Weather Report - Weather Report (1971)

Here we have the free-floating, abstract beginnings of Weather Report, which would define the state of the electronic jazz/rock art from its first note almost to its last. Their first album is a direct extension of the Miles Davis In a Silent Way/Bitches Brew period, more fluid in sound and more volatile in interplay. Joe Zawinul ruminates in a delicate, liquid manner on Rhodes electric piano; at this early stage, he used a ring modulator to create weird synthesizer-like effects. Wayne Shorter's soprano sax shines like a beacon amidst the swirling ensemble work of co-founding bassist Miroslav Vitous, percussionist Airto Moreira, and drummer Alphonse Mouzon. Zawinul's most memorable theme is "Orange Lady" (previously recorded, though uncredited, by Davis on Big Fun), while Shorter scores on "Tears" and "Eurydice." One of the most impressive debuts of all time by a jazz group.

by Richard S. Ginell at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Fusion

Tracks:
01 Milky Way
02 Umbrellas
03 Seventh Arrow
04 Orange Lady
05 Morning Lake
06 Waterfall
07 Tears
08 Eurydice

Line-up:
Joe Zawinul - electric piano / keyboards
Wayne Shorter - soprano saxophone
Miroslav Vitous - bass / electric bass
Alphonse Mouzon - drums
Airto Moreira - percussion

So What

Caravan

Miles Davis - Milestones (1958)

What is immediately noticeable upon listening to this delicately and superbly remastered version of Miles Davis classic first -- and only -- album with his original sextet is how deep the blues presence is on it. Though it is true that the album's title cut is rightfully credited with introducing modalism into jazz, and defining Davis' music for years to come, it is the sole selection of its kind on the record. The rest is all blues in any flavor you wish you call your own. For starters, there's the steaming bebop blues of "Dr. Jackie" -- recorded in 1955 for a Prestige session with Jackie McLean. Davis is still in his role as a trumpet master, showing a muscularity of tone that reveals something more akin to Roy Eldridge or Louis Armstrong than Dizzy or Fats Navarro. The tempo is furious as all the members of the sextet solo except for Jones. The saxophonists trade choruses and come off sounding like mirrored images of one another in the slower, post-bop blues that is "Sid's Ahead." With a slippery melody line that quotes two harmonic lines from early New Orleans-styled blues, Davis drives the band into the rhythm section's garage. It's Cannonball first with his stuttered, angular lines, hiccuping halfway through the interval before continuing on with a squeak here and the slightest squawk there. Next up is Davis, blowing fluid and straightened lines, ribbons through the rhythm section's center as Red Garland lays out and leaves it to Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones to provide the earnest, time-keeping 4/4 that Davis sidles to in the tune. When Coltrane solos, all best are off as he plays as pure a blues as he was capable at the time. Nonetheless, there are the long lines of slurred notes, smattered against Garland's harmonies and he slips into quoting "Skip to my Lou" before knotting it back down to the basics and even then not for long. Coltrane was already exploring the edges of mode and harmony; he used an intervallic invention in the choruses to juxtapose his solo against the rhythm section and it worked -- but it must have made Davis raise an eyebrow. Chambers' solo is as tasteful and as breezy and free as only he could be. His contrapuntal soloing rides the rhythm out, Garland striding along quietly until the tune returns.

"Sid's Ahead" is followed by the track "Two Bass Hit," written by Dizzy and John Lewis. It's an off-kilter blues with a wide middle section, no doubt for Lewis' piano to fill. It's a wonderful ensemble showcase but Davis blows his ass off in his solo, riding through the two saxophonists and challenging them at the same time. But then comes "Milestones" with its modal round and interval, where harmony is constructed from the center up. It is a memorable tune for not only its structure and how it would inform not only Davis' own music, but jazz in general for the next seven years. It would also change John Coltrane's life. The exploratory style of soloing was already revealing itself in Trane's playing, but he loosens it up even more here. More importantly, this is the first place we get to see it in Davis, where there is no goal at the end of the rainbow, there is merely the solo itself in the heart of the mode. The alternate take of this tune, which is featured at the end of the album, tagged on with two others of "Two Bass Hit" and "Straight, No Chaser," has an even longer and weirder solo by Davis where he plays notes he probably never played again. The album's closer is Monk's "Straight, No Chaser," which became a signature tune for the sextet even when Garland and Jones left to be replaced by Bill Evans and Jimmy Cobb and later Evans by Wynton Kelly. Like "My Funny Valentine," it was a Davis staple that accented how intuitive the band was with unusual harmonic structures like Monk's. The Adderley solo is remarkable for its fluid, bebop-style runs over Garland's extended chords and flatted sevenths. Cannonball quotes the melody in a myriad of ways and goes off the deep end each time he does, taking the new rendition to its limit, always returning it to the blues root. Davis plays it cool, slithering around the rhythm section staying firmly in blues phraseology, even quoting a reverse harmonic melodic read of "When the Saints Go Marching In," bringing it in and out three times while pushing the blues line to its edge. Coltrane's solo is all over the place, slurring notes as he plays weird scales all over the blues and triple times the rhythm section. But he knows the tune better than anyone here -- he spent six months with Monk just previous to this playing it every night. Coltrane knows how much he can stretch the intervals without breaking apart the body. He inserts his own modal interpretation on the blues halfway through his solo before slipping into the straight, swinging groove of his Blue Train album, finished only two months before. Garland, oddly enough, is the one to travel the furthest from Monk here, coming off with a Bud Powell-esque blues muscle that shifts the entire tune into a straight bebop blues before sifting in a few Errol Garland quotes as the bass solos and then the front line comes in to take it out. The alternate take is even stranger as Garland falters in his time not once but twice and has to find his way back in.

Legacy has done it proud on this series of reissues, as the sound is as fine as technology can currently make it, the notes are terrific, and the alternate takes offer additional delights to fans of the original recordings. They should also be commended for leaving them at the bottom of the album instead of placing them in with the original album's sequence, a practice that though widely used is distracting nonetheless. This is a fine issue of a classic, and treated like the piece of art it is.

by Thom Jurek at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Post-Bop
Hard Bop
Modal Music
Bop

Tracks:
01 Dr. Jackle
02 Sid's Ahead
03 Two Bass Hit
04 Milestones
05 Billy Boy
06 Straight, No Chaser
07 Two Bass Hit (alternate take)
08 Milestones (alternate take)
09 Straight, No Chaser (alternate take)

Line-up:
Miles Davis - trumpet
John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone
Paul Chambers - bass
Red Garland - piano
Philly Joe Jones - drums

Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (1969)

