(Jazz Fusion) [LP][24/96] Return To Forever - Romantic Warrior (Holland 1st press, CBS 81221) - 1976, FLAC (tracks), lossless

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Romantic Warrior (1976) is the sixth studio album of fusion band Return to Forever.
This is the band's best selling record reaching eventually sales of 500,000 copies. It was the group's first album made for Columbia Records, which may have had a positive effect on sales. This is also the first jazz-rock album by Return to Forever that was not recorded at New York's Record Plant Studios (instead it was recorded entirely at Caribou Ranch), as well as the first to be credited solely to Return to Forever, removing the "featuring Chick Corea" moniker. The album is a bit more avant-garde and less funky than the band's previous album, No Mystery.
The medieval theme of the album was perhaps inspired by similar themes being used by some leading progressive rock bands of the time. The album is famous for its technically demanding playing. Fast, unison lines can be heard on many tracks.
Chick Corea contributed the longest compositions and the other members each composed one piece. The first track, Corea's "Medieval Overture", with its distinctive melodic motifs, sets the mood for the rest of the album. Lenny White's "Sorceress" starts with a funky riff and is distinguished by Corea's synthesizers. The title track is fully acoustic. It has a long intro, which is followed by a short theme consisting of one riff. Each group member (excluding White) plays a long solo. In the end, an extended outro follows, during which fast unison patterns are heard. Al Di Meola's and Stanley Clarke's songs on side two are notable for their humorous qualities. Al Di Meola's song, "Majestic Dance", relies on rock riffs and distorted lead guitar sound, but features also fast harpsichord-like synth figures. Clarke's "The Magician" is a very complex composition, featuring playful melodies, and again, rapid unison lines. The last track of the album is Corea's "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant", which is the longest song of the album. It has a more conventional melody as a main theme, but otherwise it follows the style of previous tracks. Notable is the intense keyboard solo showcasing Corea.
After this album Corea decided that the group's time had come to an end and he continued with another wholly new Return to Forever line-up with Clarke.
Recorded: February, 1976 at Caribou Ranch, Colorado
Released: 1976
Label: Columbia
Состав:
Chick Corea – Keyboards
Stanley Clarke – Electric bass, Acoustic bass
Lenny White – Drums, Percussion
Al Di Meola – Electric guitar, Acoustic guitar
Dennis MacKay – Engineer & Remixing
Wilson McLean – Cover art