Return to Forever

Amazon.com essential recording
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

Return to Forever,Chick Corea,Ecm Records,Fusion,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop,United States of America

Average customer rating: Chick, Al, Lenny, & Stanley, PLEASE Return To Forever !!! Return to Forever A great buy for any lover of this band The Knights-errant Of The Fusion Sound Fusion meltdown

Romantic Warrior Return to Forever Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: No Mystery Where Have I Known You Before Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy Elegant Gypsy Birds of Fire ASIN: B00004HYLF Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

1. Medieval Overture
2. Sorceress
3. The Romantic Warrior
4. Majestic Dance
5. The Magician
6. Duel Of The Jester And The Tyrant (Part I & Part II)

Amazon.com

Originally released in 1976, Return To Forever's Romantic Warrior could be described as the high-water mark of jazz fusion's commercial popularity, reaching a spot on the Billboard charts and garnering the group a fanatical following of fans attracted to the band's technical prowess and bombast. Released on the heels of the breakup of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Romantic Warrior still sounds like a standard-bearer for jazz fusion, full of flashy solos and complicated arrangements that seem like collages of different moods, meters, and tempos. The album is much closer to the progressive rock of Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, or King Crimson than anything from the jazz realm. Return to Forever's rhythm team of bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White, who gives the group a subtly funkier sound than most of their contemporaries. Still, it's pianist Chick Corea, using a veritable arsenal of keyboards and effects, and guitarist Al DiMeola, only 21 at the time of this recording, who define Romantic Warrior as a fusion landmark. This reissued edition comes with improved sound and a brief reminiscence by Corea in the liner notes. --Ezra Gale

Customer Reviews:

Chick, Al, Lenny, & Stanley, PLEASE Return To Forever !!!.......2007-06-08

What can I say to do justice to this masterpiece of an album.

The previous reviews go deep into each songs so I want to share what is was like to have discovered this music in my High School years. I wore out my vinyl, then my cassette tape, and my last CD copy of this insane album. And to think that Al Di Meola was just 21 at the time...

I had the pleasure to see them at Universal Amphitheatre in North Hollywood (now called Gibson Amphitheatre) when I was in High School. Although a bit past my time, I was lucky enough to find older friends into RTF and other great music of the 70's explosion of incredible musicians and collaborations.

Bunch of us saved up some money for the tickets (among other mind enhancing materials) and managed to get good seats, in front of Lenny White, who oddly set up his batteries to the left of the stage.

I'm a guitarist primarily so I was interested in seeing Al doing his demonic leads but ended up mesmerized by Lenny White's endless rolls and phase-effected drum sound. These guys were so adept at their instruments, I can see the creativity just oozing out of them as they improvised through the evening, featuring most of the Romantic Warrior album and some of their previous hits, with full command of their instruments and facial expressions.

The concert was so influential for me that I had gone head-long into the world of Jazz Fusion and my guitar playing also changed direction from Robert Fripp / Eno to the world of Jaco, Al, John "Mahavishnu", Allan Holdsworth, & Gambale.

There are only few vinyl albums I've worn out over the years and this is one of them. It is truely one of the best Chick Corea albums of all time.

It still sounds fresh and causes me to start air drumming in my car, despite the funny looks from the other cars.

Enjoy !

Return to Forever.......2007-05-14

My husband LOVES this album and didn't think it existed on CD anywhere. He was SSOO happy to get it. We both are Chick Corea fans.

A great buy for any lover of this band.......2007-03-28

A great buy for any lover of this band

The Knights-errant Of The Fusion Sound.......2007-02-19

Not only is this 1976 release one of the defining studio albums in fusion, the album art was produced during the heady times of the music industry when the visual appeal through beautiful paintings also took center stage.

Chick Corea (k) shows the influences from Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman, without the overbearing pretentiousness that plagued the dynamic duo during the height of their careers. Al DiMeola (g) is only 21 years old at the time of the session and the rhythm section can't get much better with Stanley Clarke (b) & Lenny White (d).

Corea leads the group with some of his best work on Medieval Overture, with DiMeola showing amazing technical prowess during Sorceress. The title track sets the foundation for the best cut, the Yes-inspired Majestic Dance. The band performs some quiky tricks in The Magician and The Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant (Part I and Part II) - a great example of an arty 1970s song title - allows Clarke & White to get down with a funky sound.

Corea learned his musical lessons well as a member of several groups that Miles Davis used to define the new frontier of fusion. And that Return to Forever took the musical experience to another level makes Romantic Warrior a classic.

Fusion meltdown.......2007-01-29

This recording was undoubtedly the best fusion recording of it's time, maybe ever. Kudos to Chick Corea for bringing together probably the hottest group of modern jazz players ever and letting them shine. Al Di Meola is my absolute favorite fusion guitar player. Stanley Clarke is baddest bass player on the planet and Lenny White is the funkiest, grooving, slamming drummer I've ever heard. Not to mention Chick's pure keyboard genius. Each of them contribute compositions to this recording and the personalities comes through loud and clear.

