01. The Musician (Chick Corea) - 7:11
02. Hello Again (Stanley Clarke) - 3:49
03. Musicmagic (Chick Corea, Gayle Moran) - 10:59
04. So Long Mickey Mouse (Stanley Clarke) - 6:08
05. Do You Ever (Gayle Moran) - 3:57
06. The Endless Night (Chick Corea, Gayle Moran) - 9:40

Personnel:
- Chick Corea - piano, Fender Rhodes, Mini Moog, clavinet, Polymoog, Moog 15, ARP Odyssey, vocals
- Gayle Moran - Hammond organ, polymoog, piano, female vocals
- Stanley Clarke - electric & acoustic bass, vocals, co-producer
- Joe Farrell - tenor & soprano saxophone, flute, piccolo flute
- Gerry Brown - drums
- John Thomas - lead trumpet, flugelhorn
- James Tinsley - trumpet, piccolo trumpet
- Harold Garret - tenor & bass trombone, baritone horn
- Jim Pugh - tenor trombone

Return to Forever was one of the most commercially and artistically successful jazz/rock bands of the '70s. Albums like Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy and Where Have I Known You Before are filled with the band's chemistry and deft mix of genres. This 1977 effort marks the departure of founding member, drummer Lenny White and guitarist Al DiMeola. White is replaced here with Gerry Brown. A five-piece horn section is added, which includes the returning Joe Farrell. Gayle Moran also is added as a vocalist and on keyboards. Those expecting a continuation of what the group was working on during the great Romantic Warrior will be disappointed. Musicmagic features none of the exciting and challenging playing that typified their best work. The first track, "The Musician," starts off strongly with a great intro then meanders, a trait that often marred Corea's best work of this era. "Hello Again," a duet with Clarke and Moran, is skilled but a little mawkish. The title track plays to this incarnation's strengths with the horn section providing punchy support as Corea has a harder-edged Fender Rhodes solo. Unfortunately, Musicmagic is more often than not filled with bombast and melodrama typified on "So Long Mickey Mouse" and "Do You Ever." The last track, the melodically compelling "The Endless Night," also has the vocals of Clarke and Moran blending particularly well on the song. Despite the best intentions, Musicmagic lacks the swagger and confidence of the group's best work. --- Jason Elias, Rovi

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(Disc 1)
1. Opening Prayer (2:02)
2. Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (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
Spain (8:56)
7. No Mystery (8:53)

(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 and the Tyrant (14:10)
(Bonus Tracks)
7. 500 Miles High (12:54)
8. BBC Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Sir George Martin; live performance of Romantic Warrior (8:21)

- Chick Corea - keyboards
- Stanley Clarke - bass
- Al Di Meola - guitar
- Lenny White- drums

When Chick Corea reassembled the members of the most commercially successful version of his Return to Forever ensemble in 2008 and embarked on an extensive tour, it was the jazz fusion event of the year. Younger fans barely born when the ensemble's high watermark, Romantic Warrior, was released in 1976 could finally see the group in 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 and interplay. It includes extended versions of half the tunes on Romantic Warrior, the title cut from No Mystery, and three selections from Where Have I Known You Before, with that disc's "Song to the Pharaoh Kings" clocking in at a whopping 27 minutes. Corea keeps his synths reproducing the '70s sounds of the original recordings, which is great for those who want to relive the albums, but brings a somewhat dated touch to much of this. In reality, there are very few bands in 2008 creating this space-progressive jazz-rock fusion, and certainly none with the fine-tuned talents of these guys. Those chops are displayed early on a 13-minute version of "Vulcan Worlds" that can only be described as explosive -- so much so that it elicits multiple rounds of rapturous applause as each member takes his turn in the spotlight. It's especially exciting to hear guitarist Al di Meola once again shredding with his old band, since much of his recent material has been acoustic and world music-oriented. Stanley Clarke remains one of jazz's finest bassists, grounding the sound but also taking dynamic solos that place his instrument in a lead guitar position. Hearing him trading frenzied, electrified licks with di Meola is one of the many pleasures of this reunion.

But the band is intent on showing its quieter side too, with individual and duo collaborations that are predominantly unplugged. First up, Corea and di Meola join forces on "Children's Song #3," then the guitarist romps on acoustic as the piece ends with Corea returning to join in on his famed "Spain." Disc two tamps down the fireworks by featuring lengthy acoustic improvisational work from Corea, Clarke, and drummer Lenny White in that order, that provides a contrast, some might say breathing room, to the fiery group compositions, but also drag down the energy and slow the show's momentum. For jazz students, this is a mini master class for each instrument, yet how often others will return to these sections that comprise nearly half an hour of the second platter's running time is questionable. A 12-minute "bonus track" of "500 Miles High," a song from Light as a Feather, the RTF album with an earlier version of the band that did not include di Meola or White, is tacked on to the second disc. The set closes with producer Sir George Martin presenting the BBC Lifetime Achievement Award to the band, Corea's brief acceptance speech, and a short acoustic performance of "Romantic Warrior." It should be noted that this album's sleeve photos are from the associated DVD of the band's Montreux 2008 set, but only one tune here was recorded at that performance. ---Hal Horowitz, Rovi

