CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

The Anthology

by: Return to Forever

Release Date May 27, 2008
All the greatest songs from the seminal fusion band in one place and remastered to boot. Also went to their reunion concert, and they are better than ever. Lokking forward to a possible new album.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Romantic Warrior

by: Return to Forever

Release Date February 08, 2000
Honestly, there are so many well-written and informative reviews already written here, there is little that I can add. But one of the many outstanding things about Romantic Warrior is how 'not dated' the music sounds...especially when you consider that this is jazz fusion from 1976. But in reality, this is much closer to prog-rock rather than jazz. If you are a fan of progressive rock or jam bands, than by all means, pick this up. The virtuosity of this all-star quartet is absolutely stunning. The song structures are challenging and imaginative. Bottom line...this is cerebral music that rocks!

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

No Mystery

by: Return to Forever

Release Date October 25, 1990
This was the era of a great band. One of the best all-star ensembles. A true masterpiece. Four band leaders playing together as one band exchanging excellent solos and allowing space for great melodies. All Return to Forever albums are a must.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy

by: Return to Forever

Release Date April 16, 1991
Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973), gave us the first incarnation of the band to feature its most famous instrumental configuration...i.e., no female vocals, no saxophone, no flute. No lyrics at all, pure music. We get the more conventional rock instrumentation for which the band would become famous; guitar, keyboards, bass, drums. There would be additional lineup changes to follow, but the basic formula was in place and set the stage for a run of excellent studio efforts from the group.
This probably is not Return to Forever's best album, but it is my personal favorite. There is a heavy vibe here, with a very distinct proto-metal sound. However there is also a significant emphasis on latin themes, and you can hear it, especially in the percussion and in ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Light as a Feather

by: Chick Corea and Return to Forever

Release Date October 25, 1990
For shear jazz pleasure, this 1973 album is hard to beat. Compared to the post-bop/hard bop of the 1960s and the fusion of the early 1970s, it may seem a bit light-weight. However, the compositions are enormously appealing and the playing first-rate. Although perhaps not a jazz masterpiece, I think it's pretty darn close, and it still sounds remarkably fresh today. This was one of the first jazz albums I enjoyed (back in the 70s), and although my music collection has grown exponentially in recent years, I still find myself returning to it frequently. The infectious melodies and rhythms never fail to brighten the mood (and can be almost addictive!) I noticed that one reviewer suggested that this was a precursor to smooth jazz--I find that a stretch, but even if ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Where Have I Known You Before

by: Return to Forever

Release Date October 25, 1990
I have been an RTF fan for more than 30 years. I first heard them when I was in a rock band in high school-I was about 17 at the time; other band members more music savvy than I was turned me on to them, and I remain an admirer of their music to this day. RTF really is/was a jazz rock fusion supergroup. Chick Corea, Stanley Clark, Al DiMeola, and Lenny White are each terrific musicians in their own right, and the years that have passed since the definitive RTF lineup broke up in 1976 have borne that out. Each member has produced excellent work in a variety of forms (Clarke, for example, has carved a niche for himself doing movie and tv scores in addition to his solo albums).

"Where Have I Known You Before" in particular has always been a favorite of mine, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Where Have I Known You Before/No Mystery

by: Return to Forever

Release Date April 29, 2008
I have been an RTF fan for more than 30 years. I first heard them when I was in a rock band in high school-I was about 17 at the time; other band members more music savvy than I was turned me on to them, and I remain an admirer of their music to this day. RTF really is/was a jazz rock fusion supergroup. Chick Corea, Stanley Clark, Al DiMeola, and Lenny White are each terrific musicians in their own right, and the years that have passed since the definitive RTF lineup broke up in 1976 have borne that out. Each member has produced excellent work in a variety of forms (Clarke, for example, has carved a niche for himself doing movie and tv scores in addition to his solo albums).

"Where Have I Known You Before" in particular has always been a favorite of mine, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Return to the Seventh Galaxy: The Anthology

by: Return to Forever

Release Date September 24, 1996
There certainly is a 'split camp' thing with Romantic Warrior being "best of RTF" or not. While I know there are exceptions, I'll generalize and say (seemingly so) that jazz enthusiasts who grew up listening to Chick through the Miles days lean towards the earlier work of RTF, while prog rock fans (long-time listeners of Yes, ELP, etc. - many of them new to RTF) put Warrior at the top of their list. I'm in Camp #1 - I consider Where Have I Known You Before as the purest and freshest that band has ever sounded, followed *very closely* by Hymn (love its raw energy, and Bill Connor's work). I thought they jumped the shark with Warrior - it sounds way too sterile and overproduced. While a technical triumph for sure, they still bulldoze their way through a lot of the music. Not their best, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Definitive Collection

by: Chick Corea and Return to Forever

Release Date February 05, 2008
the real definitive collection is coming may 27 - 2 cd set tunes selected by Chick, Stanley, Lenny & Al - all from the electric RTF - almost all of theose four titles! not just remastered but remixed from original studio tapes...

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Light as a Feather

by: Chick Corea, Return to Forever

Release Date September 22, 1998
At the time of this writing, the photo is wrong - it shows the original polydor single CD edition. The $30+ price is for the 2CD remastered edition. Since I just put this title on my recommended listening list as one of the greatest jazz albums ever, I wanted to balance the 3 star review here! Although I prefer the original mix to the remastered edition, (it was already perfect), the compositions and the playing are classic.