Average customer rating: Before Chick Ruined Fusion Masterpiece Classic Electric Piano Sound(ah where has it gone?) Give It Up For The Fender Rhodes Great Album

Return to Forever Chick Corea Manufacturer: Ecm Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music ECM Classical | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music ECM Jazz & World | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Light as a Feather Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy Romantic Warrior No Mystery Where Have I Known You Before ASIN: B0000262QW Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com essential recording

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

Customer Reviews:

Before Chick Ruined Fusion.......2007-06-06

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.

Masterpiece.......2007-05-21

A beautifully crafted album, one of the greatest works I'Ve ever heard from a truly jazz legend like Chick Corea.

Classic Electric Piano Sound(ah where has it gone?).......2006-05-23

Released prior to his more familiar synth-laden jazz fusion offerings, this vibrant recording features Corea exclusively utilizing the electric piano to produce a quietly joyful sound. The title track starts quietly with soft e. piano cadences, joined by Airto Moreira's innovative percussion. Flora Purim, at the peak of her vocal abilities, insinuates herself into the mix, using her elegant voice as an instrument, segueing into a Joe Farrell flute solo. The song diminishes and slows back to a Corea solo, then speeds into an effective blend of keyboard chords and Stanley Clarke's melodic driving bass.
"Crystal Silence" features Farrell's delicate soprano sax. "What Game Shall We Play" features words by Corea's longtime lyricist Neville Potter, which are brightly sung by Purim with a decidedly upbeat Latin edge. "Sometime Ago-LaFiesta" spotlights each member of this extremely gifted band as they start out in a wistful ballad moving into a musical rendering of a Spanish Festival. Recorded in February, 1972 for ECM records, "Return to Forever" was produced by Manfred Eicher

Give It Up For The Fender Rhodes.......2006-05-20

The praise other reviewers have given this recording speak for me, but I must add that no one understands how to get the most out of the Fender Rhodes piano than Chick Corea. Hancock and Zawinul came close, but only Chick can coax this much beauty from this great musical instrument.

Great Album.......2006-03-08

This album may not be for everyone, but it is a great album. The best song on it is "La Fiesta." The synthesized sounds may take a little getting used to, but the music is genuine and creative. Corea blurs the line between improviser and composer. The side men/women really compliment Corea's ideas in a very coherent way. Joe Farrell is a joy to listen to on sax and flute. If you like this album, you may also like RTF's "light as a feather," as well as "the leprechan," "my spanish heart," and "the mad hatter," by Corea.

Average customer rating: Incredible proggy jazz rock Strong RTF Effort!! This is an RTF "Must-Have"! Amazing A 70s fusion album that stands the test of time

Where Have I Known You Before Return to Forever Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: No Mystery Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy Romantic Warrior Light as a Feather Return to Forever ASIN: B0000046WZ Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Vulcan Worlds
2. Where Have I Loved You Before
3. The Shadow Of Lo
4. Where Have I Danced With You Before
5. Beyond The Seventh Galaxy
6. Earth Juice
7. Where Have I Known You Before
8. Song To The Pharoah Kings

Customer Reviews:

Incredible proggy jazz rock.......2007-06-07

This is one Return to Forever album that somehow passed me by and I am not quite sure how (or why) because it is phenomenally good and ranks right up there as one of my favorite RTF albums. The style of music on Where Have I Known You Before (1974) is somewhat similar to Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973) although there is a bit more in the way of softer textures, making for a very balanced listening experience.

The lineup at this point included Chick Corea (Fender Rhodes electric piano, acoustic piano, clavinet, Yamaha organ, ARP Odyssey synthesizer, and percussion); bassist extraordinaire Stanley Clarke (Alembic electric bass guitar, Yamaha organ, bell tree, chimes; excellent drummer Lenny White (drums, percussion); and newcomer Al Di Meola (electric and acoustic guitars; acoustic 12 string guitar). I think it goes without saying that this is a musician's band. These guys are all unbelievably talented, with Stanley Clarke setting new standards for performance on the bass that would be equaled by few - this guy is mind-blowingly fast. For his first time playing with RTF (Al was 19 at the time), Al does an incredible job, although his playing is not as dominant in the mix as it would become on later albums. With this album, Chick had started weaving synthesizers into the RTF sound and he gets some great tone colors out of the ARP Odyssey on this album, which is plastered everywhere. As a huge fan of progressive rock and electronica, I do not mind the analog synthesizer use at all, although some jazz fans might be turned off.

The eight tracks on the album range in length from 1'02" to the 14'21" Song to the Pharoah Kings suite. In terms of the music, it is an incredible amalgamation of jazz; jazz rock; progressive rock; space rock; funk and even a tiny bit of classical - more like a proggy jazz rock actually. In fact, as a progger, I really appreciate the dense arrangements and virtuosity. Speaking of which, just about every odd time signature under the sun is used on Where Have I Known You Before and there is some incredibly complex ensemble work.

