News

Los Angeles Times
By Don Heckman

CHICK COREA is smiling. In fact, he's beaming. Seated behind his Minimoog and his Fender Rhodes keyboards, arms and hands in motion, kicking out one brisk rhythmic phrase after another, making constant eye contact with the musicians around him -- guitarist Al Di Meola, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White -- he's obviously feeling great.

Wait a minute: Corea, Di Meola, Clarke and White? That's the classic lineup of Return to Forever, one of the groups that defined the jazz-rock fusion of the '70s. They haven't played together in 25 years, swore they'd never have a reunion.

Right. But never say never. (Look at the Eagles). Return to Forever is, well, returning. And last week, the rehearsals were already underway for the RTF reunion tour that undoubtedly will be the big jazz news of the summer.

Corea, 66, nods happily, shouts, "Great, great!" then turns back to his instruments, roving blithely across the electric keyboards, emphasizing the crisp clank of the Rhodes, tossing in wisps of slippery sound from his Minimoog. Di Meola adds shimmering electric guitar fills, while Clarke and White dig into the groove, driving the beat forward with muscular percussive textures.

A briskly articulated melodic figure from Clarke immediately attracts Corea's attention. He nods his head -- "Yeah!" -- and Clarke picks up the solo thread, responding with his characteristically fluid, mobile, acoustic bass lines.

The loose and swinging mood continues, triggering a palpable sense of joy in the room -- the eye contact and spontaneous smiles exchanged by the players visible indications of the music's rich improvisational symbiosis.

It's the real deal: Return to Forever, back again -- bringing a 21st century perspective to the visceral blend of rock energy with the improvisation and compositional structures of jazz that made the quartet a phenomenon of the '70s, competing with outfits such as Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Weather Report and the Mahavishnu Orchestra for the favor of both jazz and prog-rock audiences.

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