Thought by many to be the most revolutionary album in jazz history, having virtually created the genre known as jazz-rock fusion (for better or worse) and being the jazz album to most influence rock and funk musicians, Bitches Brew is, by its very nature, mercurial. The original double LP included only six cuts and featured up to 12 musicians at any given time, most of whom would go on to be high-level players in their own right: Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Airto, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, Don Alias, Benny Maupin, Larry Young, Lenny White, and others. Originally thought to be a series of long jams locked into grooves around one or two keyboard, bass, or guitar figures, Bitches Brew is anything but. Producer Teo Macero had as much to do with the end product on Bitches Brew as Davis. Macero and Davis assembled, from splice to splice, section to section, much of the music recorded over three days in August 1969. First, there's the slow, modal, opening grooves of "Pharaoh's Dance," with its slippery trumpet lines to McLaughlin's snaky guitar figures skirting the edge of the rhythm section and Don Alias' conga slipping through the middle. The keyboards of Corea and Zawinul create a haunting, riffing groove echoed and accented by the two basses of Harvey Brooks and Dave Holland. The title cut was originally composed as a five-part suite, though only three were used. Here the keyboards punch through the mix, big chords and distorted harmonics ring up a racket for Davis to solo over rhythmically outside the mode. McLaughlin is comping on fat chords, creating the groove, and the bass and drums carry the rest for a small taste of deep-voodoo funk. Side three opens with McLaughlin and Davis trading funky fours and eights over the lock-step groove of hypnotic proportion that is "Spanish Key." Zawinul's trademark melodic sensibility provides a kind of chorus for Corea to flat around, and the congas and drummers working in complement against the basslines. This nearly segues into the four-and-a-half minute "John McLaughlin," with its signature organ mode and arpeggiated blues guitar runs. The end of Bitches Brew, signified by the stellar "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down," echoes the influence of Jimi Hendrix; with its chuck-and-slip chords and lead figures and Davis playing a ghostly melody through the shimmering funkiness of the rhythm section, it literally dances and becomes increasingly more chaotic until about nine minutes in, where it falls apart. Yet one doesn't know it until near the end, when it simmers down into smoke-and-ice fog once more. The disc closes with "Sanctuary," a previously recorded Davis tune that is completely redone here as an electric moody ballad reworked for this band, but keeping enough of its modal integrity to be outside the rest of Bitches Brew's retinue. The CD reissue adds "Feio," a track recorded early in 1970 with the same band. Unreleased — except on the box set of the complete sessions — "Feio" has more in common with the exploratory music of the previous August than with later, more structured Davis music in the jazz-rock vein. A three-note bass vamp centers the entire thing as three different modes entwine one another, seeking a groove to bolt onto. It never finds it, but becomes its own nocturnal beast, offering ethereal dark tones and textures to slide the album out the door on. Thus Bitches Brew retains its freshness and mystery long after its original issue.

by Thom Jurek at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Avant-Garde
Fusion
Jazz-Rock

Tracks:
CD 1
01 Pharoah's Dance
02 Bitches Brew
CD 2
01 Spanish Key
02 John McLaughlin
03 Miles Runs the Voodoo Down
04 Sanctuary

Line-up:
Miles Davis - trumpet
Wayne Shorter - soprano saxophone
Bennie Maupin - bass clarinet
Joe Zawinul - electric piano
Chick Corea - electric piano
Larry Young - electric piano
John McLaughlin - electric guitar
Dave Holland - bass
Harvey Brooks - electric bass
Lenny White - drums
Jack DeJohnette - drums
Billy Cobham - drums
Don Alias - congas / drums
Jim Riley - shaker / congas
Airto Moreira - percussion / cuica

John Coltrane - Giant Steps (1959)

History will undoubtedly enshrine this disc as a watershed the likes of which may never truly be appreciated. Giant Steps bore the double-edged sword of furthering the cause of the music as well as delivering it to an increasingly mainstream audience. Although this was John Coltrane's debut for Atlantic, he was concurrently performing and recording with Miles Davis. Within the space of less than three weeks, Coltrane would complete his work with Davis and company on another genre-defining disc, Kind of Blue, before commencing his efforts on this one. Coltrane (tenor sax) is flanked by essentially two different trios. Recording commenced in early May of 1959 with a pair of sessions that featured Tommy Flanagan (piano) and Art Taylor (drums), as well as Paul Chambers -- who was the only band member other than Coltrane to have performed on every date. When recording resumed in December of that year, Wynton Kelly (piano) and Jimmy Cobb (drums) were instated -- replicating the lineup featured on Kind of Blue, sans Miles Davis of course. At the heart of these recordings, however, is the laser-beam focus of Coltrane's tenor solos. All seven pieces issued on the original Giant Steps are likewise Coltrane compositions. He was, in essence, beginning to rewrite the jazz canon with material that would be centered on solos -- the 180-degree antithesis of the art form up to that point. These arrangements would create a place for the solo to become infinitely more compelling. This would culminate in a frenetic performance style that noted jazz journalist Ira Gitler accurately dubbed "sheets of sound." Coltrane's polytonal torrents extricate the amicable and otherwise cordial solos that had begun decaying the very exigency of the genre -- turning it into the equivalent of easy listening. He wastes no time as the disc's title track immediately indicates a progression from which there would be no looking back. Line upon line of highly cerebral improvisation snake between the melody and solos, practically fusing the two. The resolute intensity of "Countdown" does more to modernize jazz in 141 seconds than many artists do in their entire careers. Tellingly, the contrasting and ultimately pastoral "Naima" was the last tune to be recorded, and is the only track on the original long-player to feature the Kind of Blue quartet. What is lost in tempo is more than recouped in intrinsic melodic beauty. Both Giant Steps [Deluxe Edition] and the seven-disc Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings offer more comprehensive presentations of these sessions.

by Lindsay Planer at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Hard Bop

Tracks:
01 Giant Steps
02 Cousin Mary
03 Countdown
04 Spiral
05 Syeeda's Song Flute
06 Naima
07 Mr. P.C.
08 Giant Steps (alternate take)
09 Naima (alternate take)
10 Cousin Mary (alternate take)
11 Countdown (alternate take)
12 Syeeda's Song Flute (alternate take)

Line-up:
John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Paul Chambers - bass
Jimmy Cobb - drums
Lex Humphries - drums
Art Taylor - drums
Tommy Flanagan - piano
Wynton Kelly - piano
Cedar Walton - piano

Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else (1958)

It isn't too difficult to understand why MFSL considered this album to be a worthy candidate for an Ultradisc reissue -- aside from Cannonball Adderley, you have a lineup that includes Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey. This is a group that could take on a Barry Manilow number and turn it into a jazz masterpiece. MFSL have done the purchaser a favor, too, by including an additional track that was left off the original album. This sixth track, ""Alison's Uncle,"" closes out Somethin' Else on a high note, changing the flow of energy in an interesting way (purists can still finish up on a quieter note, as with the original, by programming ""Dancing in the Dark"" as the final track). In many ways it's a surprise that this track was left off originally -- it's an excellent piece, with Adderley and Davis trading licks and solos while Jones and Blakey keep pace. Blakey also takes some terrific solos. The remastering job is the usual superb MFSL effort, producing clear sound with almost no background noise. Due to the original recording (made in 1958), Davis' trumpet sometimes seems a little shrill and metallic, but it's not an overwhelming problem -- certainly not when you consider Davis' style. Altogether, an excellent addition to any jazz collection.

by Steven McDonald at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Hard Bop

Tracks:
01 Autumn Leaves
02 Love for Sale
03 Somethin' Else
04 One for Daddy-O
05 Dancing in the Dark
06 Alison's Uncle

Line-up:
Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone
Miles Davis - trumpet
Art Blakey - drums
Hank Jones - piano
Sam Jones - bass

John Coltrane - Blue Train (1957)

