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Forum Name: Jazz Music Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific jazz music albums
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Topic: Album Discussion: RTF - "Light As A Feather"Posted By: darkshade
Subject: Album Discussion: RTF - "Light As A Feather"
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 1:20pm
I thought it would be a good idea to have a thread where we can all discuss various albums in the world of jazz. This would keep the forums a little less cluttered. We'll have discussions of each album for a few days, or until no one posts on the current album. I'll try and have more popular albums be the focus, with the occasional forgotten gem, this way we can have as many people joining in.
Today, we'll start off with John Coltrane - "Blue Train" (1957)
I figure this one is a good one to start with. Probably his most popular album after Giant Steps and A Love Supreme. This is early Coltrane, nothing too abrasive. But the music on Blue Train is lovely, kinda reminds me of Christmas time. This album is actually my second favorite of his, behind A Love Supreme. Better things were to come, but I've always enjoyed this one immensely.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Replies: Posted By: js
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 1:28pm
Unfortunately I don't have that one, my only contribution to this discussion is that I have only heard good things about it.
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 1:30pm
That's funny, I know I've seen this album listened to by a lot of people here or at PA. We'll see how this goes.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: snobb
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 1:45pm
I have this one - and from what I heard from Coltrane's hard-bop period this one is probably one of the best (I like his late (AG) period so my opinion is far from competent)
Posted By: Abraxas
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 2:02pm
Although I don't know a whole lot of the original 50s hard bop, I think it's no brainer to call Blue Train one of the best at it. Such a fun album, so much energy. Although it's not one of the Trane I listen to most, I think it's a damn good entry into the world of jazz because of the instantly catchy melodies and solos and, of course, the hard bop rhythm.
Here in Argentina there are a good bunch of semi-afrobeat bands and instrumental reggae ones that cover Blue Train in a very percussive way, which is always fun to hear live and dance to.
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 5:59pm
I think Blue Train is Trane's only release on Blue Note, and it's a typical release for that label
------------- my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicted musicians to crazy ones....
Posted By: Cannonball With Hat
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 7:23pm
I haven't heard it, but it is on my list of Trane albums I need to buy.
------------- Hit it on Five.
Saxophone Scatterbrain Blitzberg
Stab them in the ears.
Posted By: Kazuhiro
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 8:12pm
There are a lot of listeners who love this album in Japan. However, I feel that it is after he withdrew from Miles group that personality of Coltrane is shown most.
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 8:18pm
^ I agree.
Also, that pic
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: Kazuhiro
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 8:32pm
Posted By: dreadpirateroberts
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2012 at 9:17pm
One of my favourite Coltrane albums, the first I got of his actually. Love that solo on the title track and Lazy Bird is another favourite from that album. I remember reccomending itto a customer when I used to work in retrail and it basically hooked them on jazz
------------- We are men of action. Lies do not become us. http://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/dreadpirateroberts%28member%29.aspx?reviews=all/" rel="nofollow - Reviews...
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2012 at 1:27pm
Next album up is:
"Mingus Ah Um"
This album is a classic in the world of jazz, and came out in the revolutionary year of 1959. This is, honestly, the album I'm most familiar with as far as Mingus' own albums go. Lots of great horn work, and rhythms throughout, and of course, the classic Goodbye Pork Pie Hat. I remember buying this album along with Dave Brubeck's "Time Out", another '59 jazz classic, and remembered how much this one stuck out, and didn't feel as cold as Time Out did. It was a great weekend anyway.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2012 at 1:33pm
Another great album I don't have, although I have listened to a lot of these songs many times on my own mix tapes and online radio stations, so you could say I'm pretty familiar with this one. If there is a bad Mingus album, I have not heard it.
Posted By: Abraxas
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2012 at 2:48pm
Mingus is a tough guy to get into, for me anyway. Such a skillful composer, plus he draws a lot of early jazz influences that one, I think, must know much about jazz to fully appreciate him. I'm still in the process haha.
As far as this album, it's great and it's classic. You've got a bit of everything at its best, the romantic, the chaotic, those horn arrangements are just freaking wild, Mingus trademark.
Alike Blue Train, although stylistically very different, it's a good entry to the jazz world I think.
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2012 at 11:43pm
js wrote:
Another great album I don't have, although I have listened to a lot of these songs many times on my own mix tapes and online radio stations, so you could say I'm pretty familiar with this one. If there is a bad Mingus album, I have not heard it.
