|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
Special Offers and Product Promotions
- Buy a CD or a vinyl record, get a $1 Amazon MP3 Credit. Limit one promotional credit per customer. Here's how (restrictions apply)
- Includes FREE MP3 version of this album Here's how (restrictions apply)
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Editorial Reviews
CD Digit. Remastered
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
50 of 51 people found the following review helpful
By Tyler Smith
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Corea was at his peak with this '70s release, which brought together his Latin-flavored compositions and writing for singer Flora Purim with his liquid electric piano, Airto's varied gifts on percussion, and the late great Joe Farrell's facility on flute and sax.
One of the approaches to jazz that has unfortunately seemed to pass by the boards is what I'll call extended comp/improv, a blend of formal composition, passages for improvisation and sections that allow for free group interaction. Sonny Rollins and Max Roach were modernists who plowed early ground in this area, and they were followed by, among others, McCoy Tyner, John Handy, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Jack DeJonette, and of course, the master of the form, Charles Mingus. Corea makes a fine contribution to the informal canon with "Sometime Ago/La Fiesta," a hypnotic 23-minute excursion.
For the extended comp/improv to work, all the musicians have to be headed in the same direction without ever losing the sense that there are many paths toward the same goal. "Sometime Ago/La Fiesta" illustrates the beauty of this ideal. Corea, Farrell, and bassist Stanley Clarke all prove their mettle in long, lyrical passages in which they both play and respond to one another. Farrell is particularly inspired on flute and soprano sax, but Clarke will startle you as well with the sounds he gets from his bass.
The rest of the CD? Fine as well, although you might find Purim's vocals an acquired taste. For me, a little generally goes a long way, but on this CD, her voice is tightly interwoven into the compositions and is an asset rather than a distraction.
Those who think of Return to Forever as a rock band will find this record a surprise -- one way or the other. For me, it's vastly superior to the fusion records Corea turned out later in the '70s.
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
"Return to Forever" is a marvelous album that stands in a genre all its own. Chick Corea has unassailable jazz credentials with his work in Miles' Davis experiments and his fine trio work with Roy Haynes and Miroslav Vitous. Return to Forever is a lyrical album that has beautiful melodies and strong improvisation from Joe Farrell while tastefully melding the Brazilian influences of Flora Purim and Airto Moreira. For me, it's the Brazilian influences that make this such a resounding album. Airto's samba patterns and percussive work on "Return to Forever" and "Sometime Ago" are wonderful. Joe Farrell provides some marvelous flute work on "What Game Shall We Play Today". "What Game" is a very infectious melody that you'll want to play over and over again. Stanley Clarke's stuff is a little more restrained than some of the more rock influenced stuff Return to Forever eventually went into, but his technical chops are still a vital part of this session. Still "Return to Forever" highlights the best of what Chick Corea has to offer, a willingness to please, tasteful use of texture through the electric piano and music that takes risk while still being melodic and affirming. This is one of the best albums I've purchased in the last couple years.
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
My absolute favorite Chick Corea CDs are _Return To Forever_ and _Light As A Feather_. Both are old classics and both feature Joe Farell, Stanley Clarke. Airto, and Flora Purim. I love the style and the mood of these two albums. I think Chick had something special going on with the Latin concept and the artists of these two CDs. He later diverged with a fantasy concept group called, Return To Forever (nothing to do with this CD), a big mistake in my opinion. Getting back to this CD, the title track, "Return To Forever", is a great composition with phenomenal work by Stanley Clarke and Chick. Flora's surreal vocals and Airto's percussion are a nice touch. "Crystal Silence" is a wonderfully quiet piece with Chick, Joe, and Airto breaking the silence. "What Game Shall We Play Today" is classic Flora Purim. Her performance on this track reminds me of another joyful Purim vocal, "Mountain Train", from her best CD, _Stories To Tell_. "Sometime Ago - La Fiesta", with it's long long intro by Stan, Joe and Chic, and later, Flora's vocals, is a masterpiece. You need to listen to several times to fully appreciate its brilliance. Return To Forever has a unique mood and style that reminds one of innocent jazz musicians, like children, simply having fun playing together. It belongs on every jazz aficionado's shelf.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
awesome
This was a gift and was and it was very very much appreciated by the person who received the CD
Published 2 months ago by K
5.0 out of 5 stars
should be in every serious jazz aficionado's collection
I am an acoustic jazz fan, and frequently find jazz/ fusion of the 70's pretty ho-hum once you get past Weather Report's "Birdland. Read more
Published 8 months ago by thunder road
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love Chick Corea and Flora Purim Together
I used to listen to What Game Shall We Play Today back in 1977. I never knew the name of the song or the amazing singer with the latin accent. Read more
Published 20 months ago by R. Jacobson
5.0 out of 5 stars
A True Classic...
It had been a good 25 years since I last heard this album in it's entirety, and how I let this happen is beyond comprehension. Read more
Published on March 21, 2011 by Ken R
4.0 out of 5 stars
excellent and a half
Fusion is one of those words a lot of people bristle hearing: I am one--I love early electric Miles and progressive rock, but groups with that fusion tag make me take my fingers... Read more
Published on April 14, 2010 by Bill Your 'Free Form FM Print DJ
1.0 out of 5 stars
I am disappointed
I am a classical music lover.
From view of the classical music fan, I think that present jazz is sluggish. Read more
From view of the classical music fan, I think that present jazz is sluggish. Read more
Published on October 11, 2009 by K. MIURA
5.0 out of 5 stars
truly a beautiful album
i probably have had all rtf fusion albums for 20 years, but i had never heard this ecm album [ friends of mine did not recomend it, they said it was to light weight. Read more
Published on August 18, 2008 by JR Ewing
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic
a product of the jazz fusion era that became an instant hit and over time a classic. can't get much better than that, should not be missed in any serious jazz archive.
Published on March 28, 2008 by gergilein
5.0 out of 5 stars
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... Read more
Published on February 8, 2008 by B. E Jackson
4.0 out of 5 stars
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. Read more
Published on January 25, 2008 by Trevor Nash
Listmania!
So You'd Like to...
|
|