Although never formally signed, an oral agreement between John Coltrane and Blue Note Records founder Alfred Lion was indeed honored on Blue Train -- Coltrane's only collection of sides as a principal artist for the venerable label. The disc is packed solid with sonic evidence of Coltrane's innate leadership abilities. He not only addresses the tunes at hand, but also simultaneously reinvents himself as a multifaceted interpreter of both hard bop as well as sensitive balladry -- touching upon all forms in between. The personnel on Blue Train is arguably as impressive as what they're playing. Joining Coltrane (tenor sax) are Lee Morgan (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Kenny Drew (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Philly Joe Jones (drums). The triple horn arrangements incorporate an additional sonic density that remains a trademark unique to both this band and album. Of particular note is Fuller's even-toned trombone, which bops throughout the title track as well as the frenetic "Moments Notice." Other solos include Paul Chambers' subtly understated riffs on "Blue Train" as well as the high energy and impact from contributions by Lee Morgan and Kenny Drew during "Locomotion." The track likewise features some brief but vital contributions from Philly Joe Jones -- whose efforts throughout the record stand among his personal best. Of the five sides that comprise the original Blue Train, the Jerome Kern/Johnny Mercer ballad "I'm Old Fashioned" is the only standard; in terms of unadulterated sentiment, this version is arguably untouchable. Fuller's rich tones and Drew's tastefully executed solos cleanly wrap around Jones' steadily languid rhythms. Without reservation, Blue Train can easily be considered in and among the most important and influential entries not only of John Coltrane's career, but of the entire genre of jazz music as well. [In the spring of 1997, The Ultimate Blue Train CD was released, boasting 20-bit remastered audio as well as one alternate take of both "Blue Train" and "Lazy Bird." Additionally, the disc includes "At Least Listen" -- an interactive CD-ROM program featuring video clips and interview clips with Fuller circa 1995, as well as many brilliant photographs taken during the recording sessions.]
by Lindsay Planer at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Hard Bop

Tracks:
01 Blue Train
02 Moment's Notice
03 Locomotion
04 I'm Old Fashioned
05 Lazy Bird

Line-up:
John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Lee Morgan - trumpet
Curtis Fuller - trombone
Paul Chambers - bass
Kenny Drew - piano
Philly Joe Jones - drums

Paul Desmond - Skylark (1973)

Moving over to the CTI label with Creed Taylor, Paul Desmond injects a bit of the 1970s into his sound, obtaining agreeable if not totally simpatico results. Here, the cool altoist is teamed with the progressive-slanted drumming of Jack DeJohnette (who might have been too busy a drummer for his taste), and Bob James' electric and acoustic pianos, with Ron Carter as the bass anchor, Gene Bertoncini on rhythm guitar, and, most interestingly, another individualist, Gabor Szabo, on solo electric guitar. For the first and only time, even taking into account the most inspired moments of Jim Hall, Desmond is not the most interesting soloist on his own record, for it is Szabo who most consistently draws you in with his mesmerizing incantations over vamps from the rhythm section. For those who missed it the first time, Desmond remakes "Take Ten" -- without the Middle Eastern elements -- "Romance de Amor" is eventually dominated by Szabo, and the inclusion of "Was a Sunny Day" proves that Desmond's involvement with the music of Paul Simon in 1970 was not a passing infatuation. Don Sebesky is credited with the "arrangements" but his orchestrating hand is not felt except for a single solo cello (George Ricci) in an adaptation of Purcell ("Music for a While"). It's a cautious change of pace for Desmond, although the fiercer context into which he was placed doesn't really fire his imagination.

by Richard S. Ginell at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Cool
Easy Pop
Ballads
Bossa Nova

Tracks:
01 Take Ten
02 Romance de Amor
03 Was a Sunny Day
04 Music for a While
05 Skylark
06 Indian Summer

Line-up:
Paul Desmond - alto saxophone
Gabor Szabo - guitar (soloist)
Gene Bertoncini - guitar
Ron Carter - bass
Jack DeJohnette - drums
Bob James - piano / electric piano
Hilary James - piano / electric piano
Ralph MacDonald - percussion
George Ricci - cello

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out (1959)

Dave Brubeck's defining masterpiece, Time Out is one of the most rhythmically innovative albums in jazz history, the first to consciously explore time signatures outside of the standard 4/4 beat or 3/4 waltz time. It was a risky move -- Brubeck's record company wasn't keen on releasing such an arty project, and many critics initially roasted him for tampering with jazz's rhythmic foundation. But for once, public taste was more advanced than that of the critics. Buoyed by a hit single in altoist Paul Desmond's ubiquitous "Take Five," Time Out became an unexpectedly huge success, and still ranks as one of the most popular jazz albums ever. That's a testament to Brubeck and Desmond's abilities as composers, because Time Out is full of challenges both subtle and overt -- it's just that they're not jarring. Brubeck's classic "Blue Rondo à la Turk" blends jazz with classical form and Turkish folk rhythms, while "Take Five," despite its overexposure, really is a masterpiece; listen to how well Desmond's solo phrasing fits the 5/4 meter, and how much Joe Morello's drum solo bends time without getting lost. The other selections are richly melodic as well, and even when the meters are even, the group sets up shifting polyrhythmic counterpoints that nod to African and Eastern musics. Some have come to disdain Time Out as it's become increasingly synonymous with upscale coffeehouse ambience, but as someone once said of Shakespeare, it's really very good in spite of the people who like it. It doesn't just sound sophisticated -- it really is sophisticated music, which lends itself to cerebral appreciation, yet never stops swinging. Countless other musicians built on its pioneering experiments, yet it's amazingly accessible for all its advanced thinking, a rare feat in any art form. This belongs in even the most rudimentary

by Steve Huey at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Cool
West Coast Jazz

Tracks:
01 Blue Rondo à la Turk
02 Strange Meadow Lark
03 Take Five
04 Three to get Ready
05 Kathy's Waltz
06 Everybody's Jumpin'
07 Pick Up Sticks

Line-up:
Dave Brubeck - piano,
Paul Desmond - alto saxophone
Joe Morello - drums
Eugene Wright - bass

Donald Byrd - Stepping into Tomorrow (1974)

Beginning with a crack of thunder, like it was made to trail Gary Bartz's "Mother Nature" (actually recorded at a slightly later date), Stepping into Tomorrow contains almost all of the Mizell trademarks within its title track's first 30 seconds: a soft and easy (yet still funky) electric-bass-and-drums foundation, silken rhythm guitar, organ and piano gently bouncing off one another, light synthesizer shading, and coed group vocals to ensure true liftoff. It's only one in a line of many magnetic '70s sessions led by Fonce and Larry Mizell, and it differs from their two previous Donald Byrd dates -- the polarizing and groundbreaking Black Byrd and the deceptively excellent Street Lady -- by not featuring any of Roger Glenn's flute, and by focusing on heavily melodic and laid-back arrangements. Even the speedy "You Are the World," by some distance the most energetic song, seems more suited for relaxing in a hammock than shooting down a freeway. Many of the musicians present on the previous Byrd-Mizell meetings are here, including drummer Harvey Mason, bassist Chuck Rainey, keyboardist Jerry Peters, and guitarist David T. Walker. As ever, those who pined for the approach of Byrd's '60s dates would tune out a sublime set of material, but maybe some of those who sniffed at the straightforward nature of some of the rhythms and riffing were won over by the supreme layering of the many components (the way in which "Think Twice" lurches forward, peels back, and gathers steam is nothing short of heavenly), not to mention some deeply evocative playing from Byrd himself.

by Andy Kellman at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Funk
Crossover Jazz

Tracks:
01 Stepping into Tomorrow
02 Design a Nation
03 We're Together
04 Think Twice
05 Makin'it
06 Rock & Roll Again
07 You Are the World
08 I Love the Girl

Line-up:
Donald Byrd - trumpet / flugelhorn / vocals
Gary Bartz - clarinet / alto and soprano saxophone
Mayuto Correa - conga
Harvey Mason - drums
Fonce Mizell - clarinet / trumpet / vocals (background)
Larry Mizell - synthesizer / Fender Rhodes / vocals (background)
Jerry Peters - organ / piano
Chuck Rainey - bass
John Rowin - guitar
Roger Sainte - percussion
Stephanie Spruill - percussion / vocals (background)
David T. Walker - guitar
James Carter - whistle (human)
Freddie Perren - vocals (background)
Margie Evans - vocals (backgroud)
Kay Haith - vocals (backgroud)

