Light as a Feather is the first studio album credited to jazz band Return to Forever led by keyboardist Chick Corea (credited on the album cover as "Chick Corea and Return to Forever").

It features saxophonist/flautist Joe Farrell, bassist Stanley Clarke, vocalist Flora Purim and her husband, drummer/percussionist Airto Moreira, who all performed on Corea's previous album Return to Forever, from which the group took its name.

"Captain Marvel" is a fast Latin piece that provided the name for Stan Getz's album released in the same year (with Corea, Clarke and Moreira guesting).

The album ends with "Spain", which was inspired by, and whose introduction was taken from, Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez (1939).

Purim and her husband Airto would leave after its release (to be replaced by guitarist Bill Connors and drummer Lenny White); Joe Farrell also left at this time, but would return to the band for their seventh and eighth albums (Musicmagic and Live); bassist Stanley Clarke remained with the band through all of its line-up changes.