Always tied to a confusing fourth dimension line, the foremost released recording from the master copy configuration of Return to Forever was genuinely their 2nd session. An initial studio appointment from the ECM label done inwards Feb of 1972 wasn't issued until after the band had changed inwards 1975.
The Polydor/Verve recording from Oct of 1972 is indeed this 1973 release, featuring the same band with Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Airto Moreira, Joe Farrell, too Flora Purim. There's no necessitate splitting hairs, every bit both are five-star albums, showcasing many of the keyboardist's long enduring, straightaway recognizable, too highly melodic compositions. Farrell's happy flute, Purim's in-the-clouds wordless vocals, the electrifying percussion of Airto, too Clarke's deft too loping electrical bass guitar lines are all wrapped inwards a stew of Brazilian samba too Corea's Fender Rhodes electrical piano, certainly setting a tone too the highest bar for the music of peer groups to follow.
"Captain Marvel" -- the seed for the band sans Farrell too Purim that was expanded into a amount concept album with Stan Getz -- is hither every bit a steamy fusion samba with Corea dancing on the keys. By at nowadays the beautiful "500 Miles High" has locomote Purim's signature vocal with Neville Potter's lyrics too Corea's stabbing chords, too unfortunately became a hippie drug anthem. Perhaps Corea's definitive vocal of all time, too covered advertizement infinitum yesteryear professional person too schoolhouse bands, "Spain" retains the quirky melody, handclapped interlude, up-and-down dynamics, exciting jam section, too variation inwards time, tempo, too colorations that ever ascendancy involvement despite a running fourth dimension of close 10 minutes. "You're Everything" is a romantic classic that for certain has been heard at many weddings, with approximately other lyric yesteryear Potter sung inwards sky yesteryear Purim, spell the championship rails is Purim's lyric inwards a looser musical framework with Clarke's chart coalescing with Corea too Farrell's pungent flute work. As much every bit the others receive got locomote icons, the extraordinary audio of Farrell on this appointment should never locomote trivialized or underestimated. The concluding track, "Children's Song," was a springboard for several of Corea's full-length album projects, too is heard hither for the foremost fourth dimension via a trio setting inwards a slow, birthlike motif.
The expanded version of this recording includes many alternate takes of 4 of these selections, exactly likewise includes "Matrix," which was non on whatever RTF albums, too in that location are 4 versions of "What Game Shall We Play Today?," which was exclusively available on the ECM release. From a historical perspective, this is the most of import endeavor of Corea's career, quite dissimilar than his prior previous progressive or improvising efforts, too the pivotal kickoff of his career every bit the most pop contemporary jazz keyboardist inwards history.
The manner of the music remains generally the same every bit the foremost album, though vocals were given a larger role. Corea produced the album for Polydor Records. Stanley Clarke played double bass, though for most of his career he has played bass guitar.
The foremost song, "You're Everything", was written yesteryear Corea. He has said that it's with his favorite of the vocals songs he has written. The vocal begins with Flora Purim singing slowly. The solo is yesteryear Joe Farrell on flute. The 2nd rails is Stanley Clarke's foremost major composition too the exclusively rails on the album non written yesteryear Corea.
"Captain Marvel" is a fast Latin slice that provided the quest Stan Getz's album released inwards the same year. Airto Moreira plays percussion too Purim sings without words during the song's principal riff.
The B-side begins with a vocal called "500 Miles High". Corea has stated that the championship of the vocal does non refer to drug sense exactly to a "spirit flight high". The rails is followed yesteryear "Children's Song", 1 of many "Children's Songs" Corea has written. They are all brusk pieces with minimalistic melody. The percussion plays a tick-tock that resembles a clock.
The album ends with "Spain", which was inspired by, too whose introduction was taken from, JoaquÃn Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez.
Light every bit a Feather was Return to Forever’s 2nd album. Because the foremost record, Return to Forever, wasn’t released inwards the States of America until 1975, many receive got mistakenly believed Light every bit a Feather was the band’s debut effort. The foremost incarnation of the grouping was a Latin-leaning, generally acoustic jazz ensemble. The Return to Forever of 1972 was a groovy band. “Light every bit a Feather” is purported to locomote Stanley Clarke’s foremost major composing effort. The guy didn’t mean value small. Though much of the tune is an impressive exposition of Corea, Clarke, too Joe Farrell soloing over changes, the tune is gorgeous. It didn’t wound that 1 of the most distinctive jazz singers of her day, Flora Purim, was singing or that she wrote the edifying lyrics heard at the kickoff too the end. Purim possesses 1 of the purest voices inwards jazz. Her lyrics are sung, nigh spoken, inwards fourth dimension with each syllable of music. It is a wonderful display of artistry. Percussionist Airto, Purim’s husband, was likewise a large part of the track’s success. “Light every bit a Feather” knocks yous over with a plume from introduction to coda.
It is likely condom to say that when most jazz fusion fans mean value of Return to Forever they concentrate on the most commercially successful of the group’s line-ups which featured founders Chick Corea too Stanley Clarke too guitarist Al Di Meola along with drummer Lenny White. But in that location was a whole RTF history earlier that version of the grouping was position together. All music is built upon music that came earlier it. Though Corea played electrical piano, the foremost Return to Forever band performed generally acoustic Latin jazz. This grouping likewise consisted of the wonderful vocalist Flora Purim, tenor saxophone actor too flute actor Joe Farrell too the amazing percussionist Airto Moreira. Light every bit a Feather trended to a greater extent than to jazz than stone exactly the seeds for a burgeoning fusion displace were generously spread. The tunes on the album were to a greater extent than lighthearted too melodious than would locomote the illustration after Return to Forever decided to stone out on subsequent albums. Songs similar the crowd-pleasing “500 Miles High,” with its sweetly ethereal Purim vocals, too the at nowadays criterion “Spain” are part of the bedrock of Return to Forever’s jazz fusion foundation. The band would non fully crossover into the rock-based earth until they added electrical guitarist Bill Connors too and thus fifty-fifty to a greater extent than thus after when Di Meola replaced Connors. But yous tin listen the roots of transformation inwards the wonderful melodies too top-notch musicianship constitute on Light every bit a Feather.
Light every bit a Feather won the 1972 Playboy Jazz Album of the yr too has been selected yesteryear many magazines too polls every bit 1 of the greatest jazz albums ever recorded. For many years this album has been listed on The Absolute Sound super disc listing too the Stereophile listing of "Records to Die For." It is likewise featured inwards Tom Moon's 1,000 Albums to Hear Before You Die.
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Track listing:
All tracks written yesteryear Chick Corea except where noted.
1. "You're Everything" (Corea/Neville Potter) 5:11
2. "Light every bit a Feather" (Clarke/Purim) 10:57
3. "Captain Marvel" 4:53
4. "500 Miles High" (Corea/Potter) 9:07
5. "Children's Song" 2:47
6. "Spain" (Corea/JoaquÃn Rodrigo) 9:51
Personnel:
Chick Corea – electrical piano
Stanley Clarke – double bass
Joe Farrell – tenor saxophone, flute
Airto Moreira – drums
Flora Purim – vocals, percussion
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