Album of the day - Chick Corea (Return To Forever)

[BlueHammer85]

Return to Forever is a jazz fusion album by Chick Corea, simultaneously functioning as the debut album by the band of the same name. Unlike later albums by the group, it was released by the ECM label and produced by Manfred Eicher. The album was not released in the USA until 1975. The record is often considered one of the classic albums in electric jazz.


1. Return To Forever
2. Crystal Silence
3. What Game Shall We Play Today
4. Sometime Ago / La Fiesta


Review 198

Something different and more for the Jazz fans, a genre of music i'm not familiar with - Chick Corea a former member of the Miles Davies Band is clearly talented in this field and whilst mainly piano based he plays a variety of instruments - the music on here ranges from mellow to intense rhythm with a twinge of Latin vibe throughout, there is some moments when it is really chilled with some lovely use of saxophone shown on 'Crystal Silence' - a great album if you are a fan of Jazz fusion.

5.7/10

 

[Barcon]

Never heard of her.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Never heard of her.

him

 

[Barcon]

him

I thought it was a chick.

 

[Mike N]

Wow, one of my all time favourites! Classic album.

 

[somapop]

Saw him solo piano at the Royal Festival Hall over 20 years ago...I'm not sure how I feel about the music today...it's technically perfect music performance and chick sure can play (as can anyone associated with him). Might go back and listen to some now you've mentioned it. Really got into Squarepusher a few years after listening to Chick Corea's later stuff - john patitucci and jaco pastorius (not the legless murderiser) influences no doubt.

 

[Bluemanc100]

I’ll give this a listen .. my favourite from him was Lightyears but there’s always room in my life for more music

 

[BlueHammer85]

Awesome. Didn’t think anyone would know of him.

 

[Bill Walker]

Awesome. Didn’t think anyone would know of him.

My kind of music, very much so, in fact there isnt a Chick Corea album I would chose more than this.
My music, that I most listen to is Jazz Fusion, and this is a classic of the genre, along with many others like Bitches Brew (Miles Davis) or the many Weather Report albums.
As you say he'd played on Miles Davis albums so his technical brilliance is unquestionable. “Return to Forever” was Chick’s first fusion recording as band leader. Corea’s albums as leader prior to this were definitely shaking up the jazz world, whether he was making cutting edge post bop tracks with Roy Haynes, or avant-garde excursions with Anthony Braxton, Chick was definitely a pianist to watch in the early 70s.
The lengthy multi-sectioned songs on here, as well as Flora Purim’s exotic wordless vocals and a good dose of spacey reverb give “Return” a definite art rock flavor, but the long-line virtuoso solos from Chick, and everyone else, are brought about by these musician’s well trained background in jazz. All of the tracks on here are excellent, but title track, “Return to Forever” and side two’s lengthy “Sometime Ago-La Fiesta” stand out in the way that the whole band comes together for some very intense interplay driven by Corea’s montuno rhythmic figures. (Latin Jazz)

 

[Mike N]

Flora had a cracking voice.