Sandwiched in-between the highly electric rave-ups are three of Chick's acoustic piano improvisations including Where Have I Loved You Before; Where Have I Danced With You Before; and Where Have I Known You Before. This is the closest this album comes to sounding like traditional jazz and showcases Chick's considerable talents on the acoustic piano. The softer acoustic tracks provide a nice contrast with the highly charged electric tracks. Earth Juice is the "funkiest" piece on the album, although this funk is pretty far removed from Sly and the Family Stone. Of course, Chick's work on the clavinet here and there on the album really lends to the funkiness. The suite that closes the album out is a high point for me and opens with a great synthesizer arrangement, which then launches into some extremely complicated ensemble work that sounds very similar to some of the music that was coming out of the English progressive rock scene at the time. Although there are solos on this lengthy track, they are really very interesting and are seamlessly integrated with the arrangement - in fact, they sound pre-composed.

Although it may not appear to be the case, this Verve release was remastered (albeit a low budget remaster), and the sound quality is very good. There are a few photos of the band and a lengthy bit of "cosmic" verse from Neville Potter. The imagery of the words is both colorful and evocative.

All in all this is an excellent RTF album (my "new" personal favorite) and is very highly recommended along with Romantic Warrior (1976). Proggers should definitely check this album out.

Strong RTF Effort!!.......2005-10-21

With an opening cut like Stanley Clarke's "Vulcan Worlds", you know you're in for some serious musical mayhem. With its soaring chiming melody, turn on a dime meter changes and fierce rhtyhms, it pulls you in and commands your attention.

Things just get more interesting as each piece is connected by short solo piano interludes from Chick that set up the listener for the next major piece. "Shadow of Lo" is Lenny White's contribution combining soaring melody and earthy funkiness. "Beyond The 7th Galaxy" is a great sequel to the title cut of the previous album "Hymn of The 7th Galaxy, combining frighteningly tight ensemble passages and grand sweeping melodic themes. "Earth Juice"" is an unabashed funk workout for the guys just to stretch out and have fun with. But then, the piece de resistance', "Song of The Pharoah Kings". Setting it up with mysterious organ backdrops and probing Middle Eastern-tinged lead synth, Chick leads the charge into an urgent taut wild ride over the dunes and through ancient lands that pharoahs once ruled. A great way to close.

Some people have complained about Chick's synth tones on this disc, personally, I think they had kind of a playful impish charm that actually worked.

The only weak spot for me was, well, you guessed it readers, Al DiMeola. Although nowhere near as obnoxiously wanky as he became towrads the end of RTF's exitence and his solo outings, I do find myself missing Bill Connors' thick-toned soulful emotionally charged playing. DiMeola here just sounds very dry and mathematical to my ears.

The DiMeola thing notwithstanding, it doesn't take awayt from this disc's sheer sense of adventure and brilliance!

This is an RTF "Must-Have"!.......2005-09-14

Their most haunting work. Probably their best record. Yes, there are not as many blazingly brash examples, in comparison to their other releases, of ultra instrumental virtuosity, but as far as this recording goes, that's a gain, not a loss.

Amazing.......2005-09-13

Simply put I have heard Lenny at his best. The best thing of the CD is transition with the funk and a funny tune. As one funk session ends it starts with a nicely woven cute play by Chick which lasts for a minute and then back to the same domain where Lenny's apocalyptic drums and Meola's funk rhythm blows you out again. Great buy..

A 70s fusion album that stands the test of time.......2005-03-14

This album still sounds hip, even after all the years.

"Song to the Pharaoh Kings" is the highlight of the album.

This is a must-have album if you like 70s fusion.

Average customer rating: The playing is good, but the vocals . . . Classic one of the BEST albums ever made better every time I listen to it Among the best of Chick

Light as a Feather Return to Forever Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: Return to Forever Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy No Mystery Where Have I Known You Before Romantic Warrior ASIN: B0000046YK Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. You're Everything
2. Light As A Feather
3. Captain Marvel
4. 500 Miles High
5. Children's Song
6. Spain

Amazon.com essential recording

Featuring the same band as the first Return to Forever album--vocalist Flora Purim, saxophonist-flutist Joe Farrell, bassist Stanley Clarke, and drummer Airto-- 1973's Light As a Feather was the result of a conscious effort on Chick Corea's part to communicate with a broader audience. Although Corea's electric piano and Purim's spacey-samba vocals might sound dated, the album includes a couple of Corea's most beloved compositions, "500 Miles High" and "Spain." Subsequent Return to Forever albums turned to conceptual bombast and silly fantasies. Here, Corea strikes an appealing balance between art and accessibility. --Rick Mitchell

Customer Reviews:

The playing is good, but the vocals . . . .......2007-04-15

Chick delivers a fine album musically, with some terrific solos on the electric piano, but I must agree with some of the reviewers on here that Flora Purim's vocals can be downright awful on all the pieces she sings. Her voice sounds flat and off key, and you can really hear her struggle with her accent and her English throughout the album. It sounds as if she is struggling to hit the note and sustain it in all the songs. This is truly disappointing and I cringe because the music is so good and tightly composed. I think the later Return To Forever is better and I'm going to have to sell this one back.

