Last week I had the pleasure to attend the first Return To Forever performance in 25 years! If you don't know, RTF is the band that defined jazz fusion in the seventies (along with Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Herbie Hancock etc ...), comprised of Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Al DiMeola and Lenny White. They played the Paramount Theater which only seats 800 and is acoustically excellent.

Over the years I've seen some monster drummers, but Lenny White is just unbelievable. You just have to see the guy! The show ran about 3:15 and included an intermission. There was no new material (plenty of improv) as this is a faithful recreation of their past glory. The second set is mostly acoustic and they close out with a couple more on electrics. DiMeola used his black LP and a PRS into a Fuchs rig. Clarke's acoustic bass produced some of the sweetest most natural tone I've ever heard in this world from nature, beast or man. Corea's mainstay was the Rhodes with analog synth on top, two Yamaha Motifs on his left, and grand piano and another synth to his right.

There was no video in sight, but hopefully some will come out of this tour. It ain't cheap but if these guys come to your town and you can possibly afford it, run don't walk and get yourself there! This is one of those performances you will carry all your life!