Light as a Feather

Light as a Feather is technically the first studio album by jazz band Return to Forever led by keyboardist Chick Corea (credited on the album cover as “Chick Corea and Return to Forever”). It features saxophonist/flautist Joe Farrell, bassist Stanley Clarke, vocalist Flora Purim and her husband, drummer/percussionist Airto Moreira, who all performed on Corea’s previous album Return to Forever, from which the group took its name.

The style of the music remains mostly the same as the first album, though Purim’s vocals were given a larger role. Corea produced the album for Polydor Records. Clarke played double bass, though for most of his later career he has played bass guitar. "Captain Marvel" is a fast Latin piece that provided the name for Stan Getz's album released in the same year (with Corea, Clarke and Moreira guesting). Airto plays percussion and Purim sings without words during the song's main riff. The album ends with "Spain", which was inspired by, and whose introduction was taken from, Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez (1939). This was the second of only two albums featuring the band's original line up. Purim and her husband Airto would leave after its release (to be replaced by guitarist Bill Connors and drummer Lenny White); Joe Farrell also left at this time, but would return to the band for their seventh and eighth albums (Musicmagic and Live); bassist Stanley Clarke remained with the band through all of its line up changes.

Light as a Feather won the 1972 Playboy Jazz Album of the year and has been selected by many magazines and polls as one of the greatest jazz albums ever recorded. For many years this album has been listed on The Absolute Sound super disc list and the Stereophile list of "Records to Die For". It is also featured in Tom Moon's 1,000 Albums to Hear Before You Die.