MUSIC

Verizon Wireless Theater presents Return To Forever IV With Special Guest Zappa Plays Zappa. 

Return To Forever IV, the latest installment of the definitive jazz/rock/fusion ensemble comes to Houston for a truly epic, unprecedented musical event. Almost forty years after first appearing on the scene, the much honored ensemble is making one of their storied returns to action. Bring together a union of jazz/rock’s founding fathers: from RTF, core members Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White; from Mahavishnu Orchestra, virtuoso electric violinist Jean-Luc Ponty. Then add fiery-fingered guitarist Frank Gambale. Toss in a torrent of RTF’s classic songbook, highlights from each member’s solo career, new heavyweight material and turn them loose!

And, in the bold tradition of renewal that the band has established as an essential RTF quality, this latest installment combines elements from the group’s rich history with an exciting vision of the jazz future.

Return To Forever is Chick Corea (keyboards), Stanley Clarke (bass), Lenny White (drums), Jean-Luc Ponty (violin) & Frank Gambale (guitar).

Grammy Award-winning rock outfit Zappa Plays Zappa was founded by Dweezil Zappa to bring the music of his late father, Frank Zappa, to contemporary audiences through a series of international performance tours dubbed “Tour De Frank.” Dweezil’s fellow band members are among the most brilliant and innovative players working in any genre and, collectively, rise to the challenge of bringing the legendary Zappa repertoire alive in concert.

“I think my Dad’s music deserves to be heard by a wider audience. I really think he’s been misunderstood for far too long, which brings me back to why I’m doing this: I’m so in awe of his accomplishments and want more and more people to know about him, and I think the best way for people to first discover his music is on a visceral level in a live situation. I think you have to be confronted with the complexity and the beautiful subtlety of all of it to fully appreciate the artistry of it.” - Dweezil Zappa