Heh, I'll find one that you own sooner or later. Why don't you have these classic albums?
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2012 at 2:05am
^ back when I was buying albums on a regular basis I bought mostly funk jazz, soul jazz, avant-garde and early fusion, so I still have a lot of those records. These days its so easy to listen to customized internet radio stations that I hardly buy music much anymore, ...plus I'm broke a lot.
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2012 at 12:02pm
Alright, time to move to some fusion. Next album up is Return to Forever's "Romantic Warrior" (1976)
Personally, this album sparked my interest in both Progressive Rock AND Jazz AND Fusion all at once. Amazing. I still think this is a classic in the fusion genre, like, top 3 best fusion albums ever made. Sure, the amount of improv is less than on previous RTF albums, but it's there. The production on this album is one of the best I've ever heard on a 70s jazz or fusion album, especially compared to their previous 3 albums. Stanley Clarke plays some of the best bass lines he's ever done, and Chick Corea, well, c'mon, he's Chick Corea. This is also one of Al Di Meola's best examples of his playing.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2012 at 12:42pm
I remember when this came out, and yes, I did pick up a copy and probably still have it, though I haven't listened to it in a while.
Mixing fusion with prog rock was all the rage for about a year or two there and RTF was into it to. Lots of Funk and RnB bands were also showing the fusion/prog rock influence at this time. Everything was being done up in huge proportions.
The thing I notice now about RTF, and especially Chick Corea, during this time is his influence from exotica keyboard sounds and flashy big band arrangers.
Posted By: Abraxas
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2012 at 1:28pm
I personally don't like all the hype the album has and got, I think that as jazz fusion Where Have I Known You Before is a far more interesting and fun album.
Romantic Warrior, like you've already said, is very prog sounding, be it the themes, the cover art and the compositions. Must admit though, Sorceress and Majestic Dance were one of the first jazz rock songs I loved and from there there was no turning back. Corea does play some of his finest funky tricks here. The title track is also very nice.
Duel of the Jester, on the other hand, is more of a demonstration of their ability, with some really complex passages but don't do much for me.
It's an album I would recommend more for Prog fans rather to Jazz fans or even Fusion fans, for that matter.
Posted By: snobb
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2012 at 1:39pm
I prefer RTF's first line-up and their Latin-influenced fusion, from later releases "Where Have I Know You Before" is more interesting for me. "Romantic Warrior" is still good album, kind of "prog rock played by jazz musicians", but there are more rockers doing it much better. From other hand, for jazz/fusion listener this album is probably ... let say "too much rock"
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2012 at 1:55pm
You gotta admit that Sorceress is a fusion classic, and the title track is probably the jazziest song on the album, and a beautiful one at that. The albums being chosen for this series is partially based on their popularity.
I know what you mean about the first couple of RTF albums and the latin-jazz sound they had, and" Light As a Feather" has Chick's best Rhoades Piano sound I've ever heard from him. As far as the rock-fusion albums, I used to like "Where Have I Known You Before" the most, but lately I've been preferring "Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy"
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: Kazuhiro
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2012 at 6:39pm
"Romantic Warrior" is really classic Jazz Rock/Fusion album so that everybody says. I suppose that it was a fact to have reached an end and a top having one album as a then lineup.
And I agreed to an opinion of Mike as a personal opinion. Bill Connors left the band immediately. I do not know the withdrawal that it is voluntary or the discharge. However, Chick Corea had perfect intention in those days about a band. I think that, as a result, I was discharged from Bill Connors. However, I think Connors to have done it well.
The reason that RTF changed to the route such as Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy was existence of the MO. It was a fact that Chick Corea gave vent to feelings under the influence of MO. I think that a band did not arrive at Romantic Warrior if 7th Galaxy does not exist.
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 4:12am
snobb wrote:
I prefer RTF's first line-up and their Latin-influenced fusion, from later releases "Where Have I Know You Before" is more interesting for me. "Romantic Warrior" is still good album, kind of "prog rock played by jazz musicians", but there are more rockers doing it much better. From other hand, for jazz/fusion listener this album is probably ... let say "too much rock"
Agreed actually!!
I can't help thinking that Chick had listened to a lot of Gentle Giant and some Yes before setting this album down on paper.
