RETURN TO FOREVER: LIVE

Not a fitting swansong. Not an album that gets played anymore here (cf. 'Hymn of the 7th Galaxy '- or check out the live tracks on the Verve compilation 'Return to the 7th Galaxy' for tightness).

Across the multi-disc set, you'll find extended pieces played by RTF agumented with other brass and wind players - in fact a live orchestral album. Tunes are largely taken from their CBS years (note: Columbia Records' 30 pieces of silver corrupted many a good jazzrock group in the late 70's) - IMHO, RTF sounded far better during their Polydor years. Here each of RTF have their slot. Mrs Corea too, has her's - how I dislike her sort of voice doing jazz rock, (but I should have been forewarned by the Mahavishnu Orchestra recording with symphonic orchestra and Ms Moran): too sweet, too operatic -give me Annette Peacock any time. Over-extended tunes make the whole far too loose and sloppy. At the time of this album's release, RTF were individually doing their own things live and on record - and I see this album (and therefore the associated tour) as little more than capitalising on a name.

It only just slots into the 2 star category.

(*A lesson that I took some time to learn, i.e. going on automatic pilot as soon as a new album by a favourite band was announced and rushing out to order weeks before the release date - worse having not heard a single track. Probably it took a dozen albums and 10 major diasappointments before I learnt patience and the need to hear tracks before buying).

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