Return to Forever IV Tour Begins!

Return to Forever IV’s World Tour is officially under way! And this is the way to start: the first show in Northampton, MA was a triumph, with audiences on their feet after every song (often after a solo). One day later, in Syracuse, June 26 was officially declared Return to Forever day. Check out Lenny below with the proclamation, presented …

Inside the Recording of Chick’s Concerto The Continents

Chick’s in a Manhattan recording studio this week laying down The Continents: Concerto for Small Jazz Group and Chamber Orchestra. Outside, New York is pushing towards 100 degrees, and inside the music hall, doubling a recording studio, the room is full of concentration—three dozen musical minds working in unison. Conductor Steven Mercurio sits at the head of the orchestra, surrounded …

Chick Joins Burghausen, Germany’s Street of Fame

Chick received a rare honor March 22, as the city of Burghausen, Germany unveiled a permanent plaque on its “Street of Fame,” honoring Chick’s contribution to the history of jazz. With a ceremony in his honor, the city announced its “deep bow to a legend.” Chick performed with Gary Burton the next day at the Burghausen Jazz Festival.

In Rehearsal: Chick, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

Chick joined Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra last night, for the first of three really fantastic shows. The big band took on some of Chick’s well-known tunes—like “Armando’s Rhumba” and “Windows”—plus some lesser-heard ones, like “Tones for Joan’s Bones” and “Children’s Song No. 10.” Here they are in rehearsal:

Chick Honors Herbie Hancock at BET Ceremony

Left: Chick and Herbie Hancock at the BET Honors ceremony for Herbie. Look for the special to air on BET Feb. 21. (All photos by PictureGroup, courtesy of BET Networks.)

In Rehearsal: Corea + McBride + Blade

Here are the first photos of the Corea + McBride + Blade trio, taken at rehearsal on Sept. 23, before their first show in Chapel Hill, NC. See the trio’s full tour schedule here.

At the Veszprem Fest

[Chick writes from Veszprem, Hungary, where he and Kenny Garrett went to see the students of Dohna’nyi at the Conservatory of Music.] What a pleasant day at the music conservatory in Veszprem. The young musicians that performed for Kenny and myself were all very accomplished. And the folklore music that they played – some by Bartok – was amazing and …

From Marseille to Nice

South of France Hot sun during the day Nice and cool at night Swimming in the Mediterranean was a blast And the bus is not so bad – –

For Painting

I took these shots so I could have some nice landscapes to practice making watercolors. This was our drive from Munich airport to Unterach, Austria. These are all taken with the iPhone. The filtered ones are done with the Toy Camera app.

The Piano Player’s Wanderings in Nimes

This is the Coliseum that I played with Roy Haynes, Gary Peacock and Joe Henderson in the early ’80s – – it’s the most intact Roman Coliseum of all of them. Rome was quite an empire – – they developed so much technology.

So Nice in Nice

[Chick writes from Nice, where John McLaughlin sat in with the Freedom Band.] It was a blast playing with John again – – it was like the Four Peace Freedom Band with Roy Haynes on drums! We jammed on “Someday My Price Will Come” and “Matrix” – – and then did some Rap Jamming for an encore – – that …