And yes, as a "jazzer" (been into it since the mid-80's) I much prtefer Seventh Galaxy... and I have a lot of sympathy for the forst line-up... I just wish Purim wasn't singing on those albums... I don't have much sympathy for No Mystery, though, but it's still a classic line-up album... However things really went awry with Musicmagic
------------- my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicted musicians to crazy ones....
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2012 at 10:30am
OK, next album up is................ Weather Report - "Heavy Weather"
A possibly controversial album to bring up, but a popular one. It has Birdland, which anyone who joins their middle school or high school jazz band will probably hear and play. I personally had heard and played the tune for years in jazz bands in school before actually hearing the original recording on here. This helped me appreciate the album as a whole. This was actually my first Weather Report album, along with Black Market, and I liked both albums, before I even knew that they had a fusion career before Jaco Pastorious, who is just amazing here, I love Jaco btw. I think "A Remark You Made" is beautiful, and makes me feel a little nostalgic.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2012 at 10:39am
This was a fun album and you heard it all the time back when it came out. I saw the tour for this album too. Eventually I got burned out on "Birdland", it just got played to death.
The tour show was good, but I had preferred seeing the earlier version of WR with Alphonso on bass. Overall, my favorite WR albums were the earlier ones, both with Mirsalov and Alphonso.
Posted By: snobb
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2012 at 11:14am
I really like two first WR albums (almost masterpieces), later band changed direction towards more accessible (and far not so interesting) music. "Heavy Weather" is average album from WR middle period, and kind of borderline for me - almost everything,what was released before is better, and almost everything, what WR released after,is below "Heavy Weather"'s level.
Posted By: Kazuhiro
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2012 at 7:14pm
Heavy Weather thinks me to have been one top for a band. Or it is a turning point. Various musicians would take up the music recorded in this album.
I think that they were not established if there is not really Jaco. "A Remark You Made" and "Teen Town" are particularly remarkable. They are already becoming the classic song. Of course it is remarkable even in 8:30 version.
Of course I like their early work, but the flexibility that the band accomplishing evolution and a change like this by a rhythm section does not exist too much, and Zawinul and Shorter have will be included.
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2012 at 2:37am
Kaz, if any WR repôrt album would be a turning point, it would be the preceding Black Market album... I'm not a fan of either albums... I used to love (this is relative since I found out about the band once they folded around 85 or 6, if memory serves) WR, because their early albums were fairly to very focused. Whether the Vitous era (the first three + Live in Tokyo) or to a lesser extent, the Johnson "interlude" (MT + TS) , WR was a solid avant-garde jazz-rock outfit
I don't know if Pastorius' arrival changed Zawienul (the one making the decisions in the band - almost the dictator >> Shorter was letting him do it all) and his overall musical outlook, but from the album where Jaco appears, WR's focus was suddendly wide-ranging and broadbrushing ... To actually call these two pure-fusion or JR/F albums would be kind of misleading, since there is a bit of everything in them
Both HW and BM are highly commercial albums, but then again it was HH's HH album that poaved the way for huge-selling albums
------------- my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicted musicians to crazy ones....
Posted By: Kazuhiro
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2012 at 2:48am
Yes. The point where Jaco joined. And the point where WR changed the route to. When I think about them, I can consider the turning point as "Black Market". I think that the directionality of the band changed to some extent when rhythm sections were always changed by a thought of Zawinul and Shorter. I do not know whether I should call it evolution. However, I think that they expressed the style well with the times.
Posted By: Kazuhiro
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2012 at 2:54am
Furthermore, I know the reason why Herbie Hancock introduced Jazz Funk into in "Head Hunters". "Sextant" has the part that the musicality in the album in the days of Waner Bros is succeeded. However, the HH album changed the route suddenly. There was a firm reason for this process.
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2012 at 7:32am
Kazuhiro wrote:
Yes. The point where Jaco joined. And the point where WR changed the route to. When I think about them, I can consider the turning point as "Black Market". I think that the directionality of the band changed to some extent when rhythm sections were always changed by a thought of Zawinul and Shorter. I do not know whether I should call it evolution. However, I think that they expressed the style well with the times.
