Legendary Drummer Lenny White Shines on New Gerald Cannon Album
Drummer/Composer Lenny White, who in the 1970s set the standard for prog-rock jazz in the pioneering Return To Forever, a longtime resident of Teaneck in Bergen County, can be heard on Live At Dizzy’s Club: The Music of Elvin & McCoy (Woodneck Records) by bassist Gerald Cannon. It takes a special drummer to assist on an Elvin Jones tribute. Jones [1927-2004] was one of the greatest drummers in jazz history, a key component of John Coltrane’s history-making quartet. McCoy Tyner was the pianist in that band. Bassist Cannon—with an allstar lineup of drummer White, tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, alto saxophonist Sherman Irby, trumpeter Eddie Henderson, trombonist Steve Turre and pianist Dave Kikoski—has taken compositions by the two honorees (plus a swinging original “Three Elders”) to fashion an artistic statement of the ages.
Cannon performed with McCoy’s solo band for 14 years. He performed with Elvin’s solo band for nine years. So he knows whereof he speaks. It’s in his DNA. The combination of McCoy’s adventurous harmonies coupled with Elvin’s propulsive mastery of rhythmic invention made that Coltrane band profound. Here, Lenny White sheds his jazz-rock fusion chops and GETS DOWN with a post-bop kaleidoscope of pinwheeling freedom. He may precariously go out on a ledge on multiple occasions but he always returns right on time. And that right there is the essence of being great.
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