Return To Forever
Romantic Warrior

The seventies were a period of experimentation and musical contamination for jazz, initiated by the "electrical movement" that revolved around the figure of trumpeter Miles Davis; the main architect of the clash between jazz and the rock sounds of that era, the undisputed master, decided in August 1969 to give a definitive identity to that electric shift already started a year earlier with "In a Silent Way", hiring some of the major instrumentalists of the time. Among them were some old acquaintances like bassist Dave Holland and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, resulting in one of the most important and innovative sessions in jazz history. The recording would be named "Bitches Brew" and featured in the musician’s lineup were personalities destined to become, thanks to their parallel projects, the leading figures of fusion of those years; Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, among the protagonists of that endless jazz piece, decided to continue the electric saga initiated by the jazzman and embarked on three similar paths, each with its own personality.

The Return to Forever, founded by pianist-keyboardist Chick Corea, first appeared in 1972, producing seven studio albums in five years and are still considered among the major exponents of jazz-rock along with Weather Report; the original lineup featured, in addition to Corea and Stanley Clarke on electric bass, Joe Farrell (flute and sax), Airto Moireira (percussion), and Flora Purim (vocals); the album is considered one of the high points of creativity for the Italian-American musician who, over the years, would give a more typically fusion imprint to the works of Return to Forever, partly abandoning the Latin sounds that characterized this splendid debut.

From 1972 to 1976, the year when "Romantic Warrior" was released, things changed a bit; the supergroup’s sixth release saw the appearance of, in addition to the two main members already mentioned, Lenny White on drums and percussion and Al di Meola on electric guitar; the group's sound had become more evidently influenced by rock, bringing their style closer to McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra. Although not reaching the heights of the 1972 debut, "Romantic Warrior" remains a work of great creative depth and technical skill, finding its greatest strength in the perfect balance and harmony among the instrumentalists in bringing compositions to life without anyone overshadowing another or being too "restrained". In "Romantic Warrior," everyone is called to "say their piece" in the right balance.

The fusion between jazz and rock is enriched by numerous classical references and Latin rhythms, especially delivered by pianist Corea who is more than once in a state of grace, yet never more so than in the beautiful title track where splendid piano phrases open the piece, introducing Al di Meola's acoustic guitar and Clarke's double bass played with the bow during the execution of the main theme; the theme will repeat once more under the accompaniment of drums, then giving way to variations and exchanges of solos between double bass and acoustic guitar, building up to a solo crescendo and then subsiding, leading the listener to the very Latin solo piano section beautifully accompanied by a flamboyant Lenny White. The rarefied initial atmospheres accompanied by piano phrases return, bringing the piece to a conclusion after a full 11 minutes.

Also noteworthy are the funky "Sorceress", certainly more fusion in nature compared to the distinctive title track (here too, the magnificent Latin-inflected piano solo will be sublime for those who listen), and "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant (part 1 and part 2)", another splendid long-duration piece composed by Chick Corea. Enjoyable is the rock-influenced "Majestic Dance" by Al di Meola, while slightly less to my taste is the artificial "The Magician" by Stanley Clarke, although it still manages to be appreciated for the keyboard and electric bass subtleties in the middle part of the composition. Less engaging to me is the opening "Medieval Overture".

In conclusion, a beautiful album with very few parts below par, which overall remains a small masterpiece and should not be missing from the collection of anyone who loved the jazz-rock of those years.