Classic.......2006-03-24

As fresh today as when released. Creative, tasteful improv that avoids some of the excess of later work.

one of the BEST albums ever made.......2005-10-15

This album is in a class by itself. I don't hand out the "Best" judgement lightly. The musicians have to be spectacular, the music has to be exciting, and there are NO weak parts to the album. NONE. Every song is a gem, every musician is clear and articulate. I have to tell you that "Musicmagic" also fits into the "BEST" catagory too.

Stan Getz was so impressed by this and the "Return to Forever" album that his Captain Marvel album contains 3 cuts from the 2 albums, and features Chick Corea on electric piano, Stanley Clarke on electric bass, Airto Moreira on percussion. Quite honestly, I've listened to this album so much that I am sick of it. (I have it in vinyl from the 70's.)

Nowdays I am returning to my roots and have found other musicians good enough to play this stuff, and I am in hog heaven!

I think I can safely say that non-musicians will really enjoy this album, musicians will be blown away!

better every time I listen to it.......2005-01-13

I've had this album on vinyl (2x), tape (1x), and CD (2x). Every time I re-listen to it I discover something else I love about it. The pure tones of the electric piano, the clarity and trueness of Flora Purim's vocals, the bass lines, the drums and percussion. Just an outstanding album, one that gets better over time. I first listened to at 16, and I still love it 30 years later. The quick and dancing piano work from Chick on 500 miles high just shouts out, "This day is absolutely beautiful, I am so glad to be alive and experiencing it."

Among the best of Chick.......2004-08-18

The first time I ever heard this album was in 1976 or so, when I listened to it in a college library listening room in Cortland, NY. The first cut on the album (yes, it was vinyl) was, of course, "You're Everything", and I was beside myself. I think I must have listened to that song about 10 times in a row. I was instantly a major Chick Corea fan, and saw him with Return to Forever in a small on-campus concert. A lot of his other stuff was very appealing to me at the time (late teens early twenties), along with Stanley Clark and Al and Lenny. I will say that I have since fallen a little out of love with much of his music, with the exception of "Inner Space" which has some true straight-ahead jazz in the best tradition of the late sixties, long before we ever dreamed of an abomination like Kenny G. These two albums are as different as night and day, with "Inner Space" being an edgier, exploratory cascade of brass, (some gorgeous flute with Hubert Laws in "Windows"), drums and piano, and "Light as a Feather" being a much more accessible and lighter jazz celebration with the smooth airy tones of Flora Purim, and some fun songs like "Spain" and "Children's Song". If you like Charles Mingus and Bilham Cobly (Billy Cobham) you'll like "Inner Space", but I recommend both albums.

Average customer rating: Back when Music was still an art Return to Forever TOP SHELF FUSION True-No Mystery Here! Essential Jazz-Funk-Fusion!

No Mystery Return to Forever Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: Where Have I Known You Before Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy Romantic Warrior Light as a Feather Return to Forever ASIN: B0000046YL Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Dayride
2. Jungle Waterfall
3. Flight Of The Newborn
4. Sofistifunk
5. Excerpt From The First Movement Of Heavy Metal
6. No Mystery
7. Interplay
8. Celebration Suite Part I
9. Celebration Suite Part II

Customer Reviews:

Back when Music was still an art.......2007-06-29

All of the RTF titles were both technically impressive and most of all captivating musically. My favorite compositions on this work are the last two Celebration 1 and 2. Lenny White's drumming is just incredible. He is so smooth. No Mystery features a beautiful bowed acoustic bass solo by Stanley Clarke than puts me in another world. The Interplay always made me think of landing on some alien planet and then exploring. I always liked Al Dimeola's playing in the band. His style was more mathematical but it balanced out with the very free style of Chic Corea. It was like Lenny and Stanley laid out the canvas and the textures and Chic came in with all the colors and moods and last Al added any hard lines and details.

Return to Forever.......2007-05-14

My husband LOVES this album and didn't think it even existed on CD. He was so happy to get it. We're both Chick Corea fans.

TOP SHELF FUSION.......2005-09-25

I saw these guys in concert 5 times, so to say that I love this disc is a no-brainer. I was front row center at Carnegie Hall for what I believe was Al DiMeola's first show with the band, Billy Cobham was about 10 rows behind me. These guys helped usher me into the world of fusion and remain of my favorite fusion bands of all time. This disc is funky, jazzy, and just flat-out superb. 'Dayride' kicks off the proceedings and there's no looking back. This belongs in any serious fusion collection, get it!!

www.electriceyes.us

True-No Mystery Here!.......2004-03-30

Sorry but most of Return to Forever's post-1972 albums are
hoplessly pompous and overindulgant and as such "No Mystery"
focuses primarily on a strident funk groove highlited on the
classic "Sophistifunk"-on the first four cuts anyway.Corea tries to get in a little indulgance on on the "Celebration" suites but even "Excerpts From The First Movement Of Heavy Metal" is A-1 fusion.It would've been nice if funkmeisters
Stanley Clarke and Lenny White coluld've extened that great groove over the course of the album but this is one of their
best later albums.

