Return To Forever Live 2008 BluRay for UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001QZEI0G/ref=s9_k2a_c5_i2?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0W946KN9E7HTSV5W0ZXX&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463374933&pf_rd_i=468294


That is the UK Edition.







5.1 sound
1080P Hi Def vision.

And so cheap for a BluRay.




10 outta 10.

_____________________________________

Outtasight
Colin.

that is cheap for a Blu- Ray. Works out to $15.68 as of today's rate.

But it won't be out till May 9th. I'm sure it will be out here on Blue Ray NTSC as well.

Looking forward to that. Peace, TED

The BluRay is 1O Outta 10
The great thing about DTSHD sound
is you can click it on normal DTS
it is Loud live DVD Audio is.

You get to see the Magic Chick plays
on the Yamaha Motif Keyboard.


The Whole band is filmed in great Perfection
which is ideal for BluRay 1080
12 long tracks then bonus 5 long tracks (filmed in Florida).
This is why BluRay is the winner
as it can hold more data than any other disc.



This is a must
watching them play close up in
Ultra Clear Power Sound 5.1.



20 bucks in USA
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7919965&style=movie

__________________________

Outtasight
Colin.

What's really a bit of a shame to me is that everyone I talked to that caught one of their shows said that they were "good", but not phenominal. According to the recent concerts that I have aquired off of the net, I have to concur. Compared to the show they did at Electric Lady Studios some time in the 70's, the more recent performances seems to have been a little more than a shadow of what they were back in the day. I'm happy that I don't have to regret missing any of their reunion performances.

I must say that this is what really moves me with Billy. His performances in his early 30's would floor me . Now, here we are with him in his mid 60's and he's blowing my sox off even more than he did back then.... That's what I'm talkin about!

Way cool!

Hi,

I bought this dvd last week and I agree with Don. The concert is good, but not spectacular. In my opinion the best parts were the solo and acoustic sections, but somehow the heavier electric parts were slightly lame. The fire and intensity, which you can hear and feel on the records from the 70’s, wasn’t quite there in 2008. On certain numbers the magic is there, but not throughout the whole show. Al Di Meola played like in the heydays, but Lenny White sounded a bit like he was holding back. Was he still in pain when these shows were taped? Those of you who saw the band live in the 70’s and last year, what are your thoughts on the subject? Still a legendary group and a great dvd to own. The following statement of a reviewer concerning the bonus material is also worth mentioning: “The bonus footage is a bit disappointing because it is all presented as a video collage: several smaller windows each showing a different camera angle with some funky dividers that are quite distracting. Otherwise the DVD looks and sounds great”.

Kind regards,
Anders

Well considering there age
I still say this is 10 Outta 10.
There is magic in the gig
and to have it in better sound than the gig I went to
is Bliss.


__________________

Outtasight
Colin.

Yeah, Anders,

I heard the same statements more than once, concerning Lenny. It very well could have been his pinched nerve problem. I had that once and the pain was nearly unbearable. I couldn't even lay down, I had to sleep sitting up. Word was as you have already said, they played all the right notes, It's just that the "fire" wasn't there for the most part.

Colin,

At their current ages, I really don't think that has anything to do with it. Again, I use Billy, who is now 65 years young as an example. With the possible exception of Chick, Billy is elder among everyone else in that band and he's still knocking audiences over. So I really don't think their ages at this stage has anything to do with their 'weaker' level of performance.

What's important though is that you enjoyed the show.... That's what it's all about for you and anyone that did likewise.

I'm watching the non blue ray version right now and loving it. I have to disagree with what's being said. There is no way they can duplicate the sound they got in the studio. I think they sound more mature as players. The sign of a good drummer is one who holds back at the right time and cuts loose at the right time. lenny does just that. Pinched nerve or not he's swingin his ass off on that hammered ride. there is something kind of controlled about his style that comes off as laid back at times but i think that is his personality. he plays it safe for good reason. Those arrangements are ridiculously complicated. he supports each tune and adds his personal flair. he's great. I am happy to own this dvd and wouldn't shell out 75 bucks to see anyone anyway so the dvd is just the ticket. i like the fact the the tunes are expounded upon and not just like the old records. that is what i expect from such inventive personalities. I think Al DiMeola has matured alot musically as far as his soloing since those early recordings were made. There is a musical quality here. i don't expect them to come out smokin like they did 30 years ago. That was then this is now. I hope they continue to play together. That's what seems important about this venture. that the music has stood the test of time it is as good now as it was then and deserves their attention. It's about preserving something very special for as long as they possibly can.

I imagine some shows were better than others. This one smokes!