Well, the drum stool in WR was always a revolving door, which was not the case of the bassist
Right from the start WR was Shorter, Zawie and Vitous as a stable line-up
However, Zawie found that Vitous was too "European" (as if he was not Austrian himself) and sort of fired Vitous
But I always counted WR's duiscrography by the bassist era, because that third spot was indicative of a style:
Vitous-era (WR, Body Electric & Sweetnighter) >> experimental JR/F ala Mwandishi)
Johnson-ere (MT & TS) >> more of a jazz funk (find a groove abnd stay in it)
Pastorius-era (BW until Night passages or further) >> anything goes >> world, bop, fusion, etc...
Victor Bailey-era (until the break-up) >> not too familiar, but more or less in the Jaco style
Kazuhiro wrote:
Furthermore, I know the reason why Herbie Hancock introduced Jazz Funk into in "Head Hunters". "Sextant" has the part that the musicality in the album in the days of Waner Bros is succeeded. However, the HH album changed the route suddenly. There was a firm reason for this process.
I suppose that when you say WB, you mean Atlantic
Yeah, I guess Ahmet Ertegun really missed the goose with the golden egg with HH... He'd spent money to lure away HH from Blue note and only had one album that sold more or less well: Fat Albert Rotunda (which becalme a hit because of the TV anime series)... Sooo Clive Davis (Columbia) really had a horseshoe up his ass, but then again his label had almost every JR/F big groups in his stable (Miles, later RTF, HH's HH, MO, WR, Soft Machine, etc...only Coryell(s 11th House was missing ...
BTW, I think Sextant is the best of the three Mwandishi albums too, but I'm not sure it outsold the other two, despite the spectacular artwork
------------- my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicted musicians to crazy ones....
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2012 at 12:03pm
Yea, with Jaco came the world music influence, which he loved, and I think turned Zawinul on to it big time, I mean, look at The Zawinul Syndicate, though that band is awesome.
I agree that Sextant is the best of the 3 Mwandishi albums.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: Cannonball With Hat
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2012 at 3:46pm
snobb wrote:
"Heavy Weather" is average album from WR middle period, and kind of borderline for me - almost everything,what was released before is better, and almost everything, what WR released after,is below "Heavy Weather"'s level.
Pretty much my feelings. Average at best to my ears.
------------- Hit it on Five.
Saxophone Scatterbrain Blitzberg
Stab them in the ears.
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2012 at 1:34pm
Next up, I'm sure we all know THIS album: Miles Davis - "Kind of Blue"
This may be the most popular jazz album ever, but for good reason. This album is absolutely beautiful. I listened to KOB recently actually, and it never fails to bring my mood up. I've actually listened to this album feeling like crap, and by the end of it, felt so much better. You also can't go wrong with this lineup, Coltrane, Cannonball, Jones, Evans, and Chambers. This might also be the most important album made in the 20th century, as subjective as that may be. " rel="nofollow">
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2012 at 3:29pm
Yes, I have several vinyl copies as well as a music book that maps out every single note played on the album, just in case you want to try out one of their solos.
"All Blues" was a favorite tune when I was young. I haven't listened to this album in a while, but I still like it.
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2012 at 4:26pm
Oooohhhh!!!!....
I simply frigging hate this album!!!!
(NOT!!!)
------------- my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicted musicians to crazy ones....
Posted By: Abraxas
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2012 at 7:54pm
Music, perfect MUSIC.
Posted By: dreadpirateroberts
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2012 at 1:00am
Love the contrast between the cooler sounds of Miles & Bill contrasting with the warm tones of the saxes. Stunning album, hard to overlook it in terms of its influence, popularity and quality. Awesome stuff
------------- We are men of action. Lies do not become us. http://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/dreadpirateroberts%28member%29.aspx?reviews=all/" rel="nofollow - Reviews...
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2012 at 11:27am
What's amazing to me, is that the album before it "Milestones" is the opposite in terms of mood, but features the same lineup (well almost, with Wynton Kelly more prominent on piano). Not to mention the music is fast and frenetic, whereas KOB is moody, a little laid back, and, well, cool. " rel="nofollow">
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: dreadpirateroberts
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2012 at 6:20am
^ that's fantastic, I hadn't actually twigged to that! I wonder how much of that change can be attributed to Evans' influence or Miles conscious decision to work in a more modal frame
------------- We are men of action. Lies do not become us. http://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/dreadpirateroberts%28member%29.aspx?reviews=all/" rel="nofollow - Reviews...