Essential Jazz-Funk-Fusion!.......2003-11-16

Wow. This is a timeless recording by Return To Forever.

The acoustic and electric guitar work of Al Di Meola (only 21 years of age when this classic was released) sends chills up my spine each time I hear it. Chick Corea, the consummate musician, is once again virtuous on the synthesizer, organ, and piano. The drums of Lenny White are tight, and the bass work of Stanley Clarke is immensely complex, yet very sonorous.

This disc is a gem. To give it any less than a five-star rating is criminal. It's good to know music like this exists at an affordable price, especially in our world of hackneyed, superficial pop-music. With each listen of "No Mystery," a new level of music appreciation is procured.

Brilliant stuff.

Average customer rating: must own fusion Fantastic Jazz Fusion tight Album Very Innovative for its time Death Defying Groundbreaking Fusion!!

Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy Return to Forever Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: No Mystery Where Have I Known You Before Romantic Warrior Light as a Feather Return to Forever ASIN: B0000046X0 Release Date: 1991-04-16

Tracks:

1. Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy
2. After The Cosmic Rain
3. Captain Senor Mouse
4. Theme To The Mothership
5. Space Circus Part 1 And Part 2
6. The Game Maker

Customer Reviews:

must own fusion.......2007-06-06

There are a few groups which actually set the precedent for fusion music; RTF is unqustionably one of those groups.

There are many fantastic musicians and fusion groups and records out there, but Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy captures everything and does it like no other. Intense, seamless progressions, rich meaningfull melodies with a 70's twist.

Absolutely, without a doubt, essential!

Fantastic Jazz Fusion.......2006-12-27

Chick Corea and RtF at their FINEST!

This album is simply superb. Bill Connors adds so much more to this band than Al DiMeola. Al should stick to classical spanish guitar. Meanwhile, the songs transition very well, and each has a very sophisticated flavor and UMPH to it. One of the chief aspects that defines a classic CD is its ability to grow on you with each listen. This album is good for hundreds, if not thousands of spins. Each time you listen variables like mood, atmosphere, company, and others will redefine what makes this album so special.

If you like bands like Weather Report, or can appreciate the bass work of Jaco Pastorius, this CD will make a fine addition to your collection.

tight Album.......2005-12-04

I have always dug me some Return To Forever.while Miles&others got alot of Love for creating Fusions to me Return To Forever were the Ultimate Jazz Fusion Band hands down. Bill Conners Whips the Guitar up on this Album.Lenny white One of the Sickest Drummers Ever.Cat flips the Skins&Creates so many Ryythms&Grooves. Chic Corea One of the Baddest Coldest Keyboard Players Ever. dude got tones&keeps adding as He plays. Stanley Clarke back in the day was a Monster on the Bass. He hit,flipped,tripped&rolled the Bottom like nobody's business. the chord Progresions&Intensity Brought here shows a Group of Musicians who had no limits&expanded there creativity on&on. they were all channeled into One.the next Album with Al Dimeola they continued that transformation&took there Hybrids&Innovations&Made them all one&the same.there Musical Chemistry together to me is still incredible.

Very Innovative for its time.......2005-07-24

I first heard this album while Chick Corea was being interviewed on a New York Jazz Station named WRVR which has been long gone. I was very young and it changed my views of jazz right away. I mean i loved Jazz as a child but it hit me when I heard this. None of my rock idols can match this. They were ripping into space with this album. Wow its nice saying album again. This was part of the new fusion music which was musical yet complicated.
If you were not open minded this was not your music. But it was the beginning of a strong voice in music. It was powerful and very inventive. More so than even many of the fusion music being played today. It was not watered down by any means. A few continnue it today which is very supported. This is a great album and a signiture style that represented the culture of its time.

Death Defying Groundbreaking Fusion!!.......2005-01-22

Another raw, uncompromising fusion classic that still sounds wonderfully fresh now, some 30 years after it was unleashed on an unsuspecting public.

I'm sure this outing dropped some jaws in its day, especially considering that the 2 previous RTF discs (Return to Forever, Light As A Feather) were steeped in airy Brazilian jazz-samba sensibilities. Here, Chick Corea and his trusty bassist Stanley Clarke (just returning to electric bass) would change their whole sound and direction, adding in heavy rock and more orchestrated ensemble playing. An early lineup (which included drummer Steve Gadd, percussionist Mingo Lewis and guitarist Earl Klugh) gave way to the scorching lineup of Corea, Clarke, drummer Lenny White and a young unknown guitarist in the person of Bill Connors. Chick and Stanley's new musings were well served by the 2 new members. Lenny White's drumming combined the best aspects of a great jazz drummer, the ferocious power of a rocker and the funkiness of Clyde Stubblefield (James Brown) or Bernard Purdie. Bill Connors bought to the table a yearning to combine John Coltrane and Cream-period Eric Clapton into a unique musical voice. The new band was NEVER shy about flexing its musical muscles or taking chances right and left.

