After seeing them in concert back in August (which was posted in a blog entry here at the time), I thought it would be worthwhile to return (no pun intended) to Return To Forever's 1976 "Romantic Warrior" record. Since I've already described more or less, the instrumental virtuosity of the musicians, the record itself, is a springboard for RTF as it was the first or second one to feature Al di Meola and his unique guitar playing which carried the band through most of it's existence except for original guitarist Bill Connors in the early '70s, and of course, Frank Gambale's position in the band today.
From "Romantic Warrior", the band played the first half of the album at the concert which included the first three cuts ("Medieval Overture", "Sorceress" and "Romantic Warrior" itself) while delving into other albums for the remainder of the set. Refer back to the August section of this blog for that review. But what was heard live, can also be heard on the actual recording. RTF does a good job balancing their recorded and live sound which holds to the idea of "don't put anything on the record that you can't reproduce in a live setting." This is a great record to listen to, period. There are some very intriguing things going on sonically with di Meola's guitar and Chick Corea's keyboard work, especially on a track like "Sorceress" which leans heavily on contribution from the whole band. That's the best thing about RTF is that they sound pretty much the same live as they do on record.
It might very well have been a goal for the band. But who's to say. "Romantic Warrior" cements their place in the realm of fusion jazz and they will remain there forever. The band has made an indelible mark on music. Will they tour again after their current 2011 tour comes to a close? Only time will tell. I must reiterate though, seeing RTF live and having an opportunity to meet the band will still always be one of the best musical experiences I personally have ever had.
While I revel in the wonderment of their music, here's the track list in full for "Romantic Warrior"
1. Medieval Overture
2. Sorceress
3. The Romantic Warrior
4. Majestic Dance
5. The Magician
6. Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant (Part 1 & Part 2)
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