Light as a Feather

Light as a Feather
Studio album by Return to Forever
Released January 1973
Recorded 8 October and 15 October 1972
Studio I.B.C. Sound Recording Studios, London, England
Genre Jazz fusion
Length 42:46
Label Polydor
Producer Chick Corea
Return to Forever chronology
Return to Forever
(1972)Return to Forever1972		 Light as a Feather
(1973)		 Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy
(1973)Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy1973
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
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.

The first song, "You're Everything", was written by Corea. He has said that it's among his favorite of the vocal songs he has written. The song begins with Flora Purim singing slowly. The solo is by Joe Farrell on flute. The second track is Stanley Clarke's first major composition and the only track on the album not written by Corea.

"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 B-side begins with a song called "500 Miles High". Corea has stated that the title of the song does not refer to drug experience but to a "spirit flying high". The track is followed by "Children's Song", one of many "Children's Songs" Corea has written. They are all short pieces with minimalistic melody. The percussion plays a tick-tock that resembles a clock.

The album ends with "Spain", which was inspired by, and whose introduction was taken from, Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez.

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 written by Chick Corea except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."You're Everything" (Corea/Neville Potter)5:11
2."Light as a Feather" (Clarke/Purim)10:57
3."Captain Marvel"4:53
4."500 Miles High" (Corea/Potter)9:07
5."Children's Song"2:47
6."Spain" (Corea/Joaquín Rodrigo)9:51

Personnel

Chart performance

YearChartPosition
1973 Billboard Jazz Albums 6[5]

References

  1. ↑ Nastos, Michael G. "Light as a Feather". allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  2. ↑ Campbell, Hernan M. (19 September 2012). "Review: Return to Forever - Light as a Feather". sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  3. ↑ Swenson, John, ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide (1st ed.). New York: Rolling Stone. p. 50. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ "Light as a Feather - Chick Corea,Return to Forever | Awards | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
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