| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [1] |
| SputnikMusic | [2] |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide |  [3] |
Light as a Feather is the second studio album by jazz fusion band Return to Forever led by pianist Chick Corea.
Content
The style of the music remains mostly the same as the first album, though vocals were given a larger role. Corea produced the album for Polydor Records. Stanley Clarke played double bass, though for most of his career he has played bass guitar.
"Captain Marvel" is a fast Latin piece that provided the name for Stan Getz's album released in the same year. Airto Moreira plays percussion and Purim sings without words during the song's main riff.
The album ends with "Spain", which was inspired by, and whose introduction was taken from, Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez (1939).
Reception and legacy
Light as a Feather won the 1972 Playboy Jazz Album of the year and has been selected by many magazines and polls as one of the greatest jazz albums ever recorded. For many years this album has been listed on The Absolute Sound super disc list and the Stereophile list of "Records to Die For". It is also featured in Tom Moon's 1,000 Albums to Hear Before You Die.[4]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Chick Corea except where noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You're Everything" (Chick Corea, lyrics by Neville Potter) | 5:11 |
| 2. | "Light as a Feather" (Stanley Clarke, lyrics by Flora Purim) | 10:57 |
| 3. | "Captain Marvel" | 4:53 |
| 4. | "500 Miles High" (Corea, lyrics by Potter) | 9:07 |
| 5. | "Children's Song" | 2:47 |
| 6. | "Spain" (Corea, Joaquín Rodrigo) | 9:51 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Matrix" | 8:10 |
| 2. | "Light as a Feather (Alternative Take)" (Clarke, lyrics by Purim) | 10:46 |
| 3. | "500 Miles High (Alternative Take)" (Corea, lyrics by Potter) | 10:32 |
| 4. | "Children's Song (Alternative Take)" | 3:58 |
| 5. | "Spain (Composite Alternative Take)" (Corea, Rodrigo) | 5:33 |
| 6. | "Spain (Alternative Take)" (Corea, Rodrigo) | 9:02 |
| 7. | "What Games Shall We Play Today?" (Corea, lyrics by Potter) | 3:52 |
| 8. | "What Games Shall We Play Today? (Alternative Take 1)" (Corea, lyrics by Potter) | 4:06 |
| 9. | "What Games Shall We Play Today? (Alternative Take 2)" (Corea, lyrics by Potter) | 3:46 |
| 10. | "What Games Shall We Play Today? (Alternative Take 3)" (Corea, lyrics by Potter) | 3:49 |
Personnel
- Chick Corea – Fender Rhodes electric piano
- Stanley Clarke – double bass
- Joe Farrell – flute, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
- Airto Moreira – drums, percussion
- Flora Purim – vocals (CD1: 1-4, 6; CD2: 2, 3, 5-10), percussion
Chart performance
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Billboard Jazz Albums | 6 [5] |
References
- ^ Nastos, Michael G. "Return to Forever Light as a Feather (1973) album review | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
- ^ Campbell, Hernan M. (19 September 2012). "Return to Forever Light as a Feather (1973) album review | SputnikMusic". sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
- ^ Swenson, John, ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide (1st ed.). New York: Rolling Stone. p. 50. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
- ^ Moon, Tom. "Light as a Feather | 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die". 1000recordings.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
- ^ "Return to Forever Light as a Feather (1973) | Awards | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
External links
- Return to Forever Light as a Feather (1973) album review by Michael G. Nastos, credits & releases at AllMusic
- Return to Forever Light as a Feather (1973) album releases & credits at Discogs
- Return to Forever Light as a Feather (1973) album credits & user reviews at ProgArchives.com
- Return to Forever Light as a Feather (1973, Remastered 1998 2CD with Bonus Alternative Takes) album to be listened as stream on Spotify