The opening title cut makes it screamingly clear that this was a band of great musical minds to be reckoned with, highlighted by tight ensemble passages and reckless abandon working together in amazing ways. The song has a very endearing hanging on for dear life quality to it. "After The Cosmic Rain" gives bassist Stanley Clarke a chance to shine with thick fuzzy propulsive bass lines and a nasty, snarly solo, not unlike a more manic Jack Bruce (in fact, Stanley used the same bass as Jack, a Gibson EB-3, famous for its fuzzy somewhat muddy sound. Shortly after these recordings, Stanley would trade it in for the crisp, crackling Alembic sound that would become his stock in trade.)

"Captain Señor Mouse" is a classic Corea musing featuring a manic and beautiful flamenco-inspired melody line and a dizzying variety of time changes, plus crafty use of exaggerated dynamics and tight, passionate ensemble work from everybody. "Theme To The Mothership" by stark contrast is a more open-ended full-throttle piece, giving Bill Connors a chance to unleash a soaring melodic solo, beginning with thick slicing sustained notes and gradually building to a barely controlled fury before miraculously landing right on the next ensemble passage. After this, Corea lets forth a brilliant ring-modulated Fender Rhodes solo that would have been right at home on a Soft Machine or Hatfield and the North disc.

"Space Circus" begins with low-key child-like whimsy before charging into a full-on funk workout, with everybody trading off searing phrases like Muhammad Ali and Joe Frasier in the ring. "The Gamemaker" sneaks up on you with a mysterious series of organ chords and Corea gently musing over the top of it gradually morphing into a repeating keyboard figure that frames the piece that the band picks up on and adds momentum to. From that point, Corea and Connors engage in a duel to the death, beating each other creatively silly as Clarke and White drive it along at a furious pace, leading to a nail-biting unison-passage ending.

This is a disc that will leave you exhausted in a wonderful way, kind of like a good downhill ski run or roller coaster ride. This is tightly played and orchestrated fusion at its boldest, rawest and uncompromising for its time. While subsequent RTF albums were more refined, and guitarist Al DiMeola may have been a superior technician/chopsmeister, Bill Connors just had a raw soulfulness and passionate abandon that DiMeola could never get close to (plus I happen to LOVE that thick, slicing tone of Bill's). The album's raw, in-your-face production just adds to the charm of hearing a new band flexing its musical muscles and breaking new ground.

Absolutely essential!

Average customer rating: Joyous Homecoming

Rostropovich: Return to Russia (Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique") Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Paganini, Niccolò | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sousa | Sousa, John Philip | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Strauss Jr., Johann | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music ASIN: B00000DSDQ Release Date: 1991-08-23

Customer Reviews:

Joyous Homecoming.......2004-01-16

When Mstislav Rostropovich finally returned to Russia after many years of exile in the United States, he brought our own National Symphony Orchestra with him. Rostropovich's musical homecoming is captured on this unique recording.

The Russian audience gives their beloved "Slava" an ecstatic welcome; the recording lets us hear them stomping, yelling, and cheering in joyous applause after each song. As exciting as it must have been, the orchestra stays focused through what must have been a very long and demanding concert.

The concert begins with Russian master Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, "Pathetique" and ends with two American classics that are more than well-received. The audience claps along to John Phillip Sousa's famous march "The Stars and Stripes Forever." I imagine that Rostropovich himself was probably on the verge of tears. This is everything that a live recording should be.

Average customer rating: For those who enjoy RTF's 'Musicmagic'

Light as a Feather Chick Corea , and Return to Forever Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: Return to Forever Romantic Warrior Birds of Fire A Love Supreme Light as a Feather ASIN: B00000AFES Release Date: 1998-09-22

Tracks:

1. You're Everything
2. Light As A Feather
3. Capain Marvel
4. 500 Miles High
5. Children's Song
6. Spain

Tracks:

1. Matrix
2. Light As A Feather
3. 500 Miles High
4. Children's Song
5. Spain
6. Spain
7. What Games Shall We Play Today?
8. What Games Shall We Play Today?
9. What Games Shall We Play Today?
10. What Games Shall We Play Today?

Customer Reviews:

For those who enjoy RTF's 'Musicmagic'.......2004-08-23

Whether you love this album probably depends on how early you joined the Corea fan-wagon. I joined in 1976, and found all of 'Romantic Warrior', 'No Mystery' and 'Where Have I Known You Before' to be superb ***** recordings. Working my way back, I wasn't so convinced by 'Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy'. Working forward, I felt totally let down by 'Musicmagic'. Maybe it was the loss of DiMeola's guitar or the disappearance of the hard, gutsy style that I believed was at the core of RTF. Unfortunately the re-branding of RTF as a latin sax-and-female-vocalist seemed a betrayal of the somewhat masculine values of the previous RTF.

