Return to Forever is on tour!

[squirefan01]

I just saw these guys last night in Boston. What a show!! This was the 2nd to last show on the tour I think, and like Chick said they are now a "well-oiled machine". I think they have played the same type of set list for the most part on this tour. It was incredible. I'd say they were all right on last night. Really nice variatins of their classics. They all went acoustic for "Romantic Warrior" (Clarke on the standup with an incredible solo). DiMeola didn't miss anything so I think he must have gotten his timing back since May. In his speaking moment (they all addressed the audience through the show) DiMeola mentioned fond memories of his days in Boston at Berklee (being tapped by Chick to join RTF at age 19!). Corea was awesome and being from the Boston area (Chelsea) he invited alot of family and friends and obviously enjoyed playing for them.

Even better, they had opening band Bela Fleck & The Flecktones (with Victor Wooten of course), who had just finished a European tour. This was their only show with RTF. It was my first time seeing Victor live (and Futureman who I had never seen play his bizarre little drum instrument before). I was hoping that Clarke & Wooten would do a little something together but that didn't happen.

Overall I think that my appreciation for Wooten grew more last night than my appreciation of Clarke. I have been a Clarke & RTF fan since the early 80's so I guess that even though he was awesome it was pretty much what I expected. With Wooten I expected more of a hot dog type which he was not. He played many different styles and fit in perfectly with the band. Sure he could slap it but he did everythng else well too.

But Clarke has got to be seen as the master by all other great bassists. When he hit full throttle on his slapping on the Alembic he would blow Wooten away. Christian McBride is a recent favorite standup bass player of mine (you have to get "Live at Tonic"!!), but Clarke blows him away on the standup as well.

I brought some great binoculars and kept them trained on Wooten, Clarke and DiMeola allnight. What a treat!!

RTF has been marketing like crazy for this tour and I'm sure they'll release a live CD and DVD from it. Can't wait!

[deaconblues]

One of my best friends is the nephew of Bill Connors,who played with them for a bit back in the day.

[squirefan01]

Yes, Connors was the lead guitarist on the first of their "successful" albums (and the earleist album that is remastered in their new Anthology set), Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. In the Anthology liner notes I think that it says they liked Connors but wanted to be a touring band that could play live the great stuff they did in the studio. Connors had other commitments though so he was not able to tour with them, so in came DiMeola.

[phlemmy]

Connors' first few solo albums were far and beyond better than his work with RTF IMHO.

And Wooten is one of the nicest guys I have ever had the pleasure of hanging out with...several times.

[squirefan01]

Yeah, Wooten just looks like he's having fun up on the stage. Today, I just got his new book from Amazon ("The Music Lesson: A Spritual Search For Growth Through Music"). Can't wait to start it! I got that one and another that was recommended to me, "Effortless Mastery" by Kenny Werner. Obviously, I am looking into the mental aspects of expressing myself freely as a musician.

I am going to start another thread about the new SMV (Stanley Marcus Victor) CD coming out within the next few weeks. That should be great!

[bottom4]

I caught RTF Thursday night in NYC - great show

I've seen Vic a number of times. A couple of time with his own band, once with Chic at the Blue Note and once with Stanley and Marcus at BP Live. Never with Bella.

SMV is playing in NYC on the 23rd. Unfortunately I'll be in Stockholm that day. I guess there are worse places to be...

[squirefan01]

Andy, that BP Live show must have been something to see live!

[bottom4]

It was unbelievable, Greg – all the way through!

A great night for sure