Return To Forever - After The Cosmic Rain Live w/Bill Connors

[@onourpath]

The sound of the band was never the same after Bill Connors left. Connors was brilliant.

[@angusorvid8840]

They did outstanding stuff with Al, but I prefer Bill to a country mile. His style has the sort of pure fire I hear in McLaughlin and few others. Al is great but it's too much about the technique. I'm not saying Al's not a terrific composer. He is. It's just that his work, especially in the 70s, early 80s, centered around the ultimate denouement of ripping speed. Bill and JMac are much more to my liking. They are the kinds of players I aim to be after almost four decades of string slinging. The hit all the right marks.

[@raulmacias5735]

@@angusorvid8840 I saw Return To Forever featuring Chick Corea on August 18,1974 at Doug Weston's Troubadour in West Hollywood and was deeply disappointed! My late brother Anthony and our girlfriends went to especially see Chick and Bill Connors. When the group took the stage, there was this stocky bespectacled young man on stage on Guitar who turned out to be Al DiMeola. The Jazz Rock Powerhouse Guitarist, with the Pop Star charisma, Bill Connors was no where in sight. I asked my brother, where's Bill Connors? Well, Connors had left the group in April, 1974 and was replaced by Earl Klugh for a tour of America. Eventually, Klugh left and was replaced by Al DiMeola. It is one of my deepest regrets that I never saw Bill Connors on stage with Return To Forever!. I did see Connors in 1985 perform with his combo selections off his solo album "Step It".

[@roccovaselino]

This is the best thing Gadd ever did, IMHO. Holy shit!

[@nasticanasta]

I heard Hymn Of The 7th Galaxy in 1977.. I was blown away. Saw John McLaughlin with Larry Coryell, then Weather report with Jaco, Rittenour, Holdsworth, Clarke/Duke...too many too list

[@mainsblanches8793]

What a line up!!...

[@DJAnthrocide]

This is some of the best Fusion ever. Almost has a Zeuhl feel w/ that bass. Thank you to the men who shared their talents...

[@raulmacias5735]

This version of Return To Forever were much more interesting to listen to than The Mahavishnu Orchestra Like Bill Connors said in an interview, Return To Forever had an aesthetic quality to their music which was reflected in the music of Chick Corea and Stan Clarke! It was a beautiful celebration of life.

[@raulmacias5735]

Bill Connors' Guitar is mixed too low! The following quote by Bill Connors makes me suspect that Connors was overshadowing Corea with an his explosive and otherworldly sounds on Guitar!🎸 Quote by BILL CONNORS ~ "My sound would just pervade. Chick would end up having to take me off the P.A."

[@andym28]

This is so awesome. Such a different vibe to the later stuff with Al.

[@mainsblanches8793]

Thanks for posting this!!...

[@jsamc]

I listen to as much Bill Connors era RTF as possible he matches Carlos Santana's intensity.

[@pgonzo98]

mingo joined santana immediately after leaving RTF..

[@jsamc]

@Nat LOL !! Well i did say intensity.

[@mwanziesaffa3071]

This album kicks....SOMUCHASS! Eye SWEAR, the group was LIGHT YEARS AHEAD of their TIME! My GOD!! We're not WORTHY, We're not WORTHY! Like this was a Mike Myers skit off Saturday Night Live, LOLZ.

[@DJAnthrocide]

Love your passion, man. I feel the same. Stanley and Chick are playing the most honest music here, from their guts...

[@XanAxDdu]

i was also lightnened by this album though only in summer 1993 i was 22, robert fripp was on 1st tour with david sylvian, and tribal tech too, greg howe introspection, in my hands i had RtF, jeff beck blow by blow and wired, we want miles and metheny 80/81. a supernova summer for me. oh and girls too into this for my fortune hehe !

[@Cfchild1]

They eliminated the great 74 show on this channel, was glad to discover another rare Connors iteration of RTF.

[@Allusionary]

The entire band is great-- touched by cosmic fire-- but Bill and Chick are MAD men in this performance! It's a divine madness-- transcendent. It does bring tears to one's eyes.

[@roccovaselino]

I was stunned initially by Bill Connors' insane solo on "Space Circus." Wowzer.

[@davidpaine8747]

I would watch this but I already have the great Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy CD

[@DrMickaelleDougherty]

Absolutely amazing.

[@mainsblanches8793]

You said it!!...

[@raulmacias1311]

I noticed the poster behind the group announcing upcoming gigs have December listed as the month. That's evidence that this lineup was already gigging in November/December,1972 at the Bitter End

[@troyjones2358]

Mingo Lewis on percussion adds a rhythmic dimension to this version that is intriguing.

[@Donbecker5]

I want Steve Gadd and Mingo Lewis back with the band...!

[@doogal1234]

Gadd didn't want to give up being a studio musician for touring, so Lenny came on board and did a great job with them. At least that is the way I heard it.

[@pgonzo98]

me too...

[@angusorvid8840]

Gadd is one of the most recorded drummers of all time. He still plays great. Jay Graydon also got a lot of offers to tour with many big acts and he turned them down because he had such a good thing going as the top session guy in L.A. in the 70s and 80s. When Lukather had a big success with Toto that left a lot more work for Jay. It's not an easy gig to get and it's harder than ever to get steady session work. A lot of it is happening in Nashville. The top players are really in demand there.