"Studio"

Kenny,

Back in the day RTF actually did a live performance at Electric Lady Studios in N.Y., Audience and all and it was documented. I have this entire performance on my computer. You can download that entire show for free here:

http://tela.sugarmegs.org/Default.aspx Then type return to forever in the search box.

Below is what the link that you want to scroll to and click on will look like. I think that once you hear this, you will understand moreso what Anders and I are talking about. But again, I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as you did, that's all that really matters.

View SetlistListenDownloadReturnToForever1975ElectricLadyStudiosNY.asx

D.

I understand. I realise, that was done when they were 34 years younger and playing as a unit on a regular basis. I guess I am able to accept the new stuff for what it is. I also think the way they could improvise more this time around very interesting. They kind of cut loose inside the tunes' arrangements more and show each member's unique talents.

I like lenny's solos on the new dvd. He has weird beat displacement and independence. It was different than a show of chops, I liked it alot. What did you think? Also notable is lenny's super loose hi hat. I want to try that.

kenny wrote:I understand. I realise, that was done when they were 34 years younger and playing as a unit on a regular basis. I guess I am able to accept the new stuff for what it is. I also think the way they could improvise more this time around very interesting. They kind of cut loose inside the tunes' arrangements more and show each member's unique talents.

I like lenny's solos on the new dvd. He has weird beat displacement and independence. It was different than a show of chops, I liked it alot. What did you think? Also notable is lenny's super loose hi hat. I want to try that.

Lenny is actually known for the open hi hat thing... A lot of that was done on his solo cuts back in the day.... Big city, Astral Pirates, Venusian Summer, etc. Definately a technique for him that was influenced by Tony Williams... "Chops"... What can I say? Surely one of the stronger factors that established early fusion as the pioneering musical benchmark that it was. Like most everything else, the fusion of today is what it is because of what it was yesterday.

When you do something different at either point it only makes the music different to a noticable degree. Could be better, could be worse but it will be different. given the choice between the RTF of the 70's and the current one, I'd take the 70's band hands down... But that's just me.

Cheers,

Don.

I agree Dslam, this reunion was cool but it just lacked something.
The energy was not the same, I have a copy of the Old Grey Whistle Test performance
from 1976 and that was killer.
No disrespect intended to Chick, Lenny, Al and Stanley, the music was played perfectly at
their 2008 shows, it just lacked the energy and excitement that they used to have live.

Hi,

Here are in my opinion two examples of that energy and intensity of the RTF from the 70's; the first one is After The Cosmic Rain from 1974 with Bill Connors, who's too an awesome guitarist and the second one is a rare clip of Vulcan Worlds (or actually a part of it) from 1976. Drumman, I have a copy of that same tape and my thoughts are the same as yours.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQzMulHaW4s&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0mQvinnPxo&feature=related


Kind regards,
Anders

I really dig the level of play by everyone,

I just wish that I dug the tones of the keyboards....it just gets under my skin after 3 min. hahahaaaa I know I'm gonna get ripped for saying that but, ---just being honest.

D.L.

They were great in the 70's when I saw them many times.

They were great for their 1983 reunion shows which I also saw.

They were still great at the 2008 reunion show which I saw.

Was the energy level the same as back in the 70's ? I would say yes, but in a different way. While they reprised the old songs, they changed each of them in subtle ways. For some, the riffs were changed a bit, and new licks added. For others, tempo and feel were changed. And the solo pieces were new music entirely.

Perhaps the energy was lost a bit due to the underlying conflict which arose during the tour. What conflict ? Mostly between Chick and Al. Perhaps it is because of the control over everything exercised by Chick's Scientology handlers. Perhaps it is because of Al's tremendous ego. It was part of the reason why Chick showed up for almost none of the meet and greets.

If you don't believe me then you should note that Chick, Stanley and Lenny will be touring later this year as a trio called the Power of 3. And there will be a special concert at the end of that tour to introduce the new guitarist for Return to Forever who will tour with them after that. Who will that be ? I'm not at liberty to reveal that here, but trust me, it won't be Al .

I actually haven't bought the DVD yet, but I will, because it's a reminder of what a great band they are. #2 in my all-time list. And still great !

Peace, TED

"Still great." Absolutely! They are a band of great players. From what I've heard thus far, they didn't quite hit full stride during the reunion tour, but they didn't slouch by any means. They did a good job, and everyone I know that caught one or more of their performances says likewise.

D.L.,

I feel the same way about the guitar tone of John Mclaughlin... I can lsiten to any of the M.O. material for about five minutes before I feel like I want to scury out of the room screaming like a banshee!

Ted E. Bear wrote:They were great in the 70's when I saw them many times.

They were great for their 1983 reunion shows which I also saw.

They were still great at the 2008 reunion show which I saw.

