Michelle ggurl Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Hi folks I haven't been here in a while, but I'm glad to see you crazy kids haven't burned the place down. I thought the jazz-fusion aficionados here would be interested in this news: http://tvccs.blogspot.com/ [edit: scroll down a bit to see the relevant story] Anyway, it's nice to be back to say hello! I hope life and music are bringing you joy ... Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Force Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Good news indeed! Love to see them live again (first time was near DC at Wolf Trap.) Steve Force, Durham, North Carolina -------- My Professional Websites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 "Romantic Warrior" was the album that helped me transition from progressive rock to jazz. I'm in. I wonder if Al will get paid by the note? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorSilver Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 John McLaughlin mentions being in contact with Chick about working with him in the near future as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Discovering the music of RTF in the early 80s, I would love to hear/see a reunion consisting of Corea, White, Clarke and DiMeola. Yeah Mark, I'm hoping Al is more economic in his note selection these days. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorSilver Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 If Al plays like he did on his World Symphonia albums (one of which is a wonderful tribute to Astor Piazolla - surprisingly tasteful given all I've heard of him being a mechanical speedster) and even the Kiss My Axe electric album (where he sounds a bit like Pat Metheny), he should be fine with the 2008 RTF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 John McLaughlin mentions being in contact with Chick about working with him in the near future as well. Maybe John should lob a call to Jan Hammer and Billy Cobham about a Mahavishu reunion? Or Jan ought to call Jeff Beck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorSilver Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Naw, John is really happy with his current group, 4th Dimension. Gary Husband on keys/drums brings a different dynamic than Jan and the rhythm section is really talented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Naw, John is really happy with his current group, 4th Dimension. Doesn't John realize that '70s group reunions have been wildly lucrative this year?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorSilver Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorSilver Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Naw, John is really happy with his current group, 4th Dimension. Doesn't John realize that '70s group reunions have been wildly lucrative this year?!? Only in rock music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYKeys Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Thanks for the information. This should be good. MY Toys - Kurzweil PC1X, Roland A-90, Yamaha KX88, Yamaha CS1x, Novation 49SL MkII, Presonus Studiolive 16.4.2, JBL PRX615M My Music Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Over the years, I have grown more and more to appreciate Bill Connors, and also found a couple of albums he did as bandleader after his RTF days. I think his work had more soul than DiMeola's. I saw RTF several times during their best-known incarnation. They were moving more and more in an acoustic direction over time, and of course ultimately Corea went off and did his Leprachaun album on his own, and then kind of settled into two parallel tracks (sort of like what Herbie Hancock did). Come to think of it, I haven't heard much from Stanlet Clarke these past few years. Has he been busy doing soundtrack work? Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted October 3, 2007 Author Share Posted October 3, 2007 Hi Mark, interesting comment about the guitarists, as I feel the same way about Bill Connors. I have a recent solo CD he did and really enjoy it. I'd say my personal RTF faves are RTF's self- titled album, "Light as a Feather" and "Hymn of the 7th Galaxy" (I think that's the name of it?). Also "Where Have I Known you Before?" I have a feeling there are more RTF albums out than I'm aware of. When I was in New York last November I caught Chick's Electric Band at Blue Note ... I even had a chance to compliment Chick and thank him for an incredible evening of music! I saw that set after attending a taping of Dave Letterman's Late Show. Paul and his band are good, but even my husband, a non-musician, said after seeing Chick and co, "man, this is a way better group of musicians, huh?" I wouldn't slight the Late Show band because I think they are fantastic musicians, but just goes to show the level of musicianship with Chick's ensembles is intense ... yet even my husband the non-musician dug it. Perhaps that ability to be musically intense yet appreciable by a wide range of listeners is somewhat rare. Regarding Stanley Clarke, the last release I am aware of is something he did around 2004 I believe. As good a bassist as he was with RTF, I think this latest CD really showed additional growth and depth in his playing. Which isn't surprising, as all of us who play jazz hope to find with our playing and artistic expression, I think! Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 I have a 2-CD RTF compilation from a few years back that included a lot of outtakes that I found very inspiring, but haven't played it for awhile so don't remember the personnel on the additional tracks. RTF was really a "concept" at first, and only became a band probably out of the necessity to have a stable lineup for touring. Case in point: the first RTF album is a Chick Corea "solo" album whose title happens to be "Return to Forever". That lineup, dominated by Flora Purim and Airto Moreira, also made several albums under each band member's leadership. Stanley Clarke had a contmporaneous album called "Children of Forever", for example. And of course the Stan Getz album that got released several years after it was recorded, and which revealed the origins of the RTF concept as having been in one of Getz' final band incarnations before he disappeared for a few years during heroin rehabilitation. It's an uneven album on CBS/Sony, but I like comparing those versions of "500 Miles High" etc. with the later versions from Chick's RTF album and the Bill Connors RTF album. I picked up a Stanley Clarke solo CD from a few years ago, but it might be longer ago than I remember. Since 1995 I have increasingly spent my time making music vs. listening to music, and am rarely even aware anymore when a new CD comes out (I just learned Joni Mitchell has a new one out, with possible some of the RTF folk on it? -- and am hoping I don't forget about it as I only buy CD's about once or twice a year these days). Anyway, that particular CD showed a lot of growth in Stanley's playing, which sometimes doesn't seem possible at his level of playing :-). But his musicianship continues to grow. I'd be interested in that "recent" Bill Connors solo CD, as I thought he was dead (I seem to suffer this delusion a lot :-)), and also thought nothing had come from him for many many years. I think he was Boston-based like Chick, and a Berklee alumnus. Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 I really have to dust off those early RTF albums; they're really something. I especially enjoy "Light as a Feather" and "Where Have I Known you Before" - and the first one, of course. "Hymn" is nice too, but a bit too showy in places. I would *really* enjoy a reunion of the original lineup. I remember that in those innovative times, my ear was especially focussed on Lenny White - a "fusion" drummer in the best sense, fusing different styles in a coherent new whole. John McLaughlin mentions being in contact with Chick about working with him in the near future as well. I'm aware of just one McLaughlin/Corea collaboration (other than the Miles albums, of course): A tune called "Do you hear the voices that you left behind?", on McLaughlin's album "Electric Guitarist". It's a kind of "Giant Steps" paraphrases, but with the lenght of each chord doubled; Chick is on Rhodes. Welcome back, Michelle! I hope you've been busy making music during this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted October 3, 2007 Author Share Posted October 3, 2007 Hi Mark, good point about the first RTF and parallel releases. That would be interesting, to hear the differences in versions of 500 Miles High. I really like that song. I'm like you; I rarely have a clue what's going on with music releases anymore ... it's almost embarrassing, really. I haven't tuned into commercial radio in about 2 years, and I mostly practice and compose and turn to certain select artists for inspiration! The tunnel-vision of schooling oneself. I know about new releases mostly when some other musician introduces me to something. Hi Marino! I'm glad to see you here. As always, you present astute observations. I know what you mean about Hymn being showy ... I guess it's because I used to play Senor Mouse and really like that tune that predisposes me to like that album, plus I really like Bill Connors's playing. As for me, I have been trying to stay musical and have been playing somewhat, but I always want to do more. I haven't been here because my Internet connection got unreliable and then I got out of the habit of visiting forums. Been getting deeper into Latin and Brazilian playing styles and arranging. I hope you are doing well! Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted October 3, 2007 Share Posted October 3, 2007 Well, since you're local, if you never need any help in recording your Latin and Brasilian ensembles, let me know :-). I was in a Brasilian and Latin jazz ensemble when I first moved here (1991 to 1992) but it fell apart due to the difficulty in getting enough percussionists to dependably show up at each rehearsal for the resultant rhythm to happen :-). As you know, one missing percussion part can make the entire clave fall apart. The original RTF albums have long been in my top twenty fabourite non-classical albums of all time, and nothing has changed that over the years. There is something magical about the playing and the compositions, and whenever I am brushing off my jazz playing chops (such as recently), the very first compositions I start working on again are the ones from that album (plus Brubeck). Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorSilver Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 John McLaughlin mentions being in contact with Chick about working with him in the near future as well. I'm aware of just one McLaughlin/Corea collaboration (other than the Miles albums, of course): They've collaborated more than I was aware of as well. Google turned up these titles: Chick Corea & John McLaughlin - The Montreux Concerts disc 7 (July 15, 1981) Vitous/Garbarek/McLaughlin/Corea/DeJohnette - Universal Syncopations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I had forgotten about that excellent Montreux concert disc, which is actually in my collection (not that I very often listen to anything in my collection these days :-)). So just to be clear, is the McLaughlin reference with regards to future work with Chick Corea, or in the context of standing in as guitarist for the RTF reunion? Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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