When Chick Corea reassembled the members of the most commercially successful version of his Return to Forever ensemble inwards 2008 in addition to embarked on an extensive tour, it was the jazz fusion upshot of the year. Younger fans barely born when the ensemble's high watermark, Romantic Warrior, was released inwards 1976 could live on run into the grouping inwards the flesh. Based on this sizzling double-CD document culled from the tour's highlights, 32 years didn't dim the quartet's enthusiasm or uncanny instrumental precision in addition to interplay. It includes extended versions of one-half the tunes on Romantic Warrior, the championship cutting from No Mystery, in addition to 3 selections from Where Have I Known You Before, with that disc's "Song to the Pharaoh Kings" clocking inwards at a whopping 27 minutes. Corea keeps his synths reproducing the '70s sounds of the original recordings, which is cracking for those who desire to relive the albums, but brings a somewhat dated send on to much of this. In reality, at that spot are real few bands inwards 2008 creating this space-progressive jazz-rock fusion, in addition to sure none with the fine-tuned talents of these guys. Those chops are displayed early a 13-minute version of "Vulcan Worlds" that tin lav solely live described every bit explosive -- so much so that it elicits multiple rounds of rapturous applause every bit each fellow member takes his plough inwards the spotlight. It's peculiarly exciting to involve heed guitarist Al di Meola 1 time once again shredding with his onetime band, since much of his recent fabric has been acoustic in addition to globe music-oriented. Stanley Clarke remains 1 of jazz's finest bassists, grounding the audio but also taking dynamic solos that house his musical instrument inwards a atomic number 82 guitar position. Hearing him trading frenzied, electrified licks with di Meola is 1 of the many pleasures of this reunion.
But the band is intent on showing its quieter side too, with private in addition to duo collaborations that are predominantly unplugged. First up, Corea in addition to di Meola bring together forces on "Children's Song #3," in addition to so the guitarist romps on acoustic every bit the slice ends with Corea returning to bring together inwards on his famed "Spain." Disc 2 tamps downward the fireworks yesteryear featuring lengthy acoustic improvisational function from Corea, Clarke, in addition to drummer Lenny White inwards that order, that provides a contrast, but about mightiness state breathing room, to the fiery grouping compositions, but also drag downward the unloose energy in addition to wearisome the show's momentum. For jazz students, this is a mini original course of report for each instrument, yet how frequently others volition render to these sections that incorporate nearly one-half an hr of the 2nd platter's running fourth dimension is questionable. H5N1 12-minute "bonus track" of "500 Miles High," a vocal from Light every bit a Feather, the RTF album with an before version of the band that did non include di Meola or White, is tacked on to the 2nd disc. The develop closes with producer Sir George Martin presenting the BBC Lifetime Achievement Award to the band, Corea's brief credence speech, in addition to a brusque acoustic surgery of "Romantic Warrior." It should live noted that this album's sleeve photos are from the associated DVD of the band's Montreux 2008 set, but solely 1 melody hither was recorded at that performance.
Seventies fusion supergroup Return to Forever's reunion in addition to 2008 globe tour was 1 of the year's biggest jazz events. At performances including its Ottawa International Jazz Festival show, the grouping did to a greater extent than than laissez passer a bunch of grays in addition to no-hairs a run a peril to relive their youth. With a combination of prerequisite testosterone ("This is a man's band," said drummer Lenny White) in addition to but about updating to the material, the grouping proved that its music remains relevant. Returns—a two-CD develop that documents a consummate RTF surgery with a twain of bonus tracks thrown in—documents the cathartic excitement of beingness at that spot in addition to makes clear that this music yet stands on its own.
Returns is the alive album that this classic RTF line-up—White, keyboardist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke in addition to guitarist Al Di Meola—never released dorsum inwards the day. With improvements inwards both musical instrument in addition to recording technology, the grouping sounds amend than it e'er could guide hold before. Grabbing but about of the best fabric from the guitar-centric RTF's iv album run—Hymn of the Seventh Milky Way (Polydor, 1973) through Romantic Warrior (Columbia, 1976)—it capitalizes on private increment since that time, making this a far to a greater extent than versatile RTF.
Stretched to 38 minutes, the championship rails from Romantic Warrior includes solo features from Corea (which breaks, midway, into an unexpected, hard-swinging version of Miles Davis' "Solar"), Clarke (referencing but about of his ain '70s solo albums) in addition to White (a powerhouse solo that segues smoothly dorsum to the song). It's part of an unplugged middle department that also includes a stunning characteristic for Di Meola in addition to a vibrant grouping select of the lyrical but thematically knotty championship rails from No Mystery (Polydor, 1975). Seventies RTF never sounded this good.
But it's the electrical RTF that is remembered most, in addition to Returns delivers enough of high octane playing, peculiarly on a 27-minute "Song to the Pharoah Kings," from Where Have I Known You Before (Polydor, 1974). Often criticized for beingness to a greater extent than mode than substance, Di Meola dispels that perception 1 time in addition to for all throughout the set, fifty-fifty supplanting original RTF guitarist Bill Connors' iconic solo on "Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy." Still capable of light-speed finger function that leaves most inwards his wake, Di Meola has grown significantly since beingness recruited, at 19, to replace Connors. With greater harmonic sophistication in addition to attending to space, he's the star of the exhibit (among a grouping of stars) amongst Corea, whose meatier synth tones guide hold never sounded better, adding a broader textural palette to the group.
Rather than beingness regurgitated every bit original arrangements, Clarke's "Vulcan Worlds" in addition to White's "Sorceress" larn extended workouts—and have contemporary updates every bit well, with Di Meola's solo department dropping to a wonderfully greasy, hip hop-informed half-time feel.
The RTF reunion in addition to vigorous surgery of Returns say, inwards no uncertain terms, that high-energy fusion, with complex writing in addition to muscular soloing, is dorsum in addition to relevant inwards a large way—and it's nigh time.
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Tracks Listing:
(Disc 1)
1. Opening Prayer (2:02)
2. Hymn of the Seventh Milky Way (3:44)
3. Vulcan Worlds (13:45)
4. Sorceress (11:24)
5. Song to the Pharaoh Kings (27:17)
6. Al's Solo, including: Children's Song #3, Passion Grace & Fire, Mediterranean Sundance, Cafe 1930, Espana (8:56)
7. No Mystery (8:53)
Total Time 74:59
(Disc 2)
1. Friendship
Chick's Solo, including Solar (8:54)
2. Romantic Warrior (7:20)
3. El Bayo de Negro (Stanley's Solo) (11:25)
4. Lineage (Lenny's Solo) (7:39)
5. Romantic Warrior (Continued) (3:06)
6. Duel of the Jester in addition to the Tyrant (14:10)
(Bonus Tracks)
7. 500 Miles High (12:54)
8. BBC Lifetime Achievement Award, presented yesteryear Sir George Martin; alive surgery of Romantic Warrior (8:21)
Total Time 72:49
Personnel:
Chick Corea – Minimoog Voyager, Rhodes Midi Piano Mark V, Yamaha grand pianoforte C3MP, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5, Yamaha Motif
Al Di Meola – acoustic guitar, electrical guitar
Stanley Clarke – electrical bass, acoustic bass
Lenny White – drums
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