Today's choice includes a stimulating new big band version of a Chick Corea classic. Good news eh if so moved. Da doo Ron Ron, da doo Ron Ron - 'ell inspired back in the day. We pick out John Beasley and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band's treatment of Chick Corea's 'Return to Forever' that anticipates their new recording Returning to Forever on Candid which is out later this month. Return To Forever - the band - led by Corea and featuring bassist Stanley Clarke paved the way and provided along with Miles Davis, Weather Report and Mahavishnu Orchestra the greatest innovations in jazz-rock fusion itself in a chrysalis phase in the 1970s after the big bang epoch defining event of Bitches Brew that changed all our tomorrows and still comes over fresh and current given its immense futurism and hence relevance.
Corea's enduring appeal
Pianist, arranger and composer Beasley, 65, toured with Clarke and recorded with Corea. And before starting to work on this commission heard from the iconic pianist himself who offered him PDFs of his original handwritten charts. ''He was curious,'' says Beasley, ''to know how I would reimagine his songs so he asked me to share my demos of the arrangements with him. I was amazed by how open-minded and supportive he was.” But Corea died in 2021 before this could even have a chance of happening.
Check out this terrific Beasley and Frankfurt Big Band RTF homage streamed live in 2022 ahead of the official Candid label Returning to Forever release and log back into marlbank for a review in due course.
The upcoming album also includes versions of 'Captain Señor Mouse,' 'Space Circus,' Clarke's 'Vulcan Worlds,' 'No Mystery' and several more. There's certainly no mystery as to Corea's enduring appeal even just three years since he left us. Because 2024 has already also included a sparkling homage to the master on another tack entirely from the French Dal Sasso Big Band on Chick Corea's "Three Quartets" Revisited.
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