Miles Davis - Ascenseur Pour l'Échafaud (1958)

Jazz and film noir are perfect bedfellows, as evidenced by the soundtrack of Louis Malle's Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud (Lift to the Scaffold). This dark and seductive tale is wonderfully accentuated by the late-'50s cool or bop music of Miles Davis, played with French jazzmen -- bassist Pierre Michelot, pianist René Urtreger, and tenor saxophonist Barney Wilen -- and American expatriate drummer Kenny Clarke. These complete recordings, including multiple alternate takes, evoke the sensual nature of a mysterious chanteuse and the contrasting scurrying rat race lifestyle of the times, when the popularity of the automobile, cigarettes, and the late-night bar scene were central figures. Davis had seen a screening of the movie prior to his making of this music, and knew exactly how to portray the smoky hazed or frantic scenes though sonic imagery, dictated by the trumpeter mainly in D-minor and C-seventh chords. Michelot is as important a figure as the trumpeter because he sets the tone, whether on four takes of the ballad/blues "Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées," the last version a bit more swinging than the others; his probing one-note sound with the whispering horn of Davis during "Assassinat" and "Final"; and especially on his solo tracks, the slow walking "Ascenseur" (aka "Evasion de Julien") and the stalking "Visite du Vigile." While the mood of the soundtrack is generally dour and somber, the group collectively picks up the pace exponentially on the hard-swinging and freewheeling "Motel," the hotter "Sequence Voiture," and "Diner au Motel." These selections with the entire quintet featuring Wilen effectively realize chase scenes or mind gears crazily turning. At times the distinctive Davis trumpet style is echoed into dire straits or death wish motifs, as on "Generique" or "L'Assassinat de Carala," respectively, but the band can get kinda blue on takes of "Le Petit Bal," with Davis and Wilen more unified up front. Clarke is his usual marvelous self, and listeners should pay close attention to the able Urtreger, by no means a virtuoso but a capable and flexible accompanist. This recording can stand proudly alongside Duke Ellington's music from Anatomy of a Murder and the soundtrack of Play Misty for Me as great achievements of artistic excellence in fusing dramatic scenes with equally compelling modern jazz music.

by Michael G. Nastos at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Hard Bop

Tracks:
01 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (Take 1)
02 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (Take 2)
03 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (Take 3)
04 Nuit sur les Champs-Élysées (Take 4)
05 Assassinat (Take 1)
06 Assassinat (Take 2)
07 Assassinat (Take 3)
08 Motel
09 Final (Take 1)
10 Final (Take 2)
11 Final (Take 3)
12 Ascenseur
13 Le Petit Bal (Take 1)
14 Le Petit Bal (Take 2)
15 Séquence Voiture (Take 1)
16 Séquence Voiture (Take 2)
17 Générique
18 L'Assassinat de Carala
19 Sur l'Autoroute
20 Julien Dans l'Ascenseur
21 Florence sur les Champs-Élysées
22 Diner au Motel
23 Évasion de Julien
24 Visite du Vigile
25 Au Bar du Petit Bac
26 Chez le Photographe du Motel

Line-up:
Miles Davis - trumpet
Kenny Clarke - drums
Pierre Michelot - bass
René Urtreger - piano
Barney Wilen - tenor saxophone

Miles Davis - A Tribute to Jack Johnson (1970)

None of Miles Davis' recordings has been more shrouded in mystery than Jack Johnson, yet none has better fulfilled Miles Davis' promise that he could form the "greatest rock band you ever heard." Containing only two tracks, the album was assembled out of no less than four recording sessions between February 18, 1970, and June 4, 1970, and was patched together by producer Teo Macero. Most of the outtake material ended up on Directions, Big Fun, and elsewhere. The first misconception is the lineup: the credits on the recording are incomplete. For the opener, "Right Off," the band is Miles, John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, Herbie Hancock, Michael Henderson, and Steve Grossman (no piano player!), which reflects the liner notes. This was from the musicians' point of view, in a single take, recorded as McLaughlin began riffing in the studio while waiting for Miles; it was picked up on by Henderson and Cobham, Hancock was ushered in to jump on a Hammond organ (he was passing through the building), and Miles rushed in at 2:19 and proceeded to play one of the longest, funkiest, knottiest, and most complex solos of his career. Seldom has he cut loose like that and played in the high register with such a full sound. In the meantime, the interplay between Cobham, McLaughlin, and Henderson is out of the box, McLaughlin playing long, angular chords centering around E. This was funky, dirty rock & roll jazz. There is this groove that gets nastier and nastier as the track carries on, and never quits, though there are insertions by Macero of two Miles takes on Sly Stone tunes and an ambient textured section before the band comes back with the groove, fires it up again, and carries it out. On "Yesternow," the case is far more complex. There are two lineups, the one mentioned above, and one that begins at about 12:55. The second lineup was Miles, McLaughlin, Jack DeJohnette, Chick Corea, Bennie Maupin, Dave Holland, and Sonny Sharrock. The first 12 minutes of the tune revolve around a single bass riff lifted from James Brown's "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud." The material that eases the first half of the tune into the second is taken from "Shhh/Peaceful," from In a Silent Way, overdubbed with the same trumpet solo that is in the ambient section of "Right Off." It gets more complex as the original lineup is dubbed back in with a section from Miles' tune "Willie Nelson," another part of the ambient section of "Right Off," and an orchestral bit of "The Man Nobody Saw" at 23:52, before the voice of Jack Johnson (by actor Brock Peters) takes the piece out. The highly textured, nearly pastoral ambience at the end of the album is a fitting coda to the chilling, overall high-energy rockist stance of the album. Jack Johnson is the purest electric jazz record ever made because of the feeling of spontaneity and freedom it evokes in the listener, for the stellar and inspiring solos by McLaughlin and Davis that blur all edges between the two musics, and for the tireless perfection of the studio assemblage by Miles and producer Macero. [The album was completely remastered and reissued in January of 2005, following the 2003 release of the Complete Jack Johnson Sessions box set by Legacy.]

by Thom Jurek at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Jazz-Funk
Fusion
Jazz-Rock

Tracks:
01 Right Off
02 Yesternow

Line-up:
Miles Davis - trumpet
Steve Grossman - soprano saxophone
John McLaughlin - electric guitar
Herbie Hancock - organ
Michael Henderson - electric bass
Billy Cobham - drums

Keith Jarrett - Facing You (1971)

Facing You is one of the most important recordings in contemporary jazz for several reasons, aside from being beautifully conceived and executed by pianist Keith Jarrett. It is a hallmark recording of solo piano in any discipline, a signature piece in the early ECM label discography, a distinct departure from mainstream jazz, a breakthrough for Jarrett, and a studio prelude for his most famous solo project to follow, The Köln Concert. Often meditative, richly melodic, inventive, and introspective beyond compare, Jarrett expresses his soul in tailored tones that set standards for not only this kind of jazz, but music that would serve him and his fans in good stead onward. In this program of all originals, which sound spontaneously improvised with certain pretexts and motifs as springboards, the rhapsodic "Ritooria," 4/4 love/spirit song "Lalene," and song for family and life "My Lady; My Child" firmly establish Jarrett's heartfelt and thoughtful approach. "Vapallia" cements the thematic, seemingly effortless, lighter -- but never tame -- aesthetic. "Starbright" is an easy-paced two-step tune signifying fully Jarrett's personalized stance. Straddling a more jagged, angular, and free edge, the pianist evokes the influence of Paul Bley during "Semblence" (sic). But it is the opening selection, an extended ten-minute opus titled "In Front," that truly showcases Jarrett at his playful best -- a timeless, modal, direct, and bright delight. A remarkable effort that reveals more and more with each listen, this recording has stood the test of time, and is unquestionably a Top Three recording in Keith Jarrett's long and storied career.

