Chick Corea, “Return To Forever,” from Return to Forever (ECM)
Chick Corea’s Return To Forever on the ECM label is a classic example of early jazz fusion, demonstrating a clear transition in the pianist’s career toward a more globally influenced, more electronics-driven sound. The band Corea assembled for this project — also called Return To Forever — was a veritable dream team of fusion artists, featuring bassist Stanley Clarke, saxophonist/flutist Joe Farrell, drummer Airto Moreira and percussionist Flora Purim.
The album’s title track is perhaps the most vivid example of the album’s overall aesthetic, which pairs the airy percussive feel of Brazilian music with the blazing intensity of jazz-rock. Corea’s thickly voiced chords on the synthesizer provide a vibrant backdrop against which Clarke, Farrell and Moreira add bold, colorful lines. Haunting, energetic, beautiful — this song has a musical mood for everyone.