Recorded on February 2 - 3, 1972
This was an easy one. Return to Forever is one of my "desert-island" discs, and I knew it would be part of this survey from the very beginning.
This short-lived first incarnation of Corea's first Return to Forever band -- with Airto, Flora, Joe Farrell, and Stanley Clarke -- only made two LPs: this eponymous 1972 album for ECM (which wasn't released in the U.S. until 1975) and Light as a Feather (Polydor, 1973). Later Return to Forever line-ups were more well-known and sold more records. But, from this listener's perspective, none of them soared as high as the first RTF group.
Two things set this first group apart. Instead of combining jazz with rock, this first group blends Brazilian (and other Latin elements) with jazz. Obviously, the contributions from the Brazilians Airto Moreira and Flora Purim were absolutely central to the group's sound. The other piece of the puzzle is Joe Farrell. Later RTF groups featured guitarists (Bill Connors, Al DiMeola), but a Farrell's sax and (especially) flute are key features of this group's sound.
There's something about this RTF band that I've never heard elsewhere. They put together disparate elements in a unique way. The music has a simplicity that's innocent and child-like -- but at the same time the music is complex and driving and unusual, particularly from a rhythmic point of view. The same seemingly paradoxical qualities could be used to describe Flora Purim's voice, which soars from the simple to the strange, from innocence to sensuousness, from very refined to very raw.
Lastly, it's impossible to discuss this music without mentioning Chick Corea -- both as a musician and as a composer. He's such a master of the Fender Rhodes electric piano! I can't think of any artist who uses it to such expressive ends. And it's no surprise that he's regarded as one of the finest composers of his generation. Just listen to the compositions on this album -- not to mention "Spain", "500 Miles High", "Windows," and so many others.
More Chick Corea
Light as a Feather is almost as good as their ECM debut. I'd also recommend Chick's two solo-piano albums for ECM: Piano Improvisations, Vol. 1 (1971) and Piano Improvisations, Vol. 2 (1972).
I'll be re-visiting Corea as a co-leader later in the survey.
Scott really nails the reasons for having this great record as a favorite. It is one of mine as well, but I dig the explanation he provides. "RTF" edges out "Light as a Feather," IMO but they close in quality. Perhaps the ECM production values make "RFT" shine a bit more, or maybe it's the freshness from a first effort from a new band.
ReplyDeleteRegarding later electric versions of the band, I used to groove on "Where Have I Known You Before" which was released in 1974. (I was also deep into "Inner Mounting Flame' by the Mahavishnu Orchestra.) I no longer have those albums in my collection, but "RTF" stays. Now I know why.