[chadh]

I was looking for information on the forthcoming Return to Forever reunion tour this morning (it seems that tour dates are likely to be released sometime this month).  As I filtered through some web sites, I found a reference to a forthcoming tour from "The Chick Corea/John McLaughlin Group", which will featue Kenny Garrett on alto, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums and Christian McBride on bass.  Supposedly, this group would be touring around November of this year.

I almost had a heart attack when I read this.  Chick Corea is wonderful.  Christian McBride is awesome.  And John McLaughlin is possibly the only person I'd be more anxious to see live than Kenny Garrett.  This band would be a dream come true.

I just spent a while searching online for some confirmation of such a tour, but I didn't have much luck.  Has anybody else heard any suggestion that such a band might be formed and might tour?  Or is this likely just some cruel joke that has been played on me?

Chad

[raztec]

Not sure about this group, but you're right about wanting to see John McLaughlin live.
I saw him play together with Zakir Hussein in Shakti and it was mind blowing.

Listening to Shakti proves how incredibly versatile, creative and transcending of genres John McLuaghlin is.

Raz

[BobM]

The only time I saw McLaughlin was on their guitar trio tour with Al and Paco. Saw Chick a couple of times too. I'd love to see both again, along with the others. That could be an awesome show, thought it's bound to be "chops" music and shredding mostly.

Enjoy,
Bob

[Rick Craig]

I was looking for information on the forthcoming Return to Forever reunion tour this morning (it seems that tour dates are likely to be released sometime this month).  As I filtered through some web sites, I found a reference to a forthcoming tour from "The Chick Corea/John McLaughlin Group", which will featue Kenny Garrett on alto, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums and Christian McBride on bass.  Supposedly, this group would be touring around November of this year.

I almost had a heart attack when I read this.  Chick Corea is wonderful.  Christian McBride is awesome.  And John McLaughlin is possibly the only person I'd be more anxious to see live than Kenny Garrett.  This band would be a dream come true.

I just spent a while searching online for some confirmation of such a tour, but I didn't have much luck.  Has anybody else heard any suggestion that such a band might be formed and might tour?  Or is this likely just some cruel joke that has been played on me?

Chad

I haven't heard about that one but I did read about the RTF reunion. I had a chance to see their last reunion tour in Dallas (1983?) and it was incredible.

[chadh]

I've seen John McLaughlin four times.  The first was in about 1990, when he was touring in Australia with Trilok Gurtu and Dominic DiPiazza.  This may still be the greatest show I've ever heard. 

I caught McLaughlin with Paco and Al when The Guitar Trio reformed, and also with Joey DiFrancesco and Dennis Chambers in another mind-blowing show.  Then I caught him at some dive in Detroit with with a bunch of young, obscure musicians in a return to his fusion roots.  The show was average, the venue was disgusting, and my wife was under the weather.  I think we lasted about fifteen minutes in there before my wife insisted on leaving.

I've also caught Kenny Garrett about five times, and every time have left feeling truly privileged.  I honestly think he's the most powerful sax player since Coltrane.  He's that good.

I think I've heard Christian McBride just once live, at a little club in Ann Arbor.  He's a seriously impressive bass player, and the tribute to James Brown he included in the show just made a great experience even better.  He's funky and powerful and swings really hard.

Chick Corea is...well...Chick Corea.  I think I've only heard him live once.  He was about to release an album called "Time Warp", and was playing some of that music.  It was great.  But what would you expect?

Vinnie Colaiuta, I must admit, I only know by name.  But I was just looking over his discography.  This guy has played with everyone.  And I mean, EVERYONE.  Olivia Newton John, Rick Astley, Go West, Melissa Manchester, Celine Dion, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sting, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea etc.  His most recent effort was with Megadeth!

I really want to hear these guys.

Chad

[jimdgoulding]

This may be old news but if you love Chick Corea I invite you to listen to Three Quartets with Michael Brecker, Eddie Gomez, and Steve Gadd.  His best group, IMO.  The first four tracks on the re-released CD make up the album.  Damn!  There is some good and intense playing on this all being so well supported by Gomez and Gadd.  Propelled is a better word.  Of all the tracks to compress, however, the sound engineer chose the last one, a tour de force dedicated to Trane.  Brecker out does himself on this.  He oughtta be about two feet out in front of your speakers and a disservice is done to Gadd, too, pretty much all around.

[R_burke]

Vinnie Colaiuta, I must admit, I only know by name.  But I was just looking over his discography.  This guy has played with everyone.  And I mean, EVERYONE.  Olivia Newton John, Rick Astley, Go West, Melissa Manchester, Celine Dion, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sting, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea etc.  His most recent effort was with Megadeth!

I really want to hear these guys.

Chad

To give you an idea of what kind of "drum god" vinnie is, check out the 2007 Clapton Crossroads Concert video.  Vinnie plays with John McLaughlin early in the day and returns to play with Jeff Beck in the evening.

I too have seen John Mc in many of his incarnations and enjoyed all of the shows, and am looking forward to RTF and hoping that the Corea/McLaughlin tour is real.

Richard