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1	Medieval Overture	5:13
2	Sorceress	7:34
3	The Romantic Warrior	10:52
4	Majestic Dance		5:01
5	The Magician		5:29
6	Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant, Parts I & II	11:27

Stanley Clarke - Bass, Bass, Bells, Bell Tree, Handbells, Piccolo, Piccolo Bass
Chick Corea - Arp Odyssey, ARP Synthesizer, Clavinet, Fender Rhodes, Keyboards, Mini Moog, Moog Synthesizer, Organ, Percussion, Piano, Producer
Al di Meola - Bells, Composer, Guitars  (Acoustic, Electric, Soprano), Handbells, Whistle, Organ, Marimba, Percussion, Polymoog
Lenny White - Bells, Congas, Cymbals, Drums, Drums (Snare), Handbells, Suspended Cymbals, Timbales, Timpani

The most popular and successful lineup of Return to Forever -- Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, and Al Di Meola -- was coming off the Grammy-winning No Mystery when it recorded its third and final album, Romantic Warrior. It has been suggested that in employing a medieval album cover (drawn by Wilson McLean), using titles like "Medieval Overture" and "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant," and occasionally playing in a baroque style, particularly in Clarke's "The Magician," Corea was responding to Rick Wakeman's successful string of albums on similar themes. Certainly, the music suggests that the musicians have been listening to Wakeman's band, Yes, among other progressive rock groups. But they bring more of a traditional jazz approach to their sound, particularly in the opening statement of intent "Medieval Overture" and the original side one closer, "The Romantic Warrior," both of which feature extensive acoustic piano soloing by Corea. The original side two -- Di Meola's "Majestic Dance," "The Magician," and "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant" -- is much more in a jazz-rock style, with Di Meola particularly rocking out on extensive, fast-paced electric guitar solos. Meanwhile, the rhythm section of Clarke and White is always extremely busy, maintaining a funky, driving pulse and several cross rhythms no matter what's going on above it. This is particularly noticeable, naturally, on White's sole composition, "Sorceress," but it continues to keep the music in the fusion camp even when Corea is sounding like a more traditional jazz pianist. Romantic Warrior is the sound of a mature band at the top of its game, which may help explain why it was Return to Forever's most popular album, eventually certified as a gold record, and the last by this assemblage. Having expressed themselves this well, they decided it was time for them to move on. --- William Ruhlmann, Rovi

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Disc One
1 	Medieval Overture 	6:03
2 	Senor Mouse 	12:10
3 	The Shadow Of Lo / Sorceress 	16:05
4 	Renaissance 	19:40

Disc Two
1 	After The Cosmic Rain 	16:52
2 	The Romantic Warrior 	18:20
3 	Concierto De Aranjuez / Spain 	8:12
4 	School Days 	11:21
5 	Beyond The Seventh Galaxy 	3:44

Chick Corea – keyboards
Frank Gambale – guitars
Jean-Luc Ponty – violin
Stanley Clarke - electric and acoustic basses
Lenny White – drums

When guitarist Al DiMeola left Return to Forever (again) after their 2008 reunion tour, Chick Corea solicited the help of the band's original axeman, Bill Connors, to rejoin the band for another tour. He did. While he rehearsed with Corea, Stanley Clarke, and Lenny White, health issues forbade him from returning to the road. Corea then enlisted his former Elektric Band guitarist Frank Gambale, as well as guest violinist Jean-Luc Ponty. The 2011 tour, by all fan accounts, blew the doors off the 2008 reunion. Gambale, every bit the technical virtuoso as Di Meola, is the stronger jazz player of the two. And with Ponty's added fireworks, the vintage RTF material took on an entirely new life, as did other pieces performed here. This two-CD/DVD package offers visual as well as audio proof that the fans were correct. While the set opens with a gorgeously played "Medieval Overture" from Romantic Warrior, it then shifts into what is perhaps the most intense version of "Señor Mouse" on record at over 12 minutes. Next up is a medley of White tunes in "The Shadow of Lo/Sorceress," clocking in at nearly 17 minutes While the first part is a largely acoustic piece, it gives way to the band's full slate of jazz chops full-on. Clarke, Gambale, Ponty, and Corea all shine, while White is so ambitious and propulsive, he makes this entire jam sound more like prog rock than fusion. Ponty's 19-plus minute "Renaissance," from 1975's Aurora, is a showcase for his composition. As a soloist, he remains fully committed to the fusion aesthetic and is every bit as technically gifted as he was in the '70s. He's dazzling, as is Clarke, in his swinging pizzicato bass solo. Disc two begins with a burning, free-flowing "After the Cosmic Rain" that heads directly into an extended version of "Romantic Warrior" before shifting gears into a gorgeous medley of composer Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto Aranjuez paired with Corea's "Spain." Things get massively funky on Clarke's "School Days" before heading off into a straight -- and brief -- "Hymn to the Seventh Galaxy" to close it all out. It's a breathtaking 110 minutes. The included DVD contains a documentary called Return to Forever: Inside the Music, concert performances of "After the Cosmic Rain" and "The Romantic Warrior," and a sneak peek trailer for the forthcoming film, The Story of Return to Forever. ---Thom Jurek, Rovi

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