record collection revisited: Return To Forever "Returns"

After a hiatus of three decades (from 1977 to 2008), Return To Forever put out a live album with their classic quartet lineup including Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Al di Meola, and Lenny White.  "Returns" is a strong album of their live performance from the 2008 Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland that was also made into a separate DVD and has a different performance of the encore from a venue in Clearwater, Florida.

The 2008 tour and record was very likely the last time the classic lineup for Return To Forever, including Al di Meola on guitar, would get together.  But, this is a treasured recording just for that reason.  It has the fire of the earlier albums from the '70s and is a great showcase of the instrumental virtuosity of the musicians as I've written about at times before whether it's this lineup or the newer lineup from the 2011 tour and recording featuring Frank Gambale and Jean Luc Ponty.

...And oh, by the way (to throw just a small editorial comment in here), this record is how I was completely turned on to Return To Forever in the first place, before going back to their older material, and subsequently seeing them in concert and meeting the band, nearly a year ago already.  Yes, there is a blog entry about that, too, if you go back in the archives to August 2011.

Check out "Returns" as well as the 2011 effort, "The Mothership Returns" to find out what RTF can do with their music in a live setting.  It's mesmerizing to say the least.  Here's the track listing for the 2008 album, "Returns".

Disc 1

1. Opening Prayer
2. Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy
3. Vulcan Worlds
4. Sorceress
5. Song To The Pharaoh Kings
6. Al's solo:

    Children's Song #3 (duet w/Chick Corea)
    Passion, Grace & Fire
    Mediterranean Sundance
    Cafe 1930
    Spain

7. No Mystery

Disc 2

1. Chick's solo: Friendship/Solar
2. Romantic Warrior
3. Stanley's solo: El Bayo de Negro
4. Lenny's solo: Lineage
5. Romantic Warrior (continued)
6. Duel of the Jester & the Tyrant
7. 500 Miles High
8. BBC Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation/Romantic Warrior

The award is presented by Sir George Martin followed by a performance of "Romantic Warrior" to cap off the record.  This disc is actually a great introduction to the music of RTF.  I'll say it again.  It's where I found out not only about them, but also, about the remarkable solo careers of their individual members as well.