UNIVERSAL MUSIC Corp., ASCAP(Erik Satie)
Total Time: 150:26 (75:54 + 73:32)
Chick Corea - YAMAHA Grand Piano Model C3MP, YAMAHA Motif XS 8, RHODES Midi Piano Mark V, MOOG Voyager and PROPHET 5
Al Di Meola - Acoustic and Electric Guitar
Stanley Clarke - Acoustic and Electric Bass
Lenny White - Drums
Produced by Return to Forever
Executive Producer for MONTREUX SOUNDS™ : Claude Nobs
Executive Producers for EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT Ltd.: Geoff Kempin and Terry Shand
Recorded by Bernie Kirsh
Mixed by Bernie Kirsh & Buck Snow
Mastered by Doug Sax, The Mattering Lab, Ojal, CA
Manager: Bill Rooney
Tour Director: Evelyn Brechtlein
Production Coordinator: Kirby Jones
Tour Production Assistant: Anna Robertson
Artistic Coordinator: Julie Rooney
Tour Manager: Zero Nylin
Production Manager: Terry CooJey
Sound Engineer: Bernie Kirsh
Lighting Director: Ethan Weber
Keyboard Tech: Brian Alexander
Drum Tech: Gary Grimm
GuitarTech: Andy Brauer
BassTech:Travis Rogers
Monitor Engineer: Denny Jagard
Merchandising Representative: Laura Murek
Tour Assistant: Andrew Elliott
Cover Design: Marc Bessant
Photos: Ń. Georges A. Braunschweig & Studio E. Curchod for GM Press.
Wardrobe Designer: Claudio Lugli
Fusion Consultant: Bob Belden
Recorded using the Midas KlarkTeknik KT DN9696 HD recorder
Thanks To: Matt Urson and Midas Klark Teknik, Cliff Castle at Audix Corporation, John Jennings, Rick Perrotta and David Royer at ROYER LABS,
Shaun Slim Bevins, Ralph Mastrangelo and Roger Gibbons at CLAIR SHOWCo
"Opening Prayer", "Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy", "Vulcan Worlds", "The Sorceress", "Song To The Pharaoh Kings", "No Mystery" and
"Romantic Warrior" and individual solo performances Recorded live on July 31st, 2008 at RUTH ECKERD HALL, Clearwater, Florida. Duel of the Jester and The Tyrant recorded live on August 6th, 2008 at the Bank of America Pavilion, Boston, Massachusetts
"500 Miles High" Recorded live on July 18th, 2008 at The STRAVINSKI AUDITORIUM, MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL
Where have I known you before?
The moment I saw you I knew,
I had found again
The singer of a thousand songs,
That haunted every dream.
The painter of the colors of my mind,
Reminding me of places we had been.
I'm seeing clearer now,
The truth unfolds,
The past all drifts away.
You're back again, my dearest friend..
You never went away!
Last stanza of poem by Neville Potter
Return to Forever Poet Laureate
The Return of Return to Forever...
World Tour 2008
As a broadcaster who covered, and a fan who followed, the Return to Forever Returns
2008 World Tour, it fulfilled-if not surpassed-my expectations. In so many ways I hated to
see it end. I believe I speak for many other RTF fans who continue to dream of more to
come. As Lenny White told me when I first spoke to the guys in the autumn of 2007 at the
time of the initial announcement of the tour, there is a need today for high-level music to
feed music lovers who are hungry for art like this. Indeed, Chick Corea, Al Di Meola,
Stanley Clarke and Lenny White delivered that.
There was of anticipation for a reunion before the tour became a reality. Chick and
Al reunited in 2006 to record on Al's solo project. Consequence of Chaos, and Al, Stanley and
Lenny appeared together at the Fourth Annual Stanley Clarke Scholarship Benefit in
Hollywood, playing RTF's Grammy winning tune "No Mystery" with Patrice Rushen in the
piano chair. That tantalized me with thoughts of having Chick on keys playing with the
other guys again.
Behind the scenes, they were talking, and there seemed to be a feeling of unfinished
business in the air. Chick told me how the 1983 reunion tour, which featured mostly new
material, hadn't quite pleased the audience enough, and that was the most important thing
to the band. They didn't want to disappoint us. With that underlying concern and the desire
of the old friends to return to play again, the stage was set for the marvelous tour that
followed in 2008. Without a doubt, the return of RTF was the jazz event of the year.
From the first shows in Austin, Texas, to the spring and summer shows in the western part
of North America, RTF fans went to see their heroes playing their monumental music.