But hearing 'Light as a Feather', it's now clear to me that the Musicmagic style wasn't totally new for Corea and RTF. Substitute Flora Purim for Gayle Moran and you have pretty much the 'LaaF line-up of five years earlier. The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide gives this four stars out of five, saying 'Essential for its joyousness, flawed for its lengthy noodling'. I'm not so convinced about its indispensability. Stanley Clarke's bass, mostly low down in the re-mastered mix, seems undistinguished when you compare it with it subsequently became.

The second disc is no worse than the first, although the idea of giving us no fewer than four versions of a track that wasn't even released on the original LP seems excessive. It's revealing to hear Corea giving instructions at the start of each recording -- he clearly worked his band hard, but they were demonstrably capable of responding to his requirements.

For me, 'No Mystery' is one of the best albums ever recorded, although I'll grant that it's an acquired taste. (Whenever I move to a new music format -- such as minidisc or MP3 -- I'll always try out 'Flight of the Newborn' first.) This album falls somewhat short of that, and I can only describe it as 'pleasant enough'.

Average customer rating: Corea 1967-1972 One of the Greatest Bands Ever to Me Oh Yes! Jazz Fusion at it's finest!!! A Very Good Overview

Return to the Seventh Galaxy: The Anthology Return to Forever Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Bebop & Post-Bop | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: Romantic Warrior Le Voyage: The Jean-Luc Ponty Anthology Viva Carlos: A Supernatural Marathon Celebration No Mystery Where Have I Known You Before ASIN: B00000474W Release Date: 1996-09-24

Tracks:

1. 50 Miles High
2. Captain Marvel
3. Light As A Feather
4. Spain
5. After The Cosmic Rain
6. Bass Folk Song
7. Hymm Of The Seventh Galaxy
8. Captain Senor Mouse
9. Theme To The Mothership

Tracks:

1. Vulcan Worlds
2. Beyond The Seventh Galaxy
3. Earth Juice
4. The Shadow Of Lo
5. Where Have I Known You Before
6. Song To The Pharoah Kings
7. Dayride
8. No Mystery
9. Flight Of The Newborn
10. Celebration Suite (Part I & II)

Customer Reviews:

Corea 1967-1972.......2006-05-26

Music criticism being subjective, it's natural that each critic really only writes autobiography. I grew up with Corea and was especially focussed on the transitional period from the Vitous-Haynes trio to the Altschul-Holland trio and "Circle" with A. Braxton to the first, second and third incarnations of Return to Forever (with the ECM solo records on the side). Of all this material I must say that "Now He Sings, Now He Sobs" is my favorite acoustic effort: pure, driving and uplifting. "The Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy" is far and away my favorite electric effort: edgy, harmonically and technically brilliant, this record shows what a true fusion of jazz and rock might look like. The later funky-disco flavor of WHIKYB and No Mystery were less profound, in places a bit silly. Romantic Warrior was the beginning of the end: the gate to later excess....

One of the Greatest Bands Ever to Me.......2005-12-04

it's been years but when I first all these Cats together playing as they did it Brought so much joy to my ears.I enjoyed the tones,arrangements&overall chord Progressions&the way there Harmonys talked directly to one another. it's great to hear all the Inceptions of this Band. my favorite overall is the run of Corea,Clarke,White&Dimeola.there brand of fusion truly had no limits.for me personally while i have dug other projects these cats have done as Solo Artists&in side Projects to me there is something just special about them during the RTF Era. right now I'm listening to "No Mystery"&enjoying all the Blends&Runs that are going on within that song.there Instrumentation,timing&Improv all compliment One another.true teamwork.

Oh Yes!.......2004-02-17

Excellent collection of RTF music. I listen to this quite a bit simply because it has the best flow. Not having to put on seperate cds looking for all the great ones is awesome! I disagree with the previous review about the sounds quality on the live stuff. It's pretty nice considering the period and the trainwrecks that happened during live performances in those days. Clean and clear. I have plenty of "bad" sounding stuff that makes these sound like gold. Great 2 cds! Now we need the RTF Old Grey Whistle Test on DVD!!!

Jazz Fusion at it's finest!!!.......2003-04-14

While I must admit that "Romantic Warrior" is a good listen, any REAL fusion lover will automatically know that this was definitely the beginning of the more "COMMERCIAL" sounding and/or "more easy listening" fusion that led the pack for so many BAD fusion acts to come. Diehard RTF fans definitely have WHERE HAVE I KNOWN YOU BEFORE and NO MYSTERY as their all-time faves. But don't get me wrong, I love all the RTF records. I just happen to have my own favorites. However, I totally disagree with the other reviews that sensationalize "Romantic Warrior" as the ultimate RTF record. Here's my advice: If you don't own any RTF music, then start here with the best of the best. In my opinion, the best RTF stuff is the mid-period years (74-75). What is disguised as FUSION nowadays is enough to make me want to vomit. HOORAY for the days when FUSION wasn't used as another name for SMOOTH "easy-listening music for the dentist office" JAZZ.

