Return To Forever
This jazz group featured Chick Corea(b. 12 June 1941, Chelsea, Massachusetts, USA; keyboards), Joe Farrell(b. 16 December 1937, Chicago Heights, Illinois, USA, d. 10 January 1986; soprano saxophone/flute), Flora Purim (b. 6 March 1942, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; vocals), Stanley Clarke(b. 30 June 1951, Philadelphia, USA; bass/electric bass), and Airto Moreira(b. 5 August 1941, Itaiopolis, Brazil; percussion). Formed by Chick Corea in 1971, Return To Forever began as a Latin-influenced fusion band, mixing the wild vocals of Purim with the tight, funk-edged slapping bass of Clarke to create a new sound. The group toured and made two commercially successful albums before disbanding in 1973. Keeping Clarke, Corea immediately put together the second of what was to be three successive Return To Forever bands. Hiring Bill Connors to play electric guitar (soon replaced by Earl Klugh and then Al DiMeola), and drummer Lenny White, the second band was much more of a rock-orientated outfit. Producing a harder overall sound, and aided by Corea's adoption of various electronic keyboard gadgetry, the new band achieved massive popularity, particularly with rock audiences, and its 1976 ROMANTIC WARRIOR quickly became its best-selling album. The third and final Return To Forever was a huge but not altogether successful departure from what had come before. Corea put together a 13-piece band that included small string and brass sections, as well as Clarke and Farrell from the original band. A soft, unchallenging music resulted, and Return To Forever refined itself out of existence in 1980. Corea, Clarke, DiMeola, and White joined up for a single tour in 1983.