Lenny White

Lenny White is an American jazz and funk drummer, best known for playing in Chick Corea's Return to Forever and being one of the forerunners of jazz-rock/funk.

White was born in New York City. A self-taught, left-handed drummer on a right-handed kit, he began his career in local groups, and played regularly with Jackie McLean in the late 1960s.  In 1969, he appeared on Miles Davis' historic recording Bitches' Brew and in 1970 played with Freddie Hubbard on Red Clay before joining Corea's Return to Forever and Azteca in 1972.  A year later, Azteca dissolved and he became dedicated to Return To Forever. For five years, he recorded a number of albums with Return to Forever including the award winning No Mystery and Romantic Warrior. When the group split up in 1977 White signed with the Nemperor label (via Atlantic) and recorded two albums as leader.

In 1978, he switched to Elektra for his album Best of Friends, before forming the group Twennynine in 1979.  He later became one of the Jamaica Boys, a group also including Marcus Miller, and worked with all-star groups Echoes of an Era and Griffith Park.

White has played with many of the greatest jazz musicians, including Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Gato Barbieri, Gil Evans, Jaco Pastorius, and Stan Getz.

His Chesky Records releases include the albums Hancock Island: The Music of Herbie Hancock and  two albums with guitarist Larry Coryell and bassist Victor Bailey, Traffic and Electric.

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