Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke & Lenny White - three quarters of the legendary jazz fusion pioneers Return to Forever - have set out on the road again following their much-acclaimed Reunion Tour with bandmate Al Di Meola. This time out the trio have left the amplification and Al elsewhere and took the stage to a cozy acoustic setup ready and waiting for the talented threesome. The result was a back to basics approach that led to a night of pleasing and jamming lounge music leaving the heavier rock sound of RTF out of their repertoire for the evening. This paired down approach allowed for the expertise of the individual players to be uniquely showcased throughout the two-hour performance.

Chick Corea is a composer, drummer and pianist who was instrumental in the jazz fusion movement of the late 60's and early 70's. Chick played with Miles Davis and later formed Return To Forever - a renowned band at the forefront of the fusion period. After Return To Forever Corea led and collaborated with many other musicians.

Stanley Clarke is a composer and bass player who was part of the Return To Forever line up. Stanley's solo work includes scores for films and television. Lenny White is a funk and jazz drummer who was self taught. Lenny has played in bands including Return To Forever and with jazz greats Woody Shaw, Miles Davis and Stan Getz.

Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White (CCW) performed at the BergenPAC in Englewood, New Jersey on September 29, 2009. The stage was arranged for an evening of acoustic jazz interplay. Corea was seated at a black grand piano, Stanley played stand up bass all night and Lenny was commanding at his drum kit. The set up was simple but the music substantial. Even the backdrop behind the band remained dark keeping the focus on the fusion of musicality happening onstage.

Corea, Clarke and White were warmly greeted by the appreciative and attentive audience. Chick started with a passionate passage on the piano before Stanley and Lenny picked up the pace with funky, feisty rhythms. The piece progressed through a number of tempo changes and ended with the piano sounding like pattering rain melding with White's cunning cymbals.

The second composition began with Corea's cascading keyboard work as the tune meandered through complex musical structures. Clarke utilized many techniques in this instrumental and all the others throughout the night. He plucked, slapped and - on occasion - used the bow for a blend of beats and leads. Stanley's solos ran the spectrum from simmering to soulful.

A deep rhythmic rumble from Clarke's bass started song three as Lenny's peppy percussion mixed with a snappy snare drum to propel the piece. White added much drama and dynamic to the trio's intricate interplays.

Chick was concise and colorful throughout both sets. He said little allowing the musicianship to do the talking. At one point, Corea stood and toasted the audience with his bottle of water. Returning to the piano, he fixed his hair and clothes, which got a chuckle from the crowd. "Ready?" he asked as they performed another succulent song. Clarke went from precise plunks to almost drumming the bass making it sound like a bongo with his hand dramatically swooping down on the strings making for a strong close to the first set.

After a short break, the trio returned to play a no nonsense note filled second set with sequences that varied in spectrums and speeds. The transitions were seamless even with the crowd clapping in between. The music ranged from sassy to subtle often in the same piece.

The set closed with a composition that was similar to controlled chaos but soon calmed for expansive exchanges. White's daunting drumming was at the forefront and as they finished Chick exclaimed "great crowd."

The encore integrated intricate interactions with a mix of paces and progressions. Chick coerced the crowd to sing and clap along as the trio closed their concert on an animated note. The intimate BergenPAC was an ideal venue for Corea, Clarke and White and this theater continues to serve the community with a wide range of musical styles including jazz fusion pioneers CCW.

Related Links: For more information on the COREA, CLARKE & WHITE and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- ChickCorea.com | StanleyClarke.com | LennyWhite.com | return2forever.com | BergenPAC.org

Originally Published on October 01, 2009)