NO MYSTERY

I was lucky to see Return to Forever opening for Focus in 1973, with Bill Connors on guitar (damn, would have liked Al). At the time, bassist Stanley Clarke was the 4 string version of Eric Clapton's "God" and I remember how everyone found his ego unbearable, reserving massive applause for drummer Lenny White! That being said, this allegedly newly reforming band was a giant pillar on the jazz-rock scene, along with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Tony Williams' Lifetime and Larry Coryell's Eleventh House. While "Romantic Warrior" will remain their Everest, this is no shabby second fiddle. Four superlative musicians can hardly screw up (mind you.) and Corea, DiMeola, Clarke and White surely do not disappoint, laying down some torrid funk-laden jazzy extravaganzas that defy logic and mimicry. On the jaunty icebreaker "Dayride", the brisk synths dance with the electric bass, the sprightly guitar swirling in and out of the melody and the wham-bam drumming that whacks your senses. Same for "Jungle Waterfall", a groovy romp with tons of wah-wah guitar, a sweeping main melody that reeks NY (where this was recorded) that just intros nicely for "Flight of the Newborn", a DiMeola penned 7 minute monster that showcases his now legendary sense of power and passion within a couple of blistering solos that will drop your jaw ("speed wah" is how I call it), with Stanley contributing a soulful bass solo that has more feel than ego (God, was he fast , though.) and Chick throwing in some heat seeking synth performances. Amazing track.. "Sofistifunk", a sizzling White composition, is very reminiscent of Cobham's drum/synth noodlings on the latter's legendary Spectrum album, showcasing some insane playing by the boys in the band. Is it funky, do ya think? The exquisitely playfully named "Excerpt from the First Movement of Heavy Metal" is a brief semi-classical fling with some guitar/keyboard dueling that makes the case that would make ELP blush with envy. The 6 minute masterpiece title track starts out like a jazz club classic, Chick's inimitable piano style (arguably one of the supreme pianists on earth) is ravishingly exposed, lyrical beauty displayed with passionate feel and a DiMeola acoustic infusion that defies gravity (one of the craftiest guitarists on earth) , the two soloists combining to transport this track to heavenly heights. "Interplay" acts almost as a goodbye wave encore to the previous extravaganza. The disc ends with the splendid two-part Celebration suite (not to be confused with the PFM classic), which showcases the proggier aspects of this talented crew, taking a Spanish/Andalusian theme and morphing it into a "Don Quixote" ride through torrid musical plains where the sun beats down hard and the windmills defy all the dreamers to fight the imaginary bulls of fate. Drummer White rips through this piece with utter abandon, propelling the two Latin blooded soloists into an uncontrolled frenzy, dizzying electric piano egging the enraged synths on, who in turn flirt with Al's furious guitar stabbings. Truly great stuff, not just for complex prog lovers but simple melancholics like yours truly. This is No Mystery = 4.5 galactic forays