Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Return To Forever
Label: Polydor Records
Release: 1972
Rating: 4/5
“Light As a Feather”, the second album from legendary jazz fusion band Return To Forever, continued the sonic direction of the self-titled debut, which is no surprise considering it was recorded by the same lineup just eight months later. In the US it was actually their first album, since the debut only showed up there in 1975. The band’s boss, the legendary keyboardist Chick Corea, once again reigned over his electric piano here, adding some Fender Rhodes on top, while keeping him company on the other instruments were his favorite and most loyal RTF partner in crime, the almost equally legendary bass virtuoso Stanley Clarke, internationally acclaimed vocalist and percussionist Flora Purim, the highly respected saxophonist/flutist Joe Farrell, and cult jazz fusion drummer Airto Moreira, who also left his mark on the first incarnation of Weather Report.
The biggest stylistic difference between “Light As a Feather” and the debut is that the sound here became a notch more accessible to a wider crowd, with noticeably more of Flora’s vocals and even more breezy Latin rhythms, while the improvisations often sit in the “background”. The fact that Stanley Clarke played only acoustic bass guitar on it surely added to the lighter feel of the record. Even though it’s mostly made up of easygoing, instantly catchy numbers, “Light As a Feather” still has plenty of instrumental, especially solo and improvisational, challenges to win over the more demanding music gourmets too. Most of the tracks, except the title piece, which Clarke wrote, were penned by Corea as usual, while the lyrics were once again handled by his Scientology buddy Neville Potter (except on the title track, where the poetry came from Purim).
“You’re Everything” is one of the most beautiful and most romantic RTF classics. By Chick’s own words, it’s even his favorite song with vocals that he ever wrote. It’s an incredibly airy number with gentle opening passages on Chick’s electric piano, soon joined by Flora’s dreamy vocal. This is elegantly backed by a romantic, almost danceable Latin rhythm section that ties the central melody together beautifully. Colorful flute passages pop up along the way too. The only thing that feels a bit out of place is perhaps the short closing vocal improvisation from Flora, but it by no means wrecks the otherwise excellent mood. The title track, “Light As a Feather”, written by Clarke with lyrical help from Purim, does just what its name says, carrying on with the light mood, melodic vocal focus, easy rhythms and elegant electric piano passages. After a gentle intro come a few more energetic sections and some great improvisations between the acoustic bass and electric piano (with excellent solos on electric piano and later on sax and acoustic bass too), which masterfully build up the colorful atmosphere all the way to an incredibly effective vocal finish. This superb composition shows the core strength of the first version of RTF, which could brilliantly blend serene, melodic rhythms with the more complex improvisations typical of any good jazz fusion.
Next up is “Captain Marvel”, at a slightly faster Latin tempo with extensive use of “Caribbean” percussion. Corea and Farrell trade solos and improvised bits the whole time, while Flora’s vocal accompaniment slips in every now and then through the central riff in the background. Another treat for all the jazz fusion fanatics who also dig a Latin flavor. The song title is also the name of an album by the legendary jazz saxophonist Stan Getz, on which this RTF lineup played, as well as the name of two comic book superheroes of the same name who appeared in the releases of America’s two best-known comic publishers, Marvel and DC. “500 Miles High” features Flora’s singing too, but also extensive and complex solos. Farrell’s saxophone solo deserves a special mention here. This composition showcases the excellent improvisational skills of the individual players at length. Contrary to what some believe, Corea stated that the song’s title doesn’t refer to experiences with experimenting with drugs, but to “the soul’s central purpose of rising high into the sky”. “Children’s Song” is a shorter piece with a minimalist melody on keyboards and a rhythm reminiscent of a ticking clock. It’s one of many “Children’s Songs”, shorter and serene pieces that Corea later released as a standalone collection.
To close, there’s the excellent “Spain”, a Chick classic and evergreen jazz standard that captures everything best about the first version of RTF while also offering a glimpse of their future. It’s probably Chick’s best-known composition overall, one that transcends both RTF and his solo career. Here Corea, Clarke and Farrell get to let loose once more with mouthwatering solos that most jazz fusion connoisseurs still lick their lips over today. Flora’s occasional wordless vocal accompaniment fits perfectly between the complex improvisational bits and solo sections. The great rhythmic leaps and Latin vibe come mainly from Moreira’s drums and Farrell’s flute. Occasional handclaps before and after the vocal passages add even more Latin temperament. “Spain” was later recorded in a heap of different versions, but the best-known and most beloved one is still the one from “Light As a Feather”. That version even earned two Grammy nominations, for best instrumental arrangement and best instrumental performance by a group. In 2001, Chick finally won a Grammy for best instrumental composition, for a version of the piece called “Spain for Sextet and Orchestra”.
Even though “Light As a Feather”, much like its predecessor, secured cult status among most fans of electrified jazz fusion soon after its release, it didn’t achieve any noticeable commercial success, and Chick had to finally give up on chasing bigger earnings with the RTF concept of that time. Still, he can be more than happy with this album, which holds some of the best work of his career. The wonderful fusion of dreamy Latin melos in the rhythms and vocals with witty improvisations over individual instrumental masterpieces earns the album a spot in every self-respecting jazz (fusion) collection. At the same time, it’s a triumphant finale to RTF’s early, vocal-crowned era. Soon after the release of “Light As a Feather”, Chick decided on a complete stylistic overhaul of the existing sound, going for a much more energetic approach by bringing in elements typical of rock music, led by electric guitar. The end result was their first jazz rock fusion masterpiece, “Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy” (1973), which instantly made them serious competition for McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra when it came to blazing rock passages with a refined feel for the avant-garde. But more on that in another review.
Lineup
Chick Corea – electric piano, Fender Rhodes
Stanley Clarke – acoustic bass guitar
Joe Farrell – saxophone, flute
Flora Purim – vocals, percussion
Airto Moreira – drums
Production
Chick Corea
Track list
1. You’re Everything (5:11)
2. Light As A Feather (10:57)
3. Captain Marvel (4:53)
4. 500 Miles High (9:07)
5. Children’s Song (2:47)
6. Spain (9:51)
Album length: 43:46