by Michael G. Nastos at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Mainstream Jazz
Post-Bop
Free Jazz

Tracks:
01 In Front
02 Ritooria
03 Lalene
04 My Lady; My Child
05 Landscape for Future Earth
06 Starbright
07 Vapallia
08 Semblence

Line-up:
Keith Jarrett - piano

Dave Holland Quintet - Critical Mass (2006)

One word that comes to mind when listening to Critical Mass is generosity. Double-bassist Dave Holland, four decades into his career, could certainly be forgiven for taking the word "leader" at its literal meaning, calling all the shots and keeping his musicians at bay. But that's not what he's about, and at any given time Critical Mass could just as easily have been credited to saxist Chris Potter, trombonist Robin Eubanks, vibist/marimbaist Steve Nelson, or drummer Nate Smith. Each player is provided with ample moments in which to take charge, and not fleeting, gratuitous moments but rather significant chunks of solo/lead space. Holland's belief in sharing extends to the area of composition as well. Each bandmember contributes one piece to the album (Holland does claim the other four, however) and, more often than not, uses that opportunity to shapeshift, to push the band -- and make no mistake, this is a band, not a random collection of studio players -- into unexplored territory. That's not to say that Holland takes a back seat -- his presence is always strongly felt -- only that he recognizes that the bass is, first and foremost, a support instrument and he's content with using it as such when the piece calls for it. When he does step in to take the leadership role, he is endlessly creative, commanding in his ability to sidestep predictability and further his own legend. The particular mix of instrumentation here allows for numerous rhythmic and tonal variations as well: on the album's longer pieces, in particular -- Eubanks' exploratory "Full Circle," Holland's appropriately hypnotic "Easy Did It," Nelson's multi-hued "Amator Silenti" -- the quintet's cohesiveness and utmost respect for one another becomes clearer by the minute.
by Jeff Tamarkin at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Modern Creative
Contemporary

Tracks:
01 The Eyes Have It
02 Easy Did It
03 Vicissitudes
04 The Leak
05 Secret Garden
06 Lucky Seven
07 Full Circle
08 Amator Silenti

Line-up:
Chris Potter - soprano and tenor saxophone
Robin Eubanks - trombone
Steve Nelson - vibraphone / marimba / tambourine
Nate Smith - drums
Dave Holland - bass

Miles Davis - Miles in Berlim (1964)

Recorded live in Germany at the Berlin Philharmonic, Miles in Berlin represents the first recording of trumpeter Miles Davis with tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter. For various reasons, saxophonists George Coleman and Sam Rivers had both come and gone as members of Davis' band. With the addition of Shorter in 1964, Davis had found the lineup of musicians that he would stick with until 1968 and produce some of the most influential albums of his career -- collected on The Miles Davis Quintet, 1965-68: The Complete Columbia Studio. Eventually known as the "second great quintet," most of the players here, including pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams, had been with Davis for just under a year. In that time, they had taken his traditional repertoire of standards and originals and reworked them with a more adventurous, edgy approach that flirted with the avant-garde. While there isn't a huge difference in the sound of this band or choice of songs from the group that recorded Seven Steps to Heaven or Miles Davis in Europe, there is a palpable sense of creative abandon in Davis' performance as well as synergy to the group sound that seems to foreshadow the innovative music to come.

by Matt Collar at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Avant-Garde
Hard Bop
Modal Music

Tracks:
01 Milestones
02 Autumn Leaves
03 So What
04 Walkin'
05 Theme

Line-up:
Ron Carter - bass
Miles Davis - trumpet
Herbie Hancock - piano
Wayne Shorter - tenor saxophone
Tony Williams - drums

Oliver Nelson - The Blues and the Abstract Truth (1961)

As Oliver Nelson is known primarily as a big band leader and arranger, he is lesser known as a saxophonist and organizer of small ensembles. Blues and the Abstract Truth is his triumph as a musician for the aspects of not only defining the sound of an era with his all-time classic "Stolen Moments," but on this recording, assembling one of the most potent modern jazz sextets ever. Lead trumpeter Freddie Hubbard is at his peak of performance, while alto saxophonists Nelson and Eric Dolphy (Nelson doubling on tenor) team to form an unlikely union that was simmered to perfection. Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Roy Haynes (drums) can do no wrong as a rhythm section. "Stolen Moments" really needs no comments, as its undisputable beauty shines through in a three-part horn harmony fronting Hubbard's lead melody. It's a thing of beauty that is more timeless as the years pass. The "Blues" aspect is best heard on "Yearnin'," a stylish, swinging, and swaying downhearted piece that is a bluesy as Evans would ever be. Both "Blues" and "Abstract Truth" combine for the darker "Teenie's Blues," a feature for Nelson and Dolphy's alto saxes, Dolphy assertive in stepping forth with his distinctive, angular, dramatic, fractured, brittle voice that marks him a maverick. Then there's "Hoedown," which has always been the black sheep of this collection with its country flavor and stereo separated upper and lower horn in snappy call-and-response barking. As surging and searing hard boppers respectively, "Cascades" and "Butch & Butch" again remind you of the era of the early '60s when this music was king, and why Hubbard was so revered as a young master of the idiom. This CD is a must buy for all jazz collectors, and a Top Ten-Fifty favorite for many.

by Michael G. Nastos at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Post-Bop
Hard Bop
Progressive Jazz

Tracks:
01 Stolen Moments
02 Hoe-Down
03 Cascades
04 Yearin'
05 Butch and Butch
06 Teenie's Blues

Line-up:
George Barrow - baritone saxophone
Paul Chambers - bass
Eric Dolphy - flute / alto saxophone
Bill Evans - piano
Roy Haynes - drums
Freddie Hubbard - trumpet
Oliver Nelson - alto and tenor saxophone

Joe Farrell - Outback (1971)

Outback is the second of his dates for the CTI label, all of which are compelling, and some, like this one, are brilliant. Recording in a quartet setting with Elvin Jones, Chick Corea, and Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira, Farrell, with his reeds and woodwinds, pushes the envelope not only of his own previous conceptualism in jazz, but the CTI label's envelope as well. For starters, this is not a funk, soul, or fusion date, but an adventurous, spacy tightrope-walking exercise between open-ended composition and improvisation. That said, there is plenty of soul in the playing, not only by Farrell, but by all the players -- and Corea never sounded less academic or pointillistic than he does here. There are four compositions on Outback, all of which were arranged by Farrell. The opener is the humid and mysterious title track by John Scott. Staged in a series of minor-key signatures, Farrell primarily uses his winds here, flutes and piccolos, to weave a spellbinding series of ascending melodies over the extended voicings provided by Corea -- not exactly in counterpoint, but in spacious contrast. Jones is his typically uncanny self, skipping over cymbals and using a set of sticks more softly than any man can and still drive a band. Airto is positively hypnotic with his hand-drum fills, rubs and shimmers, going through the beat, climbing on top of it, and playing accents in tandem with Farrell in the solo sections. "Sound Down" is a bit more up-tempo and features Farrell fully engaged on the soprano. Buster Williams lays down a short staccato bassline that keeps Jones' bass drum pumping. As Farrell moves from theme/variation/melody to improvisation, he brings Corea, who, uncharacteristically, vamps off the melody before offering a series of ostinato replies before Farrell clearly surprises everybody with the knottiness of his legato phrasing. Corea's "Bleeding Orchid" is a ballad played with augmented modes and continually shifting intervals that can be heard and mapped best by Williams' adherence to the changes, though his pizzicato fills provide a sharp contrast to Farrell's trills and columnar arpeggiattic meditations that come off as a cross between pastoral jazz classicism and Middle Eastern folk music. Finally, on the leader's own "November 6th," the stops are pulled out in a Latin jazz workout that invokes Coltrane's version of "My Favorite Things," and Farrell digs deep into the tenor's middle register for a singing sound that brings to bear the Latin jazz howling of Gato Barbieri and the deep fire music of 'Trane, while being played through a gorgeously bluesy sophistication as the other players rally around and push through the tenor player's flights of near manic intensity. This is a stunner, an album that is at least as inspired as anything Farrell ever recorded, and perhaps more so.

