Lenny White - Venusian Summer (1975)

A versatile drummer, Lenny White is still best-known for being part of Chick Corea's Return To Forever in the 1970's. White was self-taught on drums and he largely started his career on top, playing regularly with Jackie McLean (1968) and recording "Bitches Brew" with Miles Davis in 1969. White was soon working with some of the who's who of jazz including Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Gato Barbieri, Gil Evans, Stanley Clarke and Stan Getz among others. As a member of Return To Forever during 1973-76, White gained a strong reputation as one of the top fusion drummers, but he was always versatile enough to play in many settings. After the breakup of RTF, Lenny White headed several fusion projects but none of the recordings (for Nemperor and Elektra) have dated well at all, emphasizing commercial funk. However his work with the Echoes Of An Era and Griffith Park all-star groups were been more successful and he has been a valuable sideman for a wide variety of projects.
"Chicken-Fried Steak" contains enough odd-time beats and fills to satisfy any drum fanatic, but White proves to be more than just a technician. "The Venusian Summer Suite" and "Mating Drive" are both moody pieces that were obviously influenced by the music of Tangerine Dream. But the primary reason this session succeeds is "Prince of the Sea." It is a strong composition that features Al di Meola and Larry Coryell. This was their only recorded performance together in the '70s and fans are still seeking this recording out to see "who won". This is a must-have fusion recording

Track listing

1.  Chicken-Fried Steak  (Rauch, Rodriques)  - 4:35
2.  Away Go Troubles Down the Drain  (Rauch, Rodrigues, White)  - 3:33
3.  The Venusian Summer Suite, Pts. 1& 2  (White)  - 10:14
4.  Prelude to Rainbow Delta  (Gleeson)  - 1:11
5.  Mating Drive  (White)  - 7:43
6.  Prince of the Sea  (White)  - 11:38

Release:  1975
Recorded at:  Different Fur, San Francisco, CA, Electric Lady Studios, NY
Genre:  Jazz-Funk, Fusion
Label:  Wounded Bird Records
Length:  39:37
Producer:  Lenny White
Arrangers:  Doug Rauch, Lenny White.

Personnel:
Lenny White - piano, Clavinet, keyboards, synthesizer, mini-Moog synthesizer, marimba, drums, snare drum, timpani, wood block, gong
Al di Meola - guitar, electric guitar
Larry Coryell - guitar, electric guitar
Douglas Rodriguez - guitar
Ray Gomez - guitar
Al Coryell - electric guitar
Hubert Laws - flute
Onaje Allan Gumbs - piano, electric piano, Clavinet, organ, Mellotron, keyboards
Peter Manning Robinson - Clavinet, synthesizer, mini-Moog synthesizer
David Sancious - organ, keyboards, mini-Moog synthesizer, Moog synthesizer
Weldon Irvine - organ, keyboards
Jimmy Smith - organ
Larry Young - organ
Patrick Gleeson - keyboards, synthesizer, mini-Moog synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, Oberheim synthesizer
Don Blackman - keyboards, synthesizer
Peter Robinson - keyboards, synthesizer
Tom Harrell - Moog synthesizer
Dennis MacKay - percussion, gong