Lenny White
In 1967, the legendary British trio known as Cream—Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker—released “Strange Brew,” a song so ahead of its time that no one knew what to make of it. Now, 59 years later, organist Jerry Z covers it on his new album. Z is a longtime Jersey Boy from Weehawken (on a small street off of Boulevard East now called Hamilton Ave where Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr dueled), then Ridgewood and finally Park Ridge.He does it as a funky boogaloo instrumental on Break Allegro album (Drawbar Records).
Teaneck’s own Lenny White pushes, pokes and prods the music forward with his signature funkiness. White, who appears in our documentary film, The Jersey Sound, helped change the course of modern music in the 1970s as drummer for jazz-rock fusion pioneers Return To Forever with the late Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke and Jersey City guitarist Al Di Meola. (White is also a producer-arranger-composer-educator.)
On “Road Dog,” he adds some dazzling and sumptuous syncopation on this post-bop swinger that features him alone at one point where he takes full ownership of center-stage for a brain-twisting drum solo. On “Angelie,” he lays down a gospel groove. The final track, “In The Garden,” is a total mind-meld of meditative sincerity where he partners with fellow drummer Mike Clark to achieve—with guitarist Oz Noy’s eccentric chugging and the wash of Jerry Z’s Hammond B3 spilling all over the mix—a similar vibe to the glory days of Sun Ra or Alice Coltrane.
Lenny White will hold court at Smoke in New York City November 10-13.