by Thom Jurek at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Hard Bop
Crossover Jazz

Tracks:
01 Outback
02 Sound Down
03 bleeding Orchid
04 November 68th

Line-up:
Chick Corea - electric piano
Joe Farrell - flute / alto flute / piccolo / soprano and tenor saxophone
Elvin Jones - drums
Airto Moreira - percussion
Buster Williams - bass

Miles Davis - Filles de Kilimanjaro (1968)

Since it's billed as "Directions in Music by Miles Davis," it should come as little surprise that Filles de Kilimanjaro is the beginning of a new phase for Miles, the place that he begins to dive headfirst into jazz-rock fusion. It also happens to be the swan song for his second classic quintet, arguably the finest collective of musicians he ever worked with, and what makes this album so fascinating is that it's possible to hear the breaking point — though his quintet all followed him into fusion (three of his supporting players were on In a Silent Way), it's possible to hear them all break with the conventional notions of what constituted even adventurous jazz, turning into something new. According to Miles, the change in "direction" was as much inspired by a desire to return to something earthy and bluesy as it was to find new musical territory, and Filles de Kilimanjaro bears him out. Though the album sports inexplicable, rather ridiculous French song titles, this is music that is unpretentiously adventurous, grounded in driving, mildly funky rhythms and bluesy growls from Miles, graced with weird, colorful flourishes from the band. Where Miles in the Sky meandered a bit, this is considerably more focused, even on the three songs that run over ten minutes, yet it still feels transitional. Not tentative (which In the Sky was), but certainly the music that would spring full bloom on In a Silent Way was still in the gestation phase, and despite the rock-blues-n-funk touches here, the music doesn't fly and search the way that Nefertiti did. But that's not a bad thing — this middle ground between the adventurous bop of the mid-'60s and the fusion of the late '60s is rewarding in its own right, since it's possible to hear great musicians find the foundation of a new form. For that alone, Filles de Kilimanjaro is necessary listening.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Post-Bop
Fusion

Tracks:
01 Frelon Brun (Brown Hornet)
02 Tout de Suite
03 Petits Machins (Little Stuff)
04 Filles de Kilimanjaro
05 Mademoiselle Mabry (Miss Mabry)

Line-up:
Ron Carter - bass (tracks 2-4 & 6)
Chick Corea - piano / electric piano (tracks 1 & 5)
Miles Davis - trumpet
Herbie Hancock - piano / electric piano (tracks 2-4 & 6)
Dave Holland - bass (tracks 1 & 5)
Wayne Shorter - tenor saxophone
Tony Williams - drums

Idris Muhammad - Power of Soul (1974)

This album is one of the reasons that Idris Muhammad is regarded as the drumming king of groove. Featuring the arrangements and keyboards of Bob James, the saxophone punch of Grover Washington, Jr., guitarist Joe Beck, trumpeter Randy Brecker, percussionist Ralph MacDonald, and the knife-edge slick production of Creed Taylor, this 1974 issue is a burning piece of deep, jazzy soul and grooved-out bliss. The funk flies fast and heavy, particularly on the title track (Jimi Hendrix's tune), with soaring solos by Grover and James, who fall down in the groove to Muhammad's powerful pace, setting from the heart of the pocket. Beck's own solo is special in that he moves against the tempo just a bit, but that only increases the listener's dependence on the groove of Muhammad. Clocking in at only 34 minutes it's a perfect slice of the raw-onion emotion Muhammad was pulling down at the time. While there isn't a weak track in the four, it's Washington's "Loran's Dance" that takes the cake, even over Hendrix. While the former is dark and heavy, and the immediately preceding tracks by James and Beck, respectively, are light, fancy, free nods to Creed Taylor's hoping for a jazz radio single, it's "Loran's Dance" that showcases not only Washington as an aspiring writer in his own right (this is only a year before Feels So Good and Mr. Magic appeared), but also as a talented interpreter of the edges where jazz and soul come together. James' arrangements are tight, and everybody gets to solo with a little more freedom and grace. Muhammad keeps the pocket wide and Brecker and Washington dance all around in it as James plays the accents furtively. This is some easy-moving, yet musically complex jazz. There is great power in these four tracks to make you move or reflect or just tap your foot while nodding "yeah" at your speakers imperceptibly.

by Thom Jurek at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Post-Bop
Crossover Jazz

Tracks:
01 Power of Soul
02 Piece of Mind
03 The Saddest Thing
04 Loran's Dance

Line-up:
Randy Brecker - trumpet / flugelhorn
Bob James - keyboards
Gary King - bass
Ralph MacDonald - percussion
Idris Muhammad drums vocals
Grover Washington - sopano and tenor saxophone

Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay (1970)

This may be Freddie Hubbard's finest moment as a leader, in that it embodies and utilizes all of his strengths as a composer, soloist, and frontman. On Red Clay, Hubbard combines hard bop's glorious blues-out past with the soulful innovations of mainstream jazz in the 1960s, and reads them through the chunky groove innovations of 1970s jazz fusion. This session places the trumpeter in the company of giants such as tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Lenny White. Hubbard's five compositions all come from deep inside blues territory; these shaded notions are grafted onto funky hard bop melodies worthy of Horace Silver's finest tunes, and are layered inside the smoothed-over cadences of shimmering, steaming soul. The 12-minute-plus title track features a 4/4 modal opening and a spare electric piano solo woven through the twin horns of Hubbard and Henderson. It is a fine example of snaky groove music. Henderson even takes his solo outside a bit without ever moving out of the rhythmnatist's pocket. "Delightful" begins as a ballad with slow, clipped trumpet lines against a major key background, and opens onto a mid-tempo groover, then winds back into the dark, steamy heart of bluesy melodicism. The hands-down favorite here, though, is "The Intrepid Fox," with its Miles-like opening of knotty changes and shifting modes, that are all rooted in bop's muscular architecture. It's White and Hancock who shift the track from underneath with large sevenths and triple-timed drums that land deeply inside the clamoring, ever-present riff. Where Hubbard and Henderson are playing against, as well as with one another, the rhythm section, lifted buoyantly by Carter's bridge-building bassline, carries the melody over until Hancock plays an uncharacteristically angular solo before splitting the groove in two and doubling back with a series of striking arpeggiatics. This is a classic, hands down.
by Thom Jurek at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Soul-Jazz
Post-Bop
Jazz-Funk

Tracks:
01 Red Clay
02 Delphia
03 Suite Sioux
04 The Interprid Fox
05 Cold Turquey
06 Red Clay (live version)

Line-up:
Freddie Hubbard - trumpet / horn
Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone
Herbie Hancock - piano
Ron Carter - bass
Lenny White - drums

