The legendary first lineup of Chick Corea's fusion band Return to Forever
debuted on this classic album (titled after the group but credited to
Corea), featuring Joe Farrell on soprano sax and flute, the Brazilian
team of vocalist Flora Purim and drummer/percussionist Airto Moreira,
and electric bass whiz Stanley Clarke. It wasn't actually released in
the U.S. until 1975, which was why the group's second album, Light as
a Feather, initially made the Return to Forever name. Nonetheless, Return
to Forever is every bit as classic, using a similar blend of spacy electric-piano
fusion and Brazilian and Latin rhythms. It's all very warm, light, and
airy, like a soft breeze on a tropical beach -- hardly the sort of firebrand
approach to fusion that Miles Davis, Tony Williams, and the Mahavishnu
Orchestra were exploring, and far less rooted in funk or rock. Corea also
bathes the album in an undertone of trippy mysticism, not only in the
(admittedly dated) lyrics, but in his cosmic keyboard wanderings, which
remain melodic and accessible through most of the record. There's one
genuine pop song in the groovy samba "What Game Shall We Play Today,"
and while "Sometime Ago" has similar elements, it's part of
an ambitious side-long medley that features a stream-of-consciousness
intro and a jubilant, Spanish/Mexican-style closing section called "La
Fiesta," complete with castanets and flamenco modes. The title track
is another multi-sectioned work, featuring Corea and Purim in wordless
unison on two different, catchy themes, plus breezy work from Farrell
and lots of Brazilian-flavored rhythmic interplay. And the dreamy, meditative
"Crystal Silence" is an underrated gem waiting to be rediscovered.
Certainly, this edition of Return to Forever wasn't inclined toward high-voltage
jazz-rock (as the next one was), but this group's two albums still stand
as some of the most imaginative and distinctive early fusion recordings.
(by Steve Huey, All
Music Guide)
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