Return To Forever Returns – Live At Montreux 2008 (Chick Corea/Stanley White/Al Di Meola/Lenny White/Eagle Vision Blu-ray + DVD)

 

Picture: B/B-     Sound: B/B-     Extras: C+     Concert: B

 

 

One of the trends we have seen lately in Jazz releases on Blu-ray and DVD involves the collaboration of serious individual talent known by name, though the talented musicians in the genre seem endless.  Return To Forever Returns – Live At Montreux 2008 brings Chick Corea, Stanley White, Al Di Meola and Lenny White together for what turns out to be a reunion concert.  Guess they wanted to take part in the trend they helped inspire?

 

The 11 performances are often extended jams and showing four men who are at the top of their game and who have played so often that there is both a shorthand in their interplay and chemistry that just adds to the energy and overall show.  That makes it one of the best Jazz titles in the either format.  The music includes:

 

1)     Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy

2)     Vulcan Worlds

3)     Sorceress

4)     Song To The Pharaoh Kings

5)     Al’s Solo

6)     No Mystery

7)     Chick’s Solo

8)     The Romantic Warrior

9)     El Bayo de Negro (Stanley’s Solo)

10)  Lineage (Lenny’s Solo)

11)  The Romantic Warrior continued

 

 

Eagle continues to find material that is about the music and not just flashy packages with all hype and no substance.  Even non-Jazz fans and definitely home theater fans should check this one out.

 

 

The 1080i 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image is very colorful and nicely shot, but the limits of the interlaced format holds back the image throughout, but it is impressive just the same.  The color saves it when the detail is not working out as well as it could.  The anamorphically enhanced DVD is also not bad and color saves it too, but the Blu-ray is certainly better.  The sound is available in three options on each format.  The weakest option in both cases in 2.0 Stereo, Dolby on the DVD, PCM on the Blu-ray.  That leaves 5.1 options.  The Blu-ray has DTS-HD Master Audio (MA) lossless and weaker Dolby Digital 5.1, also on the DVD.  The DVD also has regular DTS and in both cases, the DTS is better, but all four mixes have this odd issue where too much bass is in the surrounds, ruining an otherwise decent soundfield and soundmix.

 

Extras include five bonus tracks taped in Florida, including Lineage (Lenny’s Solo), Al’s Solo, Friendship (Chick’s Solo), El Bayo de Negro (Stanley’s Solo) and Duel Of The Jester & The Tyrant.  For more on Al Di Meola, start with this third of three previous reviews we have done so far and follow the links:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/5812/Super+Guitar+Trio:+Larry+Coryell/Al

 

 

For more on Corea, try these links:

 

Interaction with Gary Burton

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/1906/Chick+Corea/Gary+Burton+-+Interact

 

Akoustic Band

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/2883/Chick+Corea+-+Akoustic+Band+(DVD

 

Live At Montreux 1997 with Gary Burton

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3884/Chick+Corea+&+Gary+Burton

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo