If you feel like Returning to Forever with two-time Grammy winner John Beasley, better hang on tight and brace yourself for a breathless journey. Thanks to the adventurous pianist’s otherworldly improvisations, a fast-bustling rhythm section and those dazzlingly arranged, mighty brassy headwinds courtesy of the Frankfurt Radio Big Band, it’s a good bet you’ve never heard anyone capture the classic fire of the recently departed Chick Corea this powerfully, emphatically, and, it must be acknowledged, lovingly. Two very important elements raise this seven-track, hourlong through a batch of RTF classics beyond the realm of simply magical homages to jazz legends.
The first is Beasley’s amazing affinity for and work with large ensembles over the past seven years, which includes his Grammy winning albums with the 15-piece MONK’estra. Next, and perhaps even more importantly, is the pianist’s personal connection to Corea, with whom he recorded in the 90s, and RTF bassist Stanley Clarke, who he has toured with. Influenced by RTF’s music growing up in the 70s, Beasley received more than simply Corea’s blessing before embarking on this great commission.
Corea also gave him PDF’s of his original handwritten charts. While he asked Beasley to share his demos of the arrangements with him, by the time the first four were completed, the legendary RTF founder had passed away. As for Clarke: “I’ve heard other musicians and bands approach this material and really they were not as successful as you are here!”
Many generations of jazz fans have grown up since RTF’s heyday, and Beasley provides everyone who ever heard a note of the original a contemporary roadmap through this storied discography, with all the invention and excitement of the original plus more. Beasley enjoys most of his time here in barn burning, I’ve returned to the 70s and am taking no prisoners mode – from the ivory pounding, incendiary blast off with “Captain Senor Mouse” (from RTF’s 1973 opus Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy) – which finds Beasley acoustically re-imagining Corea’s flying electric piano fingers – through the sweetly soaring, mood-swinging, highs and lows filled romp “Return to Forever.”
Beasley isn’t always in rapid-fire mode, however. He starts the eventually boisterous, triumphant “Space Circus” with a sensual, gently lyrical intro featuring a whimsical clarinet, and begins the sublime funk-samba jam “You’re Everything” in ballad mode, creating ambience around soulful flute and trumpet solos. The set’s other gems include the electrifying, ever rising and soaring Clarke composition “Vulcan Worlds,” which features a crackling electric guitar solo and wild sax improvisation amidst brass transcriptions of Corea keyboard solos; and the quirky and percussive, whimsy-filled “Medieval Overture.”
Truly it can be said of Beasley’s excursion that the fun and sense of invention never stop. As great as this collection is, the better news is that the RTF catalog is deep enough for the pianist to go a few more rounds.
Hey Jonathan, what a nice surprise. I follow your column in Music Connection but didn't know about your blog, which I will now follow.
Appreciate your detailed review of my arrangements and the virtuosity of the HR Big Band. This was pure fun and joy despite having Covid cancel one of our concerts just before going on. -John Beasley