Winner of the poll was Jon Anderson's "Olias from Sunhillow" from 1976 with an astonishing twice as many votes as there were for Return to Forever's album.
So, you've now got your homework
If you don't have the album, well .. Try sending me a PM and I can help you out.
Noone's suggested any homework for next week and we should have a poll up by wednesday or latest thursday, so then I will propose this one :
Jean-Luc Ponty - Enigmatic Ocean (1977)
This is an excellent album from the french virtuoso jazz-rock violinist Jean-Luc Ponty. Before this solo record, he played with Frank Zappa on various albums like f.ex Over-Nite Sensation and Apostrophe ('). He was also a member of the much acclaimed fusion band Mahavishnu Orchestra led by John McLaughlin where he played on albums like Apocalypse and Visions of the Emerald Beyond.
About Enigmatic Ocean, well .. what to say? It's generally regarded as one of Ponty's finest efforts and, according to the Wikipedia article, it reached #1 on some jazz billboards 1977. Having listened to it, I can see why. Unlike some fusion out there, Ponty composes and plays with a style which is pleasant, easy to like and easy to get into. If jazz rock and fusion is your thing, you will like the album from the first listen on. Although there are no guarantees in life, this one comes pretty close.
More suggestions please!