Via his genre-defining stint in Return To Forever, his long-admired contributions to Miles Davis's legendary Bitches Brew album, and sessions with everyone from Gil Evans to Stan Getz to Joe Henderson, Lenny White has played a crucial role in expanding the boundaries of jazz, adding a thrilling dose of rock muscle to its inherent improvisational fabric. His influence is widely felt, and his still-evolving creative genius has been recently featured on a triumphant worldwide Return To Forever reunion tour in 2008 and on separate trio tours in 2009 with fellow fusion mavericks Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke and with Clarke and pianist Hiromi. May 18, 2010 saw the release of Anomaly on artist friendly hip music outfit Abstract Logix, his first solo statement in well over a decade - a cracking album that fulfilled handily White's vision of recording a fusion album with the intensity and power of a rock session.
Now, in support of Anomaly, White is taking to the road as a solo artist. “It's been over ten years since I toured with my band, playing my music," he explains. White's focus will be on the new compositions from Anomaly, although he adds, “I will go back a bit, too." Joining White on this tour will be guitarist Jimmy Herring, whose incisive, probing playing with outfits as varied as Widespread Panic, Allman Brothers, the Aquarium Rescue Unit, the Dead, Phil Lesh and Friends and Project Z has made him one of the most admired musicians in contemporary improvisational music. “Jimmy is a special guitarist," White explains. “Some guys just have a unique way of playing a song with an identifiable sound, Jimmy is one of those musicians. He's progressive but he has that great southern approach that results in such a beautiful combination."
Herring is equally enthralled to be involved with White's music. “Lenny White has been one of my favorite drummers since the first time I heard him play," Herring enthuses. “His work on Return to Forever's Romantic Warrior album is some of the best drumming ever recorded. He's a true master of his craft."
Full tour dates are below. The shows promise improvisational fireworks, tightly-wound compositions, and dynamic interplay that only masters of Herring and White's level can achieve. “We need to restart a revolution," White explains, “so that we can take back the music and stop the fluff."
Tour dates include:
Aug 11-Birchmere, Alexandria, VA
Aug 12-Regatta Bar, Boston, MA
Aug 13-15-Iridium, New York, NY
Aug 17-18-Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA
Aug 20-22-Catalinas, Los Angeles, CA
Aug 24-25-Yoshis, Oakland, CA
Aug 26-Kuumbwa Jazz, Santa Cruz, CA
