Return to Forever’s “The Complete Columbia Albums Collection” is a comprehensive 5-CD box set released on June 12, 2012, by Columbia Records. It showcases the band's influential mid-to-late-1970s era, a period marked by their evolution from jazz fusion to more expansive symphonic and vocal arrangements. It captures Return to Forever's dynamic range and innovation during their Columbia Records tenure.
From the intricate compositions of “Romantic Warrior” (1976) and “Musicmagic” (1977) to the expansive live performances in “Live: The Complete Concert” (1978), the box set offers a deep dive into the band's evolution and their contributions to the jazz fusion genre.
The Live album spans three discs and captures the full 1977 performance at New York City's Palladium Theatre, the only time with the lineup of Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Joe Farrell, Gayle Moran, and a six-piece horn section. Each CD in this boxset is housed in a mini-LP replica sleeve, faithfully reproducing the original album artwork.
The box set also includes a comprehensive 28 page booklet with detailed liner notes by Grammy-winning producer Bob Belden, rare in-studio photographs, and full discographical information.