Posted By: Kazuhiro
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2012 at 7:00pm
I remember that KOB told you to be a passage point for Miles. However, it is famous that this album was generally established as modal jazz. In any case Miles would have clairvoyance. And, in the Miles group, time was necessary for the fixation of the sax player until Wayne Shorter participated.
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 11:30am
Next up is: Jeff Beck - "Wired"
In my opinion, the better album between this and Blow By Blow, which is more popular. Jan Hammer is all over this album, with his trademark 70s synth sounds, and great fusion Rhoades piano playing. This album is jazzier, I think, than Blow By Blow, which is funkier. Even the cover of the Mingus tune "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" is quite exceptional.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 11:41am
Yeah, that was a fun album, I used to listen to it a lot. Its got more energy than "Blow by Blow", which is a little more soulful.
Posted By: Abraxas
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2012 at 1:38pm
I think I prefer Blow by Blow, as a whole. I think that all the tunes in there are memorable, while Wired some stuff is rather forgetful. In Blow by Blow the funk groove is everywhere and Jeff is always leading with original guitar.
Still, yeah, the cover of Goodbye Pork Pie Hat is really good.
I just think that Jan Hammer wasn't a really good choice for keyboards, Max Middleton's, on other hand, offered really funky clavinet and Rhodes, while Hammer has his particular synths that don't suit for me with Jeff's music.
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 8:06am
js wrote:
Yeah, that was a fun album, I used to listen to it a lot. Its got more energy than "Blow by Blow", which is a little more soulful.
Yes in both your assertions, yet I find that its main flaw is that it's a typical studio album riddled with dubs and overdubs... I much prefer Live With The Jan Hammer group
Abraxas wrote:
I just think that Jan Hammer wasn't a really good choice for keyboards, Max Middleton's, on other hand, offered really funky clavinet and Rhodes, while Hammer has his particular synths that don't suit for me with Jeff's music.
Middleton worked with Beck in the earlier 70's (71-74), where the keyboards srtill had that "good ol' vintage" sound we all love...
Hammer occupied Beck's kb stool in the later 70's with a very different set of synths, that simply do not please me as much as the previous generation... But it's not just Hammer that was prone to that... Zawie, Chick and many others used the uptodate KB in those years...
------------- my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicted musicians to crazy ones....
Posted By: Abraxas
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 5:18pm
Sean Trane wrote:
Abraxas wrote:
I just think that Jan Hammer wasn't a really good choice for keyboards, Max Middleton's, on other hand, offered really funky clavinet and Rhodes, while Hammer has his particular synths that don't suit for me with Jeff's music.
Middleton worked with Beck in the earlier 70's (71-74), where the keyboards srtill had that "good ol' vintage" sound we all love...
Hammer occupied Beck's kb stool in the later 70's with a very different set of synths, that simply do not please me as much as the previous generation... But it's not just Hammer that was prone to that... Zawie, Chick and many others used the uptodate KB in those years...
Yep, you're right. But I think Zawinul was a master of all types of synths, he's the exception.
Posted By: Kazuhiro
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2012 at 10:02pm
If there was not Max Middleton, "Blow By Blow" would not be established. Arrangement in Scatterbrain and Diamonddust. However, Wired would establish the course that Jeff Beck had good as an instrumental album surely. Of course it is a well-known fact that the indirect reason why Jeff Beck established such directionality and thought included the existence of the Billy Cobham solo album.
However, the album of the 70s when Jeff Beck did it has a feeling divided once in Wired. Wired is almost 5stars for me as a personal opinion. I in particular love "Sophie" and "Play With Me".
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2012 at 2:57pm
Next up, Miles Davis' "Birth of the Cool"
A seminal jazz album, recorded in 1949, but not released until around 1957. This was the true beginning of modern jazz as far as I'm concerned, and a reaction against the bebop sound of the 40s, which was the link between swing and modern jazz from the 50s onward. Tunes like "Moon Dreams" were so revolutionary at the time, almost nothing like it had come before, and the laid back feeling of most of the other tunes was also something not heard much in the world of jazz.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2012 at 4:14pm
I like this album very much, I never get tired of hearing it because I always hear something different.
