Return To Forever-Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy (1973)

Return to Forever's career has been marked by diverse variations within jazz, from the progressive sounds of "Romantic Warrior" (1976) to the rock of "Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy" (1973), passing through the jazz fusion of their self-titled debut album (1972), and the forays into funk and Latin sounds of "No Mystery" (1975). For their third release, "Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy" (1973), band leader Chick Corea introduced a new guitarist, Bill Connors, who replaced singer Flora Purim, and a new drummer, Lenny White, who replaced Airto Moreira, while the rest of the lineup remained Chick Corea himself and bassist Stanley Clarke. On this new album, the band focused on a heavy jazz-rock sound driven by the virtuosity and surreal performances of all its members. Bill Connors's dissonant guitar style, Corea's delicate electric piano playing, and the formidable rhythm section comprised of Clarke's extraordinary bass and White's complex drumming result in an album brimming with dynamic, impeccably crafted jazz-rock pieces. From the brilliant title track to the ethereal "Alter the Cosmic Rain", and from the jazzy improvisation of "Captain Señor Mouse" to the groovy jazz of "Space Circus", this album stands as one of the finest and most essential jazz-rock albums of the 1970s.