Return to Forever Live Complete Concert

[tranemonk]

I was listening to WBGO this morning and a live version of "Spain" was playing. I remembered how much I liked RTF and I'm trying to understand something. I went back into my digital collection (a f'ing mess that I have to get better organized) and found a 3cd version of this set.

I also did some digging and there's a 2cd version.

https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-complete-concert-mw0000279016

I also saw a reference to the 3cd version here....

https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-complete-columbia-albums-collection-mw0002254159

which says in part...

"The last three discs in this collection are made up of Return to Forever's Live: The Complete Concert, with the same basic lineup as Musicmagic. This live album had a checkered release history in the United States. It initially appeared as a single LP simply called Live -- single because it had been edited down from the two-and-a-half-hour concert. Two years later, in 1979, it was issued as a four-album set, unedited. On compact disc, it first appeared as a two-disc set that deleted all of the spoken intros and dialogue, and featured the LP-edited versions of "The Musician" and "So Long Mickey Mouse." In Japan, the complete concert was released as a triple-disc set, and it is that version which appears here. For this reason alone, it may be worth the entire purchase price for Return to Forever's America and European fans who didn't set out the big money for the Japanese version."

Which one is the most accurate? Which one has better sound? I'm so confused. I'm trying to track down the best, most complete version (if that's not the one I have)... Thanks.

I'm thinking that these have mediocre sound at best.

[felser]

You want the 3-CD version then.

I would guess this is the best sounding version of it:     https://www.discogs.com/release/3701094-Return-To-Forever-Live-The-Complete-Concert-3-Record-Set

I have the 3 discs in the great Complete Albums Collection box:  https://www.discogs.com/release/4732138-Return-To-Forever-The-Complete-Columbia-Albums-Collection

[Gheorghe]

I think I´m listening more to RTF know than back in those days. 
Though my main love was the music just before the 70´s , I had the logical link to electric jazz of the 70´s , mostly electric Miles, but also Hancock´s Headhunters and to a lesser amount RTF. 
I think one of my buddies was an almost fanatic fan of RTF and pulled my coat to some of his stuff, "Where have I known You before" and "Romantic Warrior". 
But I still regret I missed a Chick Corea tour somewhere around 77 or 78, but I think it was RTF somehow augmented with other great musicians, above all my favourite Dave Liebman. 

Is this RTF live from the late 70´s featuring Dave Liebman ? 

[tranemonk]

I'd love to track down a good copy of the 3cd set for a better price than discogs. The digital version is avaiable on itunes.

[Gheorghe]

On 2/4/2023 at 8:11 PM, tranemonk said:

I'd love to track down a good copy of the 3cd set for a better price than discogs. The digital version is avaiable on itunes.

referring to my question from Saturday: Is this the live concert with Dave Liebman added to RTF ? 

[Daniel A]

3 hours ago, Gheorghe said:

referring to my question from Saturday: Is this the live concert with Dave Liebman added to RTF ? 

Several musicians added, but not Liebman. Joe Farrell is on saxophone. Follow felser's first link above for discographical data.

[Gheorghe]

37 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Several musicians added, but not Liebman. Joe Farrell is on saxophone. Follow felser's first link above for discographical data.

Thank you, so I think this must have been earlier.

I never saw a record or a video from that World Tour 1978, which featured Dave Liebman. He himself referres to that tour in his autobiography "What it is".