Posted By: BlueNote
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2012 at 5:22pm
I use the first track, Move, as a wake-up song. It works great :)
------------- We lay on our backs, looking at the ceiling and wondering what God had wrought when He made life so sad. - Jean-Louis Lebris de Kerouac
Posted By: Kazuhiro
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2012 at 6:58pm
The album which is necessary to talk about cool jazz. The member who carried it out. The thing that the contribution of Gil Evans is not yet big, but is good for both sides.
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 04 Feb 2013 at 4:02pm
Sorry I haven't been really been keeping up with this series (do most of you care anyway?
I'll keep it going though, even though I expected a lot more discussion
on Birth of the Cool; maybe it's been talked about enough?)
Anyway, next album up is Return To Forever - "Light As A Feather"
In
my opinion, this album is one of the best examples of really great
Rhodes piano from the 1970s. There's something deep and percussive about
Chick's tone here. He never got that sound quite right ever again, at
least as far as the Rhodes piano. Some nice mix of jazz and Latin
rhythms, similar to the previous album if you consider this RTF's second
album (I do). Some female vocals on a few of the tunes, and while it
took me some time to get over them when I was new to this album, they
don't really detract from the overall experience, as the mood of the
album is calm and introspective, but light cheery, like listening to
this on a warm, sunny Spring day with not a cloud in the sky, in the
middle of a beautiful field surrounded by trees. Classic Chick Corea
tunes like Spain, 500 Miles High, and Captain Marvel, which later
incarnations of the band would play live, are on this album. Never knew
why I liked this one more than "Return To Forever" the album, but I do.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: Abraxas
Date Posted: 04 Feb 2013 at 4:18pm
I agree, that album is all about the Rhodes, brilliant sound and playing, lovely melodies. Although I do think that the album gets rather repetitious, it's a real pleasure to hear Flora's voice and Chick's already stated brilliancy.
Posted By: snobb
Date Posted: 04 Feb 2013 at 4:21pm
I really like this album as well, but "Return To Forever" sounds as original one for me, "Light As A Feather" is more a successful copy. These two albums are absolute peak of all RTF project for me (and probably best or between few best Corea's albums ever).
Some classic compositions were played later million times by Corea himself and some other collaborators (500 Miles High after few years was recorded by Flora Purim on her solo album), but never sounded better or even so good as here.
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 04 Feb 2013 at 4:48pm
I like this album, one of the earlier jazz albums I ever owned, but i have always liked the first RTF the best.
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: 05 Feb 2013 at 8:39am
snobb wrote:
I really like this album as well, but "Return To Forever" sounds as original one for me, "Light As A Feather" is more a successful copy. These two albums are absolute peak of all RTF project for me (and probably best or between few best Corea's albums ever).
Some classic compositions were played later million times by Corea himself and some other collaborators (500 Miles High after few years was recorded by Flora Purim on her solo album), but never sounded better or even so good as here.
I also prefer the ECM "debut" better than this one...
Not keen of pîurim's vocals on other albums, but she's almost OK here..
I always liked Farrell's presence on these two albums, a,nd can only cry that he wasn't around for Hymn or Warrior... alas, when he returned in 77, RTF's good pęriod was just over (atricious MM album)
------------- my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicted musicians to crazy ones....
Posted By: Abraxas
Date Posted: 05 Feb 2013 at 11:23am
^MusicMagic isn't really that bad, in my opinion. It's a weird mix of what RtF had done plus Corea's classical leanings, it's not essential, but some tunes I find them pretty fine.
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: 06 Feb 2013 at 12:45pm
I've never heard MusicMagic before. So many bad reviews for it put me off, so I never tried. It's on Spotify, so I guess I have no excuse now...
Light As A Feather is just a warm album. The debut sounds a little cold to me. Still awesome, and progressive in how it fuses jazz-rock with latin jazz.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
Posted By: snobb
Date Posted: 06 Feb 2013 at 2:04pm
Probably everyone heard negative opinions about Music Magic still before he heard album itself
For me it's not so bad album - more collection of quite nice and faceless songs all in one
Posted By: js
Date Posted: 06 Feb 2013 at 4:25pm
The album was not my favorite, but the tour concert in support of the album was excellent.
Posted By: Abraxas
Date Posted: 06 Feb 2013 at 6:37pm
^I've listened to some of the live performances of the album tunes, it sounds way more energetic and even extended. This sounds pretty good:
js wrote:
I'll keep it going though, even though I expected a lot more discussion
on Birth of the Cool; maybe it's been talked about enough?)