Chick Corea once promised to be one of the major progressive jazz innovators, but his jazz-into-rock group has offended many jazz purists. Once again changing styles and personnel on his new album, Corea forces another reevaluation of both Return to Forever and himself.

The only charter member of the group remaining, aside from Corea himself, is bassist Stanley Clarke. Guitarless for the first time since 1973, RTF has replaced drummer Lenny White with Gerry Brown. Playing in a much less melodious style, Brown complements Corea's keyboard work by accompanying the band rather than competing with them. Combined with a horn section led by Joe Farrell, a former member of RTF, the drumming opens up the sound and lets the band swing.

Unfortunately, swinging no longer interests Corea and Clarke. The record's balance is upset by the addition of vocals on every track, with lyrics by Corea, Clarke or keyboard player Gayle Moran. While the vocals usually break away for long instrumental passages, they are sufficiently long to destroy what otherwise might have been an enjoyable album.

Moran's voice is the strongest of the three, but it doesn't hold up to repeated listenings. As lyricists, all are sadly deficient. Apparently the influence of former RTF lyricist Neville Potter has degenerated into Corea's most self-indulgent lyrics ever on "The Musician." "There's a man who's come through it all/His music's there deep inside him/He struggles with the world/He's a rebel." The tragedy is that these aren't Musicmagic's worst lyrics. (RS 239)

DAVID LESS