Search - Stanley Clarke :: Children Forever (Reis) (Rstr) (Dig)

Stan's Journey

Andre S. Grindle | Brewer Maine | 01/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Still very much an intragal part of Return To Forever "Stan" Clarke (as Stanley is credited here) decided to take a turn at....well at any rate a recording credited to his own name. But basically this recording ends up being like another lineup of RTF including Chick Corea,Lenny White,Dee Dee Bridgewater and the vocals of Andy Bey. Now even though this album features plenty of Corea's electric piano playing this is really a very improvisational,very latin inflected insturmental jazz album. Stanley Clarke is featured on electric bass on "Bass Folk Song" but even on that his style is more vamping and subdued;there are none of the rockier and funkier elements found on theStanley Clarke album the following year. The strongest track here is the title track-Bey's vocals are the best part really. If there is flaw in this album is that in 1973 Stanley Clarke had not yet forged an individual identity outside of RTF-he was tending to use the same musicians and forged a very similar sound. So most of the time this album can just as much be considered an extention of Return to Forever and Light as a Feather as it is a solo debut. My personal opinion is that musical individuality is important and while this is a wonderful,five star album it is not ammong this particular artists most distintive. While Stanley's devotion to Chick Corea at the time was admirable,as most musicians leave their old band leaders rather thanklessly,he just wasn't able to focus enough on his skill and style as a bass player. But that again by no means is an indication this is weak music and no reason not to pick it up."

STAN FOREVER

Marco A. Yanez Vidal | 02/08/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mr. Clarke world-wide is known by his attachment amused and commercial music funky. However, in his ample discography he registers some musical landmarks that emphasize by their good taste (often a virtue other people's to him). A bear who is customary to his exageraciones and pyrotechnics on his alembic and fuzz electric bass. This disc is one of those landmarks, to grief that many we got to think that his first production like lider was his album homónimus in 1974. In this polydor production emphasizes the similarity with the great album "Light As A Feather" of Return To Forever, which was recorded in the same year and with three of the musicians of this one, the own Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea and Lenny White, adding Arthur Webb on flute and Dee Dee Bridghwater on voice, replacing the paper that played Flora Purim in Return To Forever. The Album is essentially acoustic in its concept. While Chick is amazing in piano and fender rhodes, the groove of Stanley on acoustic bass (he too play electric bass on two tracks) moves each subject to a superior plane.

The work of Lenny White is impeccable, whereas Arthur Webb makes its work on flute of good form but without the brilliance of a subvalued Joe Farrell. Children Of Forever, although similar to Light As A Feather does not reach the creativity and excellence of this one, but if it reaches to be one of the best ones in the history of Mr. Clarke.

Marco Yanez Vidal

Ancud - Chiloé - Chile"