May Last Call Artist spotlight: Return to Forever In May Last Call host Chris Cooke will feature musical selections from the second edition of Chick Corea’s supergroup Return to Forever. Return to Forever’s classic lineup of keyboardist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke, guitarist Al Di Meola and drummer Lenny White will play the Holland Performing Arts Center’s Kiewit Concert Hall Wednesday, June 18, at 7:30 PM taking full advantage of the hall’s acoustics. Corea appeared at the Holland Center in March 2006 and is anxious to return. "I thoroughly enjoyed performing in this hall; the room is an exceptional one for all kinds of music, but especially so for our flavor of jazz," Corea said. Corea is one of the major pioneers of fusion. “No musician has used the fusion concept with more variety, intelligence and unimpeachable taste than Chick Corea,” wrote Len Lyons, a longtime jazz author and critic, in his book “The 101 Best Jazz Albums.” Corea worked with the Miles Davis Ensemble during the sessions that produced the legendary recordings In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew, in addition to birthing several successful fusion bands including Corea’s Return to Forever. The second version of Return to Forever, fueled by Chick Corea’s intention to explore a harder-edged rock-jazz fusion, converged in 1974. The arrival of hard-rocking guitarist Al Di Meola, in addition to funk-fueled drummer Lenny White with original RTF members bassist Stanley Clarke and founder Chick Corea completed the lineup. The golden RTF quartet recorded three popular crossover albums: 1974’s Where Have I Known You Before (Di Meola’s debut), 1975’s Grammy-winning No Mystery and 1976’s studio finale, Romantic Warrior, which became the best selling of all RTF recordings. It was RIP for RTF in 1977, but the group was resurrected once for a quartet concert in 1983, and is now fully returning in this year’s exciting reunion. Music from the second Return to Forever group will be featured on the Last Call in May. Return to Forever will perform at the Holland Performing Arts Center’s Kiewit Concert Hall Wednesday, June 18, at 7:30 PM. For ticket information on you visit http://www.omahaperformingarts.org/

Remembering Jimmy Giuffre
For a look back at the career of Jimmy Giuffre, visit this excellent page available through NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90004452 The retrospective features the reedman, bandleader and educator looking back at his career, in his own words.