Red Clay live version:
Freddie Hubbard - trumpet
George Benson - guitar
Stanley Turrentine - tenor saxophone
Johnny Hammond - organ / electric piano
Ron Carter - bass
Billy Cobham - drums
Airto Moreira - percussion

John Coltrane - My Favorite Things (1961)

Although seemingly impossible to comprehend, this landmark jazz recording was made in less than three days. All the more remarkable is that the same sessions which yielded My Favorite Things would also inform a majority of the albums Coltrane Plays the Blues, Coltrane's Sound, and Coltrane Legacy. It is easy to understand the appeal that these sides continue to hold. The unforced, practically casual soloing styles of the assembled quartet -- which includes Coltrane (soprano/tenor sax), McCoy Tyner (piano), Steve Davis (bass), and Elvin Jones (drums) -- allow for tastefully executed passages à la the Miles Davis Quintet, a trait Coltrane no doubt honed during his tenure in that band. Each track of this album is a joy to revisit. The ultimate listenability may reside in this quartet's capacity to not be overwhelmed by the soloist. Likewise, they are able to push the grooves along surreptitiously and unfettered. For instance, the support that the trio -- most notably Tyner -- gives to Coltrane on the title track winds the melody in and around itself. However, instead of becoming entangled and directionless, these musical sidebars simultaneously define the direction the song is taking. As a soloist, the definitive soprano sax runs during the Cole Porter standard "Everytime We Say Goodbye" and tenor solos on "But Not for Me" easily establish Coltrane as a pioneer of both instruments.

by Lindsay Planer at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Modal Music
Hard Bop
Avant-Garde Jazz
Standards
Post Bop
Cool

Tracks:
01 My Favorite Things
02 Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
03 Summertime
04 But Not for Me

Line-up:
John Coltrane - tenor and soprano saxophone
Steve Davis - bass
Elvin Jones - drums
McCoy Tyner - piano

Return to Forever - Musicmagic (1977)

Return to Forever was one of the most commercially and artistically successful jazz/rock bands of the '70s. Albums like Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy and Where Have I Known You Before are filled with the band's chemistry and deft mix of genres. This 1977 effort marks the departure of founding member, drummer Lenny White and guitarist Al DiMeola. White is replaced here with Gerry Brown. A five-piece horn section is added, which includes the returning Joe Farrell. Gayle Moran also is added as a vocalist and on keyboards. Those expecting a continuation of what the group was working on during the great Romantic Warrior will be disappointed. Musicmagic features none of the exciting and challenging playing that typified their best work. The first track, "The Musician," starts off strongly with a great intro then meanders, a trait that often marred Corea's best work of this era. "Hello Again," a duet with Clarke and Moran, is skilled but a little mawkish. The title track plays to this incarnation's strengths with the horn section providing punchy support as Corea has a harder-edged Fender Rhodes solo. Unfortunately, Musicmagic is more often than not filled with bombast and melodrama typified on "So Long Mickey Mouse" and "Do You Ever." The last track, the melodically compelling "The Endless Night," also has the vocals of Clarke and Moran blending particularly well on the song. Despite the best intentions, Musicmagic lacks the swagger and confidence of the group's best work.

by Jason Elias at All Music Guide.

Style:
Fusion

Tracks:
01 The Musician
02 Hello Again
03 Music Magic
04 So Long Mickey Mouse
05 Do You Ever
06 The Endless Night

Line-up:
Chick Corea - acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, Mini Moog, clavinet, Moog 15, Polymoog, ARP Odessey, vocals
Stanley Clarke - electric bass / piccolo bass / acoustic bass / vocals
Gayle Moran - organ / polymoog / acoustic piano / Vocals
Joe Farrell - tenor and soprano saxophone / flutes, piccolo
Gerry Brown - drums
John Thomas - trumpet / flugel horn
James Tinsley - trumpet / piccolo trumpet
Jim Pugh - tenor trombone
Harrold Garrett - tenor and bass trombone / Baritone Horn

Return to Forever - Romantic Warrior (1976)

The most popular and successful lineup of Return to Forever -- Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, and Al Di Meola -- was coming off the Grammy-winning No Mystery when it recorded its third and final album, Romantic Warrior. It has been suggested that in employing a medieval album cover (drawn by Wilson McLean), using titles like "Medieval Overture" and "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant," and occasionally playing in a baroque style, particularly in Clarke's "The Magician," Corea was responding to Rick Wakeman's successful string of albums on similar themes. Certainly, the music suggests that the musicians have been listening to Wakeman's band, Yes, among other progressive rock groups. But they bring more of a traditional jazz approach to their sound, particularly in the opening statement of intent "Medieval Overture" and the original side one closer, "The Romantic Warrior," both of which feature extensive acoustic piano soloing by Corea. The original side two -- Di Meola's "Majestic Dance," "The Magician," and "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant" -- is much more in a jazz-rock style, with Di Meola particularly rocking out on extensive, fast-paced electric guitar solos. Meanwhile, the rhythm section of Clarke and White is always extremely busy, maintaining a funky, driving pulse and several cross rhythms no matter what's going on above it. This is particularly noticeable, naturally, on White's sole composition, "Sorceress," but it continues to keep the music in the fusion camp even when Corea is sounding like a more traditional jazz pianist. Romantic Warrior is the sound of a mature band at the top of its game, which may help explain why it was Return to Forever's most popular album, eventually certified as a gold record, and the last by this assemblage. Having expressed themselves this well, they decided it was time for them to move on.

by William Ruhlmann at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Post-Bop
Fusion

Tracks:
01 Medieval Overture
02 Sorceress
03 The Romantic Warrior
04 Majestic Dance
05 The Magician
06 Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant, Pts. 1 & 2

Line-up:
Chick Corea – keyboards
Stanley Clarke – electric bass, acoustic bass
Lenny White – drums, percussion
Al di Meola – electric guitar / acoustic guitar

Return to Forever - No Mystery (1975)

The second edition of Chick Corea's Return to Forever only lasted three years, resulting in four influential recordings of which this was their third. Corea's versatile keyboards and composing talents, Al DiMeola's intense rockish guitar, Stanley Clarke's funky electric bass and Lenny White's powerful drumming combined to create a true fusion supergroup. Highlights of their passionate set include "No Mystery" and Corea's two-part "Celebration Suite."

by Scott Yanow at All Music Guide.

Style:
Fusion

Tracks:
01 Dayride
02 Jungle Waterfall
03 Flight of the Newborn
04 Sofistifunk
05 Excerpt from the First Movement of Heavy Metal
06 No Mystery
07 Interplay
08 Celebration Suite, Pt.1
09 Celebration Suite, Pt.2

Line-up:
Chick Corea – acoustic piano / electric piano / clavinet / organ / synthesizers /snare drum / marimba / vocals
Stanley Clarke – electric bass / acoustic bass / organ / synthesizer / vocals
Lenny White – drums / percussion / congas / marimba
Al di Meola – electric guitar / acoustic guitar

Return to Forever - Where Have I Known You Before (1974)

This Return to Forever set finds guitarist Al DiMeola debuting with the pacesetting fusion quartet, an influential unit that also featured keyboardist Chick Corea, electric bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White. On this high energy set, short interludes separate the main pieces: "Vulcan Worlds," "The Shadow of Lo," "Beyond the Seventh Galaxy," "Earth Juice" and the lengthy "Song to the Pharoah Kings." Acoustic purists are advised to avoid this music, but listeners who grew up on rock and wish to explore jazz will find this stimulating music quite accessible.

