Always tied to a confusing fourth dimension line, the firstly released recording from the original 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, as well as Flora Purim. There's no bespeak splitting hairs, every bit both are five-star albums, showcasing many of the keyboardist's long enduring, directly recognizable, as well as highly melodic compositions. Farrell's happy flute, Purim's in-the-clouds wordless vocals, the electrifying percussion of Airto, as well as Clarke's deft as well as loping electrical bass guitar lines are all wrapped inwards a stew of Brazilian samba as well as Corea's Fender Rhodes electrical piano, certainly setting a tone as well as the highest bar for the music of peer groups to follow.
"Captain Marvel" -- the seed for the band sans Farrell as well as 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 move Purim's signature vocal with Neville Potter's lyrics as well as Corea's stabbing chords, as well as unfortunately became a hippie drug anthem. Perhaps Corea's definitive vocal of all time, as well as covered cry infinitum past times professional person as well as schoolhouse bands, "Spain" retains the quirky melody, handclapped interlude, up-and-down dynamics, exciting jam section, as well as variation inwards time, tempo, as well as colorations that ever ascendance involvement despite a running fourth dimension of close 10 minutes. "You're Everything" is a romantic classic that sure as shooting has been heard at many weddings, with about other lyric past times Potter sung inwards sky past times Purim, piece the championship rail is Purim's lyric inwards a looser musical framework with Clarke's nautical chart coalescing with Corea as well as Farrell's pungent flute work. As much every bit the others lead maintain move icons, the extraordinary audio of Farrell on this appointment should never live on trivialized or underestimated. The finally track, "Children's Song," was a springboard for several of Corea's full-length album projects, as well as is heard hither for the firstly fourth dimension via a trio setting inwards a slow, birthlike motif.
The expanded version of this recording includes many alternate takes of iv of these selections, simply besides includes "Matrix," which was non on whatsoever RTF albums, as well as at that topographic point are iv versions of "What Game Shall We Play Today?," which was solely available on the ECM release. From a historical perspective, this is the most of import essay of Corea's career, quite dissimilar than his prior previous progressive or improvising efforts, as well as the pivotal commencement of his career every bit the most pop contemporary jazz keyboardist inwards history.
The mode of the music remains generally the same every bit the firstly 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 firstly song, "You're Everything", was written past times Corea. He has said that it's alongside his favorite of the vocals songs he has written. The vocal begins with Flora Purim singing slowly. The solo is past times Joe Farrell on flute. The 2nd rail is Stanley Clarke's firstly major composition as well as the solely rail on the album non written past times Corea.
"Captain Marvel" is a fast Latin slice that provided the bespeak Stan Getz's album released inwards the same year. Airto Moreira plays percussion as well as Purim sings without words during the song's master copy 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 simply to a "spirit flight high". The rail is followed past times "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, as well as 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 firstly record, Return to Forever, wasn’t released inwards the U.S.A. of America until 1975, many lead maintain mistakenly believed Light every bit a Feather was the band’s debut effort. The firstly incarnation of the grouping was a Latin-leaning, generally acoustic jazz ensemble. The Return to Forever of 1972 was a non bad band. “Light every bit a Feather” is purported to live on Stanley Clarke’s firstly major composing effort. The guy didn’t intend small. Though much of the tune is an impressive exposition of Corea, Clarke, as well as 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 commencement as well as the end. Purim possesses 1 of the purest voices inwards jazz. Her lyrics are sung, around spoken, inwards fourth dimension with each syllable of music. It is a wonderful display of artistry. Percussionist Airto, Purim’s husband, was besides a large business office of the track’s success. “Light every bit a Feather” knocks you lot over with a plume from introduction to coda.
It is likely security to say that when most jazz fusion fans intend of Return to Forever they concentrate on the most commercially successful of the group’s line-ups which featured founders Chick Corea as well as Stanley Clarke as well as guitarist Al Di Meola along with drummer Lenny White. But at that topographic point 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 firstly Return to Forever band performed generally acoustic Latin jazz. This grouping besides consisted of the wonderful vocalist Flora Purim, tenor saxophone thespian as well as flute thespian Joe Farrell as well as the amazing percussionist Airto Moreira. Light every bit a Feather trended to a greater extent than to jazz than stone simply the seeds for a burgeoning fusion movement were generously spread. The tunes on the album were to a greater extent than lighthearted as well as melodious than would live on the example 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, as well as the at nowadays measure “Spain” are business office of the bedrock of Return to Forever’s jazz fusion foundation. The band would non fully crossover into the rock-based basis until they added electrical guitarist Bill Connors as well as thus fifty-fifty to a greater extent than thus later on when Di Meola replaced Connors. But you lot tin listen the roots of transformation inwards the wonderful melodies as well as top-notch musicianship establish on Light every bit a Feather.
Light every bit a Feather won the 1972 Playboy Jazz Album of the yr as well as has been selected past times many magazines as well as 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 as well as the Stereophile listing of "Records to Die For." It is besides featured inwards Tom Moon's 1,000 Albums to Hear Before You Die.
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Track listing:
All tracks written past times 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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