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During the 70′ there were three major fusion jazz bands in the US: The Return to Forever, The Weather Report, and The Mahavishnu Orchestra. The musicians who created those bands and their work, set foundation for a completely new musical style, the instrumental fusion jazz which has since inspired countless musicians to pursue higher levels of musical excellence, and made countless listeners delve deeper into their souls and find excruciating happiness… !

Last night I attended the Return to Forever IV (fourth lineup) reunion concert at the Avantgarde Jazz Festival in Rovinj. That was literally an event you could say I would like to tell my grandchildren about. The one and only master Chick Corea, after fighting four decades to improve the world as a Romantic Warrior of our times, stood there last night and set out his mighty musical battalion; Stanley Clarke, the bassist who transcended bass itself; Jean Luc Ponty, the legendary electric violin Mahavishnu wizzard; Lenny White, Miles Davis’ beat copilot and RTF adventurer; and the ferocius Frank Gambale, whose power fretboard sweeps swept the sorrow from the face of the planet last night !

Having seen and heard these living legends in person, together with my dear friends and family members, who have during their lifetime built in miles and miles of stairs in the humanity’s stairway to bridge the heaven and the earth, the stairway of aspiration, creation, exploration, achievement, excellence, union, and truth, leaves me deeply grateful. Thank you RTF, thank you !!!