I waited patiently until my chance came at the Montreal Jazz Festival in July. It was a night
I'II never forget.
Not long after the Montreal show, the guys traveled throughout Europe for a month, then
returned for the last leg of the tour in the eastern part of the U.S., where the band had
originally been born. RTF made its way through Florida, Georgia and Maryland before
hitting their hometowns to close it out. Stanley returned triumphantly to the streets of
Philadelphia. Chick got to play Boston (no word on whether he got to drive down the
street in Chelsea that is now named for him), and I was there for the next-to-last show as
the tour ended on an incredible peak when hometown heroes Lenny and Al got to play for
an army of fans, friends and family in New York City. The band had come home, literally, but
figuratively too ... to the hearts of their fans, who never lost hope of seeing Chick, Al,
Stanley and Lenny once again on stage together and hearing those songs once more.
When the tour was over, I had my own set of personal memories from the two shows I
attended, but I still wanted more. Then I heard of the DVD that was recorded at their
performance at the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. It's truly a treasure.
And now, with the CD collection of the best performances of the tour, RTF fans will get
the complete package, an exciting documentation of the reunion. In addition to the entire
set list from the tour, there is a special additional performance of the RTF classic "500
Miles High", performed in Montreux, as well as the only new song Chick wrote for RTF,
"Opening Prayer." At their London performance, RTF received a BBC Lifetime Achievement
Award presented by Sir George Martin, and the audio performance of "Romantic Warrior"
from that ceremony is also included in this collection.
What makes the live recordings so remarkable is that they are at once nostalgic and yet so
full of the 21st century.The songs, so familiar to fans of early RTF, have been transformed
by the band into new pieces of art. What was then is also now, as fans who originally
experienced the music are treated with new sensations and realizations. RTF returned, and
the art the band created anew is then-and-now forever - timeless, and a part of all of us
for all time.
If RTF never performs or records again, I just may be able to die happy with this great
treasure chest of live performances from the tour. But I'm not giving up that easily. When
Chick left the stage that night in New York, he got the last word in on the microphone and
said something like, "We'll see you next time." Maybe that was a flippant statement, but,
Chick, I'm inclined to hold you to that—and so are a legion of fans.
- Russ Davis
From the Band
I'd like To Thank Stanley for his support and his nightly extraordinary performances, Lenny for his
unflagging spirit for the band and his innovative drumming, andAI for his special genius on both the
acoustic and electric guitars. My first thanks go to my wife Gayle who encouraged and supported me and
the band, from the very beginnings back in the early '70s right through wis tour. Kudos go to Bill Rooney,
who did a passionate and magnificent job of bringing our dream for wis RTF reunion into reality with the
able help of Evelyn, Julie, Anna and our CCP staff, Bernie Kirsh's audio artistry made the band sound
great each night and Ethan's lighting vision made the show look great Brian solved any problem that
came his way and made the piano and keyboards sound rich and warm. All the members of the crew
were wonderful to work with and really put their hearts into it - thank you all so much. My thanks also
go to the other artists who have made RTF what it is: Airto Moreira, Flora Purimjoe Farreli, Bill Connors,
Neville Potter, Leslie Wynn Potter, and Gayle Moran Corea. My thanks to Ted Kurland and his staff for
their enthusiasm in booking a great tour for the band. And as always, my special thanks to L. Ron
Hubbard for his continued inspiration. - Chick
I would like To Thank Airto Moreira, Flora Purimjoe Farrell, Billy Connors, Mingo Lewis, Steve Gadd, Earl
Klugh, Neville, Leslie, Carolyn,Tommy,Alan Cousins, Gayle Moranjohn Thomas,James Tinsley, Jim Pugh,
Harold Garrett, Gerry Brown and anyone I may have missed who has come through our unique band.
Thanks also to Sofia, Christopher, Natasha and Frank.Very special thanks to Lenny White and AI Di
Meola, who have made a significant contribution to the band, and to Chick Corea for being our fearless
leader. - Stanley
Thanks To: Andy Brauer, Paul Reed Smith (PRS Guitars), Fuchs Amps, Boogie Amps, D'Addario Strings,
Claude Nobs, and all the guys and techs of the RTF Family! - Al
I'd like To Thank Chick, Stanley and AI for the notes that still stand the test of time and for the
experiences that helped shape my outlook. I'd also like to wank all the RTF staff for their understanding
and loyalty and Bill for being patient and listening with me. Last but not least, thanks to the fans, who
have been patientiy waiting ... - Lenny
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