actually features guitarist Bill Connors, who would leave the group soon after its release, but it’s not Di Meola’s fault that this one retains more freshness.
At the beginning of the group’s heavily amplified phase (it had existed earlier in a gentler form) there was a less polished excitement that came through in the studio and it had its own overpowering personality. The other albums represented here show off a satisfying amount of slick, muscular virtuosity, but they don’t deliver the same kind of shock. Overall, though, Corea’s rambunctious space synths and Di Meola’s million-notes-a-minute solos are fun artifacts of jazz history, and anyway, who couldn’t love the original “Hymn” cover art, with the band member’s heads embedded in the wings of a soaring dove? Does anything scream 1973, for better or worse, than that?
My guess is the old fans and those who were born years if not decades after Return to Forever broke up will stand slack-jawed at the scorching display that should take place at the Paramount Theatre on Tuesday. It’s to leader Corea’s credit that he’s willing to take the risk of reaching so far back to this kind of energy music after some frankly disappointing recordings in recent years, and who knows? The reemergence of Return to Forever might signal the rebirth of a long-neglected genre: stadium stoner jazz-rock.
Return to Forever, 8 p.m. Tuesday, Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place. The performance is sold out.
Set list.
The Telluride Jazz Celebration has been moved up to early June this year, and regardless of when it’s held, there’s nothing like it for believers. Last summer, I had the chance to hear some of the most established names in the business, like guitarists John Scofield and Bill Frisell, play in intimate venues and chat up legends like organist Lonnie Smith and trombonist Steve Turre. There’s something about the small mountain town atmosphere that brings out creativity and openness, and this year’s lineup might even be better than 2007.
From Friday through Sunday, pianists McCoy Tyner and Dr. John, saxophonists Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman and Maceo Parker, singers Bettye LaVette and Simone (the daughter of Nina Simone) and the Neville Brothers are scheduled. Find out more at . . . . This summer’s City Park Jazz series kicks off at 6 tonight with organ trio 3osity and continues next Sunday with the DKO Jazz Sextet . . . Saxman Nelson Rangell plays his usual Sunday gig at Jazz@Jacks tonight . . . The Wil Swindler Eleventet plays the music of Gil Evans at Dazzle tonight, and Dazzle hosts the Ron Miles Group June 12-13.
Bret Saunders’ column on jazz appears every other Sunday in A&E. Saunders is host of the “KBCO Morning Show,” 5:30-10 a.m. weekdays at 97.3-FM. His e-mail address is bret_saunders@hotmail.com.