Was the energy level the same as back in the 70's ? I would say yes, but in a different way. While they reprised the old songs, they changed each of them in subtle ways. For some, the riffs were changed a bit, and new licks added. For others, tempo and feel were changed. And the solo pieces were new music entirely.

Perhaps the energy was lost a bit due to the underlying conflict which arose during the tour. What conflict ? Mostly between Chick and Al. Perhaps it is because of the control over everything exercised by Chick's Scientology handlers. Perhaps it is because of Al's tremendous ego. It was part of the reason why Chick showed up for almost none of the meet and greets.

If you don't believe me then you should note that Chick, Stanley and Lenny will be touring later this year as a trio called the Power of 3. And there will be a special concert at the end of that tour to introduce the new guitarist for Return to Forever who will tour with them after that. Who will that be ? I'm not at liberty to reveal that here, but trust me, it won't be Al .

I actually haven't bought the DVD yet, but I will, because it's a reminder of what a great band they are. #2 in my all-time list. And still great !

Peace, TED

I remember Al lived a couple of doors down the hall from me at the Berklee dorms at 150 Mass. ave. in Boston.
He wasn't even there for a semester, I don't think, when Chick asked him to go on the road with him and Return Forever.
That was in 1973.

Hey D. Are you sue it was McLaughlin's tone that sent you scurrying ?

Or was it maybe the whole intensity of the music and the band- and the volume ?

I know their music was tough for a lot of people to take, or grasp. Now I know why you haven't bought the book. - you really didn't like the M.O. eh ?

You're entitled ....................... too bad ................... they're my #1 all time favorite band, and the most powerful I've ever seen live. Out of everybody - period.

Sorry you feel that way. Peace, TED

I remember not being able to digest/appreciate/enjoy MO . . . is if it were just too much for my teenage, northern California-like mind. And all this while loving RTF and Cobham solo material. I can empathize.

I hear ya Don,

I do really dig the way chick plays of course, I just wish some of the tones had a more fuller spectrum --richer, fatter sound. I think that it would make the band sound bigger....but that's just my opinion.

JM from MO's guitar sound can get grating on my ears as well...just a little thin for my taste-

Cmon, now, brother Ted.... Let's leave what I wrote at face value... I never said that I didn't like MO. I have two of their albums that I absolutely love:
"Birds of fire" and "Between nothingness and eternity"... I also have "The Lost trident sessions" which I have never heard in it's entirety because of the very reason of struggling with John's tone. I also have JM's "The heart of things" live in Paris CD. I repeat, I just can't take long spells of his searing, piercing guitar tone. It wasn't always that way, I think that as I get older, certain sounds just seem to get under my skin now that didn't before.

Okay, now, the reason I don't have the M.O. book is simple. I'm just not interested in what happened among them beyond listening to their music...

That's all, nothing more.

D.

Hi,

Ted’s news about the underlying conflict between mainly Al Di Meola and Chick Corea was interesting. That tension had most likely some effect on the overall performance?. I noticed on the credits of the dvd that Al Di Meola didn’t thank that many people and didn’t mention Chick, Stanley and Lenny by name, only “thanks to all the guys and techs of the RTF family”. It’s interesting to see who the new guitarist will be. Who would you like that person to be? I wouldn’t mind seeing for example Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, Mike Stern, Steve Morse, Scott Henderson, Frank Gambale or Bill Connors on the stage with RTF in 2009 or 2010.

I also feel that the keyboard sounds on the earlier albums (Where have I known you before, No Mystery,) are slightly “toyish” at times. On Romantic Warrior they sound more sophisticated. Don mentioned the word banshee in conjunction with John Mclaughlin’s guitar sound. I had to look up that word in the dictionary since English is not my mother tongue. I was laughing to myself when I read the translation, which said: “A spiritual being, whose groan means death to the house (it’s visiting)

Kind regards,
Anders

Okay, brother Don, I will take what you said at face value.

do you like his tone with the Five Peace Band or the 4th Dimension ? He uses no effects - just straight guitar. Just curious.


And Anders - it's none of the names you mentioned as the new guitarist.

Peace, TED

Ted,

To me, John Mclaughlin is one of those that just doesn't seem to fit well when doing colaborative projects. He shines best when doing his own thing. I also hold this opinion for Alan Holdsworth. Though I must admit that he did a fabulous job with "Lifetime." But to me, he has now developed to a place where that doesn't work so well for him anymore. And for this reason I don't think he would have made a good candidate for the new RTF guitar slot.

So in short, I think the 5 pc. band could have done better on the choice of who would sit in the guitarist's chair.

But again, that's just my opinion.

D.

Ted, could the new guitarist be one of these: Larry Coryell, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Eric Johnson, Dean Brown, Larry Carlton, Steve Khan, Tony Macalpine?

Kind regards,
Anders