And it is slick. This is probably my most favorite album by Chick Corea. I love the dated sound of his electric piano. It sounds odd to some, but it really does fit. His backing band is awesome as well. Speaking as a drummer, Airto is an awesome groove-master and one of my top 10 drummers of all time. My school jazz band just played Spain and I was curious to hear the real thing. My grandfather showed me the album and I loved it instantly. Summing up, new to Chick, or rabid fan, it's a must have for everyone.

This is no wimpy wannabe, commercially-acceptable jazz 'act' by any stretch of the imagination. It's Contemporary Jazz music at its best, true to its roots. Flora Purim's breathy vocals accent each piece perfectly without getting in the way of Chick's keyboards or Airto Moreira's drums. "500 Miles High" and "Spain" are great, but give "Captain Marvel" its due. Though the sound is dated, this is without question, one of the greatest jazz recordings of all-time.

The first time I ever heard this album was in 1976 or so, when I listened to it in a college library listening room in Cortland, NY. The first cut on the album (yes, it was vinyl) was, of course, "You're Everything", and I was beside myself. I think I must have listened to that song about 10 times in a row. I was instantly a major Chick Corea fan, and saw him with Return to Forever in a small on-campus concert. A lot of his other stuff was very appealing to me at the time (late teens early twenties), along with Stanley Clark and Al and Lenny. I will say that I have since fallen a little out of love with much of his music, with the exception of "Inner Space" which has some true straight-ahead jazz in the best tradition of the late sixties, long before we ever dreamed of an abomination like Kenny G. These two albums are as different as night and day, with "Inner Space" being an edgier, exploratory cascade of brass, (some gorgeous flute with Hubert Laws in "Windows"), drums and piano, and "Light as a Feather" being a much more accessible and lighter jazz celebration with the smooth airy tones of Flora Purim, and some fun songs like "Spain" and "Children's Song". If you like Charles Mingus and Bilham Cobly (Billy Cobham) you'll like "Inner Space", but I recommend both albums.