Modern Art Orchestra’s Legendary Albums series presents the most important and unique albums of jazz literature, performed by MAO. By learning and playing these compositions and arrangements, the musicians are paying tribute to the jazz legends and are undergoing an intense process of musical improvement. The band absorbs the material of the original recordings, sticking to the arrangements, forms and compositional features. As improvisation is the blood of jazz, solos are invented by the players at the moment. Due to the respect shown towards the original conceptions of the legendary composers and the level of craftsmanship known from Modern Art Orchestra, the Legendary Albums series both brings you the essence of jazz tradition and guarantees a fresh musical experience.

Legendary Albums - Chick Corea: Return to Forever 50 

Modern Art Orchestra comes forth with a unique concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary Chick Corea recording, Return to Forever. The 1972 album was published on ECM Records, and turned out to be a prototype snapshot of jazz fusion. In the years prior to the studio sessions, Corea was touring with Miles Davis’ group which definitely had an effect on his approach. His experience in post bop and avant-garde styles, and working with Miles secured his navigation skills throughout the palette of jazz, only to broaden this horizon with the sensual pulsation of latin music. The result of this artistic universe is nothing less than discovery of musical expression that had been tried before but was never formulated so eloquently and explicitly in a single structure of an album. Besides the revolutionary concept, we must mention the genius design of the compositions found on Return to Forever, as they don’t only allow, but rather invite melodic solos and steamy bass grooves as well as traditional percussive elements and aerial vocal lines. It is not too brave to say that this legendary jazz recording is a brilliant chemistry between tradition and revolutionary spirit, and so it belongs to the hall of fame of jazz literature. Modern Art Orchestra brings Return to Forever to life with the big band formation, which makes this performance even more unique. The guest soloist will be Emma Nagy, who is one of the brightest upcoming stars of the young Hungarian jazz vocalists.