Airto has never been much of a leader but the ones that he made for Cti (after becoming known as the sideman for Miles Davis in the late sixties) are classics and fit well into every jazz collectors' collection. He's one of just very few latin jazz performers that headed recordings for Cti.
#1 on this album, "Return to forever" (unsurprisingly written by Chick Corea) is a great fusion piece with an emphasis on Corea's keyboards and the percussion wizzard playing all types of instruments with great effect. Not all that danceable due to its complexity. Awesome stuff though.
"Flora's Song" is (I think) more in the mood of the early bossa nova records (including some acoustic guitar and Hubert Laws flute work). While there's plenty solo space for the musicians, none of them really shine as the percussion/brass section drown them out a bit.
"Free" is simply a (overly) lengthy track filled up to the brim with mysterious sounding instrumental forays and some shouts by Airto. Not quite sure what the point of this song is. Not my cup of tea.
Keith Jarrett (!) adds "lucky southern", a nice, piano based tune with some percussion and flute in the background. Difficult to say something about it as it's with 2:34 waay too short.
"Creek" is an uptempo tune with Joe Farrell and (the underrated IMO) acoustic pianist Nelson Ayres providing nice, lengthy soli. It could be one of the highlights but it finishes with what I hate most in recordings: a fade-out just when the song is at it's height. It could've easily become much better without it.
"So tender" is a very generic, but nonetheless beautiful bossa nova song by Jarrett with him and the brass-section in the foreground. Very beautiful but again a bit short (and again with a #ß$%&§ fade-out, arrrrgh).
"Jequie" is practically in the same, laid-back mood with Farrell Corea playing the soli . It's (again) very, very short. None of the others have the chance to show what they're capable of.
While it's certainly one of the best Cti-albums I'm a bit disappointed by those three short songs that definitely should go on for several minutes longer.
I've had difficulties to find this one on ebay, grab it immediately if you can get it for little money (it seems to be out of print).
