Chick Corea - Return to Forever

The soul of fusion lies not in the barrage of note clusters played through overdriven amplifiers but in the arresting beauty of Return to Forever's lucid vision of music without boundaries. The stunningly virtuosic pianist Chick Corea had already gone through an exploration of free jazz with Circle, tutelage in the Miles Davis Academy of New Electric Music and the soul-searching of "Piano Improvisations" when he arrived at his most brilliant conception. Corea and bassist Stanley Clarke fly through the proceedings, supporting Joe Farrell's flute and soprano sax playing in what may have been the performance of his life. Flora Purim's vocals and Airto Moreira's drums and percussion work discretely in service of the music's serenity. --John Swenson Amazon.com essential recording

Lovely

My first listen of Return To Forever really soured my outtake on jazz fusion. About two months ago, I gave Romantic Warrior a listen because I saw a great bass cover online. But when giving a listen, I found the parts he made enjoyable (the bass lines) not to be the focus. Instead, this piano was so liquid and overpowering, cheesy, so damn artificial, it really hurt it. It is akin to drowning in water, and drowning in water takes away life. Thankfully, I recently gave this a listen, and jazz fusion is a lot better than I thought it would be. Though I am a newbie. Heck, this is my second jazz fusion listen.

Return to Forever take all the bliss, and beauty that PBS has (without any of the boredom) with a crisp, refreshing splash of a piano, jazzy drumming, and more. The cover seems to be quite appropriate, and there is some latin in it, painting pictures of a lot (for some reason, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood comes to mind. Hate that show). Not just fodder for comparisons from PBS, either. The bird on the cover represents something. Heck, there is a lot of serene imagery to go with the music. You don't even need to imagine that much. Right when you push play, the cloud (come to think of music, doesn't most music you listen to have some kind of cloud of) is put up, and you get right into the music.

Though there are only four tracks, they all are long, and you will easily sit through them (this one really glides). The title track is a lovely, sweeping peace with a couple of somber interludes that gracefully starts up twice effortlessly. Crystal Silence is serene jazz, with just the right touches of silence paired with crisp, crystal melodies. What Game Shall We Play Today sounds like the theme song to the best PBS show. The next one, the monster 23 minute fourth track, features skyrocketing basses that conjure up birds shooting in the sky, the gliding Sometime Ago, and La Fiesta, the climax flight of this enchanted world. Not a minute wasted.

Though I prefer to let the music consume me (not all the way, just as much as it cares to), those who want to learn to chops on music are in good hands. Chick Corea's keyboard isn't smothering, with gracious breaths of life. Husband and wife Airto Moreira and Flora Purim provide beautiful drums, percussion, and vocals. Stanley Clark rips on the bass, and Joe Farrel, that guy is good. Excellent saxophones and flutes make everything come alive. Best of all, this stuff has emotion and technical ability. So neither one is shortcomed.

Very accessible yet uncompromising jazz fusion. This album offers a bunch for all ages, and all kinds of people.

10/10 June 3, 2008

let it flow and absorb the feelings!

When I first heard this album, I didn't know what to expect. I had trouble getting into it the first few times, because honestly, what most people consider a splendid delicate build up in jazzy musical themes, I thought was just very boring and pointless noodling.

However, I was wrong.

I now consider all that "pointless noodling" some very fine instrumental playing. Inexperience can really change things (for the worse) when it comes to music, and I had to find out the hard way just what it's like to miss out on some sophisticated musical themes.

This album has a frighteningly empty and quiet winter theme throughout the entire thing. It's especially evident on the title song. Wow, those chilly vocals and quiet atmospheric bits! It's like being lost somewhere in Antarctica!

"What Game Shall We Play Today" stands apart from the rest of the album since it's a short and happy pop song, similar to Paul Simon's "See Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard".

"Sometime Ago" is just a MONSTER build-up in musical themes and atmospheric passages. At first it seems like the first half of the 23-minute track is just pointless jamming, while the second half is the meat and potatoes of the album. But you know, with repeated listens, it's revealed the entire thing works together well. For me to believe this song WASN'T a masterpiece the first time I heard it just went to show how inexperienced I was with this kind of music. It most certainly is a brilliant composition.

Worth owning! February 8, 2008

Start of a new era

A little softer than I expected, more pastoral, and very pleasant. A superb preface to a new era of fusion at the time. A great band with lots ahead of them, this recording shows a broad spectrum of their talents. January 26, 2008

Great mood jazz

Chick Corea at his best in my view. Simple yet complex, this is a wonderful relaxing album. If you buy only one Chick Corea CD, get this one. October 19, 2007

Before Chick Ruined Fusion

Yo, Chick! Yanni called - he said thanks for the how-to manual. Like how to make overwrought bombast. Check out any "Elektric Band" offering and hear for yourselves.

However, RTF is almost beautiful: graceful, passionate yet trippy. Thank goodness for Stanley Clarke, Joe Farrell & Airto. Their masterful restraint, their willingness to let the music breathe, saves the album. Seriously, was Chick having an affair with Flora Purim, or did he lose a bet? Having her "sing" on this smells of blackmail material. June 5, 2007

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