A Very Good Overview.......2002-09-19

Let's say you got rid of your LP collection sometime in the '80s and now you're thinking about replacing those lost RTF albums, but you're not sure if you want to buy them all. Well, this compilation makes a very good substitute. Most of the band's albums are covered, starting with the eponymous 1972 debut and ending with "No Mystery." I'm not sure I agree with the decision to include the live radio versions of 'Spain,''After The Cosmic Rain,' and 'Bass Folk Song,' as the sound quality is somewhat poor, but, on the other hand, where else can you hear rare tracks featuring Steve Gadd and Mingo Lewis? It's probably worth having this glimpse into the group's evolution, as well as the intensity of their live performances. But as the previous reviewer says, the real gold is on Disc Two, with its generous portions of "Where Have I Known You Before?" and "No Mystery."

If you're familiar with RTF and are simply rebuilding your collection, buying this along with "Romantic Warrior" will cover a lot of ground.

If this is your first experience with 1970s fusion, you might be better off buying one of the following CDs: Rockers, check out the original "Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy" album and work your way forward. Jazz fans, try the very first album, or "Light As A Feather," and then move on to "Where Have I known You Before?" There's quite a difference between the various incarnations of RTF and not everyone is going to like everything, but I'm betting you will like one or the other.

Average customer rating: Great compilation of a one-of-a-kind band Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? Great place to start

Return to Forever Romantic Warrior The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music Similar Items: Buck Jump Open Up: Whatcha Gonna Do for the Rest of Your Life? Jazz Moods: Hot Live: Mardi Gras in Montreux Jelly ASIN: B000002AFV Release Date: 1997-05-06

Tracks:

1. Charlie Dozen
2. It's All Over Now
3. Georgia Swing
4. Voodoo
5. Don't You Feel My Leg
6. The Lost Souls (Of Southern Louisiana), Cortege...
7. Moose The Mooche
8. The Monkey
9. Gemini Rising
10. Open Up (Whacha Gonna Do With The Rest...)
11. Remember When
12. New Orleans Blues
13. When I'm Walking (Let Me Walk)
14. Old Rugged Cross

Customer Reviews:

Great compilation of a one-of-a-kind band.......2007-07-08

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is a very unique and diverse jazz ensemble. First of all, they are some of the finest musicians of the New Orleans jazz scene, evidenced by their improvisation and out-of-this-world musicianship, in every single instrumentation. But besides being incredible musicians, they are just as wonderful performers. They are funny, appealing, and impressive. A vocalist adds a humorous tone to their already happy sound, and the product is perfect. Yet while the Dirty Dozen represents the original true spirit of New Orleans jazz in most respects, they remain very accessible by often incorporating elements of hip hop and funk into their music. "Return to Forever Romantic Warrior" is "Vol. 30" in Sony's "This Is Jazz" series, covering the greatest musicians of the jazz genre. It is a collection spanning their four Columbia albums. The selection is well chosen, selecting songs that represent the group very well. This disc is pure fun, beautiful New Orleans jazz, and some of the finest at that. Highly recommended.

Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?.......2006-01-15

To listen to the Dirty Dozen Brass Band is think about NOLA, and it's hard to do that without sharing in a sense of loss. Who knows if the rebuilt iteration will resemble the original, or be some dreadful "theme-park" salute to Americana?

NOLA was always a quirky place, a port, at times more like a European city than an American one, steeped in decadence and vice, sophisticated, full of life, good food, and most of all, full of fabulous music. For those of us who love jazz, particularly brass, NOLA enjoys almost mythical status.

If NOLA is a state of mind, transcending hurricanes, this CD plants you right in the center of it and holds you there for 66 very solid minutes, there is no waste at all. You get outrageously catchy funk like Charlie's Dozen, Moose The Mooche, Gemini Rising, Remember When, and New Orleans Blues - tracks so infectious you will cakewalk right out of your house. Voodoo takes you somewhere else altogether, that's the mystery of NOLA, and The Lost Souls Of Southern Louisiana is an episodic 14 minute voyage that just might stretch all the way back to Africa - simply amazing.

Nice of Dr. John to sit in on It's All Over Now. Some very sly comedy too, including The Monkey, which has sardonic commentary from the animal kingdom, and Don't You Feel My Leg. Closing it with a straightforward rendition of Old Rugged Cross is just perfect. A wonderful CD that grew from the Mississippi mud. Get it.

Great place to start.......2000-04-22

This album contains many of the Dirty Dozens best songs, and a must have. I just saw them Live at Fletchers in Baltimore, MD. last night. Amazingly good, much recommended

Pop Music:

1. Round Midnight [Soundtrack]
2. Ruby, My Dear
3. Sing The Songs of Michael Bublé: It's His Time ( big band karaoke)
4. Snowbound
5. Speak Like a Child [Original recording remastered]
6. Spirits Known and Unknown [Original recording remastered] [Import]
7. Steamin' With the Miles Davis Quintet
8. Styne & Mine
9. Sweet Emma [Original recording remastered]
10. Tales From the Acoustic Planet

Pop Music