Return to Forever Chick Corea, Frank Gambale, Jean-Luc Ponty Return to Forever/WA,USA 09.24.2011 Complete

This complete recording of the Seattle show on September 24th from the 2011 world tour of the newly formed five-piece RTH, featuring Frank Gambale and Jean-Luc Ponty, is available on high-quality audience master recordings and newly remastered in 2025. Many of the shows on this North American tour, which ran from August to September, were paired with Zappa Plays Zappa, and this final show also featured ZPZ. As a result, “Dayride” and “Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy” were omitted from the setlist, resulting in a slightly shorter performance. However, the lack of new material and significant rearrangements highlight the band’s improved musicality over their previous tour in 2008. In addition to RTF classics, the set also features J.L. Ponti’s “Renaissance” and Stanley’s solo work “School Days.” While the band’s 2008 tour featured a mix of solo tracks and full-on band tunes, this tour’s arrangements feature each musician’s solo, significantly extending the duration of each song. Not only are the musicians’ virtuoso guitar playing, including the thick, fast guitar work of the gambler, impressive, but Ponti’s playing enhances the exoticism of each song, creating the ultimate RTF ensemble. Corea also mentioned during the MC, “Today is my last day in the US, and I’m off to Japan tomorrow,” highlighting the upcoming Japan tour. Don’t miss this. [Recorded at Paramount Theater, Seattle, WA, USA September 24th 2011 : Audience Recording / 2025 Remaster] DISC 1 : 1. MEDIEVAL OVERTURE 2. SENOR MOUSE 3. SORCERESS – SHADOW OF LO DISC 2 : 1. RENAISSANCE 2. AFTER THE COSMIC RAIN 3. SCHOOL DAYS Chick Corea – keyboards / Jean-Luc Ponty – violin / Frank Gambale – guitar / Stanley Clarke – electric bass / Lenny White – drums