by Scott Yanow at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Fusion
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 Vulcan Worlds
02 Where Have I Loved You Before?
03 Shadow of Lo
04 Where Have I Danced With You Before
05 Beyond the Seventh Galaxy
06 Earth Juice
07 Where Have I Known You Before?
08 Song to the Pharoah Kings

Line-up:
Chick Corea – electric piano / acoustic piano / organ / synthesizers / percussion
Stanley Clarke – electric bass / organ / bell tree / chimes
Lenny White – drums / percussion / congas & bongos
Al di Meola – electric guitar / acoustic twelve-string guitar

Return to Forever - Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973)

The second incarnation of Chick Corea's influential fusion group released only a single record, the magnificent Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. Featuring a more rock-oriented approach than the Flora Purim-Joe Farrell band that was responsible for both Return to Forever and Light as a Feather, Corea and old standby Stanley Clarke join forces here with propulsive drummer Lenny White and electric guitarist Bill Connors. Although Connors lacks the sophistication of Al Di Meola, the young guitarist who replaced him, he possesses a deliciously raw sound that keeps Corea's heady compositions firmly grounded. White introduces a funk aspect to the music, replacing Airto's Latin grooves from the first two records. Clarke is as good, wrenching some truly frightening sounds out of his electric basses. This increased emphasis on electric instrumentation, also displayed in Corea's heavy use of synthesizers, is another thing that separates this record from the previous Return to Forever releases. And as good as the band performances are, it is the quality of the compositions that marks Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy as an indispensable disc of '70s fusion. "Captain Senor Mouse," one of Corea's finest fusion compositions, receives an excellent treatment here. Likewise, the two-part "Space Circus" is a fantastic mix of haunting and grooving elements, with some simply incredible solos thrown into the mix. With Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy, Corea continues his streak of simply timeless fusion albums. The best of the electric RTF albums.
by Daniel Gioffre at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Fusion
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy
02 After the Cosmic Rain
03 Captain Señor Mouse
04 Theme to the Mothership
05 Space Circus, Pts. 1 & 2
06 Game Maker

Line-up:
Chick Corea - electric piano / acoustic piano / organ / harpsichord / gongs
Stanley Clarke - electric bass / bell tree
Lenny White - percussion
Bill Connors - electric guitar / acoustic guitar

Return to Forever

Jazz keyboard player Chick Corea's Return to Forever emerged as one of the key jazz-rock fusion bands of the 1970s. Like Weather Report and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, they were formed by an alumnus of Miles Davis' late-'60s bands with the intention of furthering the jazz-rock hybrid Davis had explored on albums like Bitches Brew. At the time, this was seen as a means of creativity, a new direction for jazz, and as a way of attracting the kinds of large audiences enjoyed by rock musicians. Return to Forever started out as more of a Latin-tinged jazz ensemble, but Corea, influenced by the Mahavishnu Orchestra of John McLaughlin and some of the progressive rock bands coming out of Great Britain, notably Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, moved the group more toward rock, achieving considerable commercial success. A later re-orientation of the band gave it more of a big-band style before Corea folded the unit, retaining the Return to Forever name for occasional tours and other projects.

Corea formed Return to Forever in the fall of 1971 while he was working in Stan Getz's band, and the two groups shared some members. In addition to Corea on keyboards, the initial lineup featured Stanley Clarke on bass, Joe Farrell on reeds, and the Brazilian husband-and-wife team of percussionist Airto Moreira and singer Flora Purim. "Return to Forever" was the name of the first tune Corea wrote for the outfit, and he then adapted it as the group's name. The band made its debut at the Village Vanguard nightclub in New York City in November 1971. In February 1972, they recorded their first self-titled album, though it was not released on ECM in Europe until the following year and did not appear in the U.S. until 1975. Corea, Clarke, and Moreira, all of whom had been playing with Getz, left his band to concentrate on Return to Forever.

The band toured Japan and recorded a second album, Light as a Feather, in London, using some of the songs Corea had written and recorded with Getz, such as "500 Miles High" and "Spain." It was released on Polydor Records. Up to this point, Return to Forever were more notable for their Latin sound than for fusion, but when Farrell left in the spring of 1973, Corea replaced him with a rock guitarist, Bill Connors from Spiral Staircase. Moreira and Purim also left to form their own group, and Corea brought in drummer Steve Gadd and percussionist Mingo Lewis, unveiling the new lineup at the New York City nightclub the Bitter End in April. They then cut a new album, but when it became apparent that Gadd, a successful session musician, wasn't interested in touring, Corea replaced him with Lenny White of the rock band Azteca, who changed the sound sufficiently that the band went back into the studio in August 1973 and recut the album, which was released in October under the title Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. Here, Return to Forever turned decisively toward progressive rock and fusion, with Corea employing an extensive set of synthesizers. The result was crossover commercial success; the album spent several months in the pop charts.

In 1974, Connors left the group and was replaced initially by Earl Klugh, though only for a tour. The permanent replacement was 19-year-old Al di Meola, who left the Berklee School of Music to join the band. That summer, Return to Forever recorded their fourth album, Where Have I Known You Before, which was released in September. Backed by an extensive tour that ran through December and closed at Carnegie Hall, the album reached the pop Top 40 and remained in the charts more than five months. The band went back into the studio in January 1975 and quickly cut its fifth album, No Mystery, which was released in February. It too made the Top 40, though it charted for only three months. It also won the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Group. Corea signed Return to Forever to Columbia Records, while remaining at Polydor as a solo artist. Romantic Warrior, a concept album on medieval themes, was the first Return to Forever album not to be co-billed to Corea on the original LP. Released in March 1976, it became the band's third consecutive Top 40 hit and went on to become its biggest seller, eventually earning a gold record. But with its completion, Corea again changed stylistic direction and disbanded the lineup.

Retaining Clarke as always, Corea immediately re-formed Return to Forever, adding his wife, Gayle Moran, formerly of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, on vocals and keyboards, returning member Joe Farrell, and drummer Gerry Brown, along with a horn section consisting of trumpeters John Thomas and James Tinsley, and trombonists Jim Pugh and Harold Garrett. With this personnel, Return to Forever recorded their seventh album, Musicmagic, which was released in March 1977. It became the band's fourth consecutive Top 40 album, spending more than four months in the charts. A third trombonist, Ron Moss, was added for the tour.

On May 20-21, 1977, Return to Forever recorded a live album at the Palladium Theater in New York City, but Corea disbanded the group after the tour. Live was released in February 1979, when it spent a month in the charts. (This was the single LP version; the show was also released as a triple LP, Live: The Complete Concert, which was later reissued as a double CD, Live.) In 1983, Corea reassembled Clarke, di Meola, and White for a tour. And after 25 years, Return to Forever reunited again for a tour of North America and Europe that began in Austin, TX, on May 29, 2008. Corea, Clarke, di Meola, and White scheduled approximately 50 dates through August 7 of that year.

Return to Forever have ultimately come to be viewed as a chapter in the career of Chick Corea, who was sometimes given sole credit on CD reissues of their albums. In its time, the group rose and fell according to the popular and critical response to jazz fusion in general, gaining accolades and healthy sales early on, but suffering from the backlash that all progressive jazz endured after the 1970s, when musical trends turned conservative and the remnants of jazz-rock mutated into smooth contemporary jazz. Also, Return to Forever have fallen between stools in terms of music criticism, with hidebound jazz critics dismissing them as too much like rock music, while rock critics think of them as a jazz group. As such, there is a tendency to undervalue the band's real musical accomplishments, which, however, remain available to be heard on the records.
by William Ruhlmann at All Music Guide.