John Beasley & Frankfurt Radio Big Band Are 'Returning to Forever' on Candid Records

Multi GRAMMY® Winner Reimagines Return To Forever’s Music with Chick Corea’s Blessing

 "Listening to “Returning to Forever” brought back many good memories. We were so young at that time. Beasley, your arrangements are well thought out and accurate harmonically. I’ve heard other musicians and bands approach this material and really they were not as successful as you are here. Congratulations!!!!” .....Stanley Clarke

Candid Records announces the August 23 release of Returning to Forever -- the highly anticipated label debut by multi-faceted GRAMMY-winning arranger, composer, record producer, and music director John Beasley with the multi- GRAMMY nominated Frankfurt Radio Big Band.  The recording which reimagines music by one of the great fusion bands of the 1970’s, Return to Forever is now available on CD and all streaming platforms.

It was In 2019 when Beasley first embarked on the ambitious project:  While some of Chick Corea’s pieces (and Stanley Clarke’s “Vulcan Worlds”) had been performed in various ways over the years, they had never been adapted for a large jazz orchestra at this level. However, due to the COVID pandemic the music was not recorded until 2023 – and it was well worth the wait!

Return To Forever (RTF), led by Chick Corea and featuring bassist Stanley Clarke, was one of the great fusion bands of the 1970s. Although Beasley never saw RTF live, he toured with Clarke, recorded with Corea in the 90s, and worked with him on ABC’s broadcast of “Jazz Day at the White House” in 2016 to mark International Jazz Day. He has been influenced by  RTF’s music since he was a teenager. Before starting the commission, Beasley reached out to Corea for his blessing. “Chick not only gave me his blessings but offered PDFs of his original handwritten charts.  He was curious to know how I would reimagine his songs so he asked me to share my demos of the arrangements with him. I was amazed by how open-minded and supportive he was.”   After Beasley wrote the first four arrangements, he was about  to send them to Corea, but then he and the world learned of his passing.

For Returning to Forever Beasley preserved each song’s form, themes, and essence while making the pieces sound like a natural fit for a big band. Starting with the excitement of “Captain Señor Mouse” Returning To Forever includes exhilarating transformations of “Space Circus,” “No Mystery,” the funky “Vulcan Worlds” (with the horns playing transcriptions of Corea’s keyboard solos), the passionate “Medieval Overture,” the lyrical samba “You’re Everything” which transitions to “La Fiesta,” and the episodic “Return To Forever.”

John Beasley’s musical journey has been a whirlwind of creative activity since the 1980s. With Returning To Forever his immense talent and creativity are on full display with the Frankfurt Radio Big Bad adding to the countless memorable recordings that continue to define his illustrious career.

About John Beasley

John Beasley’s career began during high school when he started gigging with veteran musicians around Los Angeles and meeting young musicians, including Dianne Reeves, Billy Childs, John Patitucci, and Vinnie Colaiuta. He caught the attention of Sergio Mendes and Freddie Hubbard and went on his first international tours, then he got a call from Miles Davis to join his band in 1989.

In his early 20s, Beasley juggled tours with work as a studio musician playing piano on film scores and commercials and launching a career in writing for television series. His first of 20 recordings was produced by Steely Dan’s Walter Becker, who later asked him to be the music director for Steely Dan’s Art Crimes tour. He also served as music director for Queen Latifah’s Trav’lin’ Lite tour, AR Rahman’s Jai Ho tour, and Chucho Valdés 2023’s La Creación tour.

Beasley ventured into large ensemble music when he formed his 15-piece MONK’estra big band in 2017. This led to invitations to arrange and conduct for big bands worldwide, including five projects with the Frankfurt Big Band. Each big band project Beasley has recorded so far has earned him GRAMMY nominations and brought two awards. They include his MONK’estra trilogy of albums, Somi’s The Holy Room with Frankfurt Big Band, and two Maria Mendes albums with the Metropole Orchestra. His signature arranging, conducting and composition works has captured the attention of orchestras leading to commissions from Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra, NYO, the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Youth Orchestra, YOLA, and his current commission for a symphonic piece for the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, set to debut in November 2024.

In addition, Beasley has been the music director for the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz global “International Jazz Day” galas since 2012. His musical direction of “Jazz Day at the White House” earned him an Emmy nomination.

About the Frankfurt Radio Big Band (HR-Big Band)

The Frankfurt Radio Big Band is one of the world's best jazz orchestras of its kind. Based on the playing ideal of jazz, it represents a wide range of styles and genres. The Frankfurt Radio Big Band unites seventeen outstanding musicians who not only enjoy a high reputation as soloists. Daily rehearsals and concerts, as well as the highest artistic standards, form an ensemble that can meet any challenge with ease. The Frankfurt Radio Big Band regularly explores the possibilities of a contemporary jazz orchestra and transcends stylistic boundaries - for example, when it develops new projects together with Mongolian or North African musicians, with pop stars or with renowned composers of new music. At the same time, beyond any museality, it keeps the great tradition of big band jazz alive with programs ranging from Jelly Roll Morton to Duke Ellington, Dianne Reeves and Gil Evans to Peter Herbolzheimer.

 After 16 years of collaboration as conductor, composer and arranger Jim McNeely retired from the band. Their new composer in residence is Darcy James Argue. 

 About Candid Records

Between 1960 - 1963 founder, A&R man, and producer Nat Hentoff recorded over 30 extraordinary albums for the new Candid Records label.  One cannot underestimate the breadth of these recordings - from bebop to the avant-garde, to blues.  Candid sat dormant for years until Black Lion Records founder and producer, Alan Bates, bought the label in 1989. The next phase of Candid Records is happening now.  Since its relaunch in 2021, with these new phases of recordings, the label has reissued over 28 titles to high critical acclaim.   Thanks to brilliant new releases has received five GRAMMY® awards – 2024 winners the Count Basie Orchestra, 2023 winners Terri Lyne Carrington and Wayne Shorter and 2022’s multiple GRAMMY® winner Eliane Elias.   Today’s Candid is not only committed to its legacy but looks forward to defining its future with the quality music that is synonymous with its elite heritage.  Learn more at www.candidrecords.com

 About Exceleration Music

Exceleration Music is a company formed by global music industry leaders Glen Barros, Amy Dietz, John Burk, Dave Hansen and Charles Caldas to invest in the future of independent labels and artists. Exceleration offers personalized solutions to entrepreneurs seeking capital to achieve growth as well as those trying to achieve liquidity or an honorable exit. The company’s growing team of data, sales and marketing experts works to preserve and enhance the legacies of both the entrepreneurs and their artists alike. To date, Exceleration has strategic relationships with SideOneDummy, Alligator Records, Candid Records, Bloodshot Records, Kill Rock Star, Mom Pop and the Ray Charles Foundation/Tangerine Records, Heroic Music Group and Redeye Distribution.    Learn more at www.excelerationmusic.com

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