Light As a Feather

On jazz classic *Light as a Feather*, Chick Corea & Return to Forever’s music has a light, airy sound graced by Latin and progressive leanings. (Influenced by the Mahavishnu Orchestra and other outfits, Return to Forever would later morph into a high-octane jazz-rock unit.) The album’s lineup—Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke, tenor saxophonist and flutist Joe Farrell, vocalist Flora Purim and drummer Airto Moreira—is superb. The opening track “You’re Everything” displays Corea’s artful, distinctive touch on electric piano, Purim’s low-key vocals and the band’s way with a Brazilian rhythm. Corea wrote every piece except for the lengthy title track, which was penned by Clarke with lyrics by Purim. The cut’s middle section finds the band burning it up with a series of exciting solos. “Children’s Song” is a spare gem where every note and tap contributes to an atmosphere of wonder and mystery. The album concludes with “Spain”, a catchy composition decked out with handclaps and shouts, which has become a jazz standard.