[@raulmacias7887]

Return To Forever featuring Chick Corea featured another Drummer named Darryl Brown, after Steve Gadd's departure, who played at least one gig with the band at ~ Ebbets Field House Denver, Colorado on June 4,1973 before Lenny White fulfilled his commitments to Azteca, left, and joined Return To Forever.

[@johnstix7874]

Actually it was Steve's wife who didn't want him to give up the studio work and to be on the road. That's what he told me. I remember he was living in a fur vault at the time. this band would often only play 3 or four songs a set, opening with a full version of "Sometime Ago" from the first RTF album on ECM.

[@troyjones2358]

Awesome baby!!!

[@mainsblanches8793]

Pure acid-jazz!!...

[@midivalmunk8029]

Exactly, Connors was psychedelic as hell

[@matthamilton5122]

this version has me in tears

[@hansdumbf7608]

so you're a bit of an idiot then?

[@raulmacias7887]

It's a celebration of life! This is the "aesthetic" quality Bill Connors loved when he originally joined Return To Forever. When Chick Corea got into the Mini Moog Synthesizer it became more of a Mahavishnu Orchestra thing with dueling solos which Connors disdained. Chick Corea was, in my opinion the greatest exponent of the Fender Rhodes Electric Piano!

[@mainsblanches8793]

Love that sound!!...hard but pure!!...

[@v2vroth]

Great stuff, just wish Bill Connors wasn't such a hermit these days!

[@autoracer1man]

wow,from then to know.this is on the virtu album along with the violinist on the recording.they where as potent then as now!!

[@devermb]

Where the rest of this show? I'd like to hear it.

[@NaturalRythms]

Increíble versión de esta increíble rola

[@mainsblanches8793]

After the "acid" rain!!...

[@raulmacias5735]

I was disappointed with this mix! I think it's great that this rare live track was released but Bill Connors' Guitar is mixed very low in volume! I love Chick but I do believe Connors might have been overshadowing Corea with his explosive sound. There might have been a rivalry. Quote by BILL CONNORS ~ "My sound would just pervade. Chick would end up having to take me off the P.A." Bill Connors fans, please go on to KZbin and listen to an upload of Return To Forever in concert entitled ~ "RETURN TO FOREVER LIVE WITH BILL CONNORS IN MASSACHUSETTS SEPTEMBER 2,1973/BACK TO THE PREVIOUS" in which the group perform an explosive version of "Theme To The Mothership". Bill Connors plays an explosive and otherworldly Guitar solo🎸 that is mind-blowing! Sorry! This has been removed by KZbin! I"m glad I made a copy of it!

[@panchocerdadrummer]

jueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee genios

[@pgonzo98]

backside it was steve and mingo first then lenny bro...

[@bobbaker9048]

Unmm.... everyone forgetting an album called 'Light as a Feather'? Extraordinary drumming....yes TRAPS! by Airto Moreira!

[@trudywretched]

Bill Connors... Is there a Terry Kath quality?

[@leonguisburg413]

I would never compare the two---and both influenced my early guitar playing---and God rest Terry's soul---he would've hung right in there with them that night---with no problem!!!

[@troyjones2358]

Terry Kath was a bad mofo, but did he have a Jazz sensibility?

[@trudywretched]

@@troyjones2358 Nah, you're right. Would be an awkward jam session..

[@raulmacias7887]

I'm still disappointed with the fact that Bill Connors is mixed very low and to the back on this recording. There's no high end on Connors' Guitar sound. I believe there was some friction between Chick And Bill Connors regarding the possibility that Chick might have been concerned that Bill Connors might be overshadowing him. I believe the following quote explains why Connors' volume is muted and Chick's Electric Piano is so bombastic! Quote by BILL CONNORS ~ "My sound would just pervade. Chick would end up having to take me off the P.A."

[@miketaricone2244]

wonders if RTF ever had Alan Holdsworth playing guitar ?

[@Avatar7x7]

Great question !

[@claudiohernandez7451]

Don Bill

[@berrypossum]

@74choppzilla aw hon- all the other guys are going... darn.

[@74choppzilla]

well it was actually the other way around.Steve's Wife would not let him go on tour so got Lenny to replace him

[@raulmacias1311]

Return To Forever fans, one thing that has always annoyed me about this "Live" recording and the other two - "Spain" and "Bass Folk Song" is that Bill Connors Guitar is low in the mix! Chick was known to play very loud! Bill Connors would also play loud so Chick would sometimes take Bill's Guitar off the PA! That would explain why Chick's Electric Piano is so loud in comparison to Bill Connors' Guitar! Quote by BILL CONNORS ~ 'My sound would just pervade. Chick would end up having to take me off the PA."

[@BacksidePL]

I rather think that at this time Lenny simply didn't have time so Corea found someone to replace him for a few shows.

[@raulmacias7887]

Lenny White had commitments to "Coke" Escovedo's Latin/Jazz/Rock/Soul band Azteca.

[@leonguisburg413]

Mingo and Gadd!!!---and of course Connors!!! At the time---other than Larry Coryell---the jazz/rock guitar sound belonged to Connors and McLaughlin I wished Bill was mixed more foward---he destroyed that Paul!!!

[@RichardEllis-p7l]

Gadd way superior to White on this imo.