Weather+report

Weather Report's biggest-selling album is that ideal thing, a popular and artistic success – and for the same reasons.

On the surface, Remembering Weather Report possesses little in common with the fusion supergroup that Czech bassist Miroslav Vitous co-founded in the early '70s with keyboardist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, before being summarily removed on the cusp of greater commercial success. Weather Report was a decidedly electric group; Vitous' is unapologetically acoustic, and doesn't really resemble, musically, early albums including WR's remarkable self-titled, 1971 debut and '72 follow-up, I Sing the Body Electric, both on Columbia. ~ AllAboutJazz

Weather Report - I Sing the Body Electric (1972) {Japan Mini LP Remastered 2007} [SICP-1239]
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© 1972 Sony BMG / Columbia | SICP 1239
Jazz / Jazz-Rock / Fusion

Along with John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, and Return to Forever, Weather Report stands as one of the most influential and groundbreaking fusion groups of the 1970s. Co-led by pianist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Weather Report paved the way for a great deal of the jazz-rock experimentation that would follow. Combining elements of progressive rock and ambient music with heavy doses of '60s-era Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Weather Report's I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC is a stunning amalgamation of musical styles.

The album is made up of both studio tracks and live cuts from a 1972 concert in Tokyo, Japan. This is unabashed, raw, and aggressive music–fusion in the best sense. Featuring the stream-of-consciousness improvisations of Shorter and the wide sonic landscapes of Zawinul, studio tracks "Unknown Soldier" and "The Moors" stand out for their abstract use of musical color. The live tunes "Medley" and "Directions" feature extended jams and conversational solos between Shorter and Zawinul. Zawinul solos on a heavily distorted Rhodes electric piano throughout, mimicking a guitar, and reinforcing Weather Report's reputation for bold, unconventional music.

Cardboard sleeve (mini LP) reissue from Weather Report featuring DSD mastering and beautiful Cardboard sleeve (mini LP) replicas of the original LP artwork.

Weather Report - Live In Cologne 1983 (2011) {2CD Set, Art Of Groove AOG80052CD}
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© 1983, 2011 Art Of Groove / WDR | AOG 80052 CD
Jazz / Fusion

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Weather Report the Zawinul estate is proud to release this live document of the band's performance in Cologne, Germany, on May 13th, 1983. This is the first time that this wonderful concert has been available and it's released simultaneously on 2CD. By this time leaders Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had produced some of the most innovative and best selling jazz of the 1970's, often in the company of some of the foremost musicians of that time including Jaco Pastorius and Peter Erskine. By 1983 this bass and drums team had departed and Zawinul and Shorter completely refashioned the band bringing on board a new, younger, rhythm section including Victor Bailey, Omar Hakim and Jose Rossy.

Weather Report - Live In Tokyo (1972) {2CD 2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series SICP 4229~30}
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© 1972, 2014 Columbia / Sony Music Japan | SICP 4229~30
Jazz / Fusion

Reissue with DSD remastering. Comes with liner notes. A Japanese-only album from Weather Report – recorded early in the group's career, and with some of the same sort of freedoms that Miles Davis was getting on his own double-length dates from Japan! The tracks here are quite stretched out, and often adventurous – showing a marked ability to jam heavily at one moment, get contemplative the next, and continually explore sounds on the frontiers of fusion in the 70s. The group's the "second chapter" Weather Report – with Wayne Shorter on reeds, Joe Zawinul on keyboards, Miroslav Vitous on bass, Eric Gravatt on drums, and Dom Um Romao on percussion – and titles include "Orange Lady", "Vertical Invader/Seventh Arrow/TH", "Surucucu/Lost/Early Minor/Direction", and "Tears/Umbrellas".

This Is This is the last album of Weather Report. The photo of Zawinul and Wayne Shorter shaking hands on the back cover of the LP is definitely a farewell gesture, for Shorter turns up on only three of the eight cuts (having left the band while this record was being made), and the record's world-music slant gives it a closer kinship with Zawinul's subsequent albums than with WR's earlier output. Already on the delicate "I'll Never Forget You," Zawinul's synthesizer is replacing Wayne as a simulated solo wind voice. Minu Cinelu is on percussion on vocals, Victor Bailey on bass, and co-producer Peter Erskine returns for one final fling on drums (Omar Hakim handles the sticks on "Consequently").

Or shall we say, that is that, the final album by a group called Weather Report, now captained and guided by Josef Zawinul. The photo of Zawinul and Wayne Shorter shaking hands on the back cover of the LP is definitely a farewell gesture, for Shorter turns up on only three of the eight cuts (having left the band while this record was being made), and the record's world-music slant gives it a closer kinship with Zawinul's subsequent albums than with WR's earlier output. Already on the delicate "I'll Never Forget You," Zawinul's synthesizer is replacing Wayne as a simulated solo wind voice. Minu Cinelu is on percussion on vocals, Victor Bailey on bass, and co-producer Peter Erskine returns for one final fling on drums (Omar Hakim handles the sticks on "Consequently"). The best thing on the album is the joyous title track, which swaggers along with the help of guest guitarist Carlos Santana's flashy rock obligatos.

With de facto leader Joe Zawinul now even more set on a world music groove-oriented direction than ever, it is hard to place Weather Report even within the broad electric jazz — or fusion, if you must — category at this point. But forget labels; this is another superb WR album where the grooves percolate and thump along in an irresistible surge, rhythmic elements pouring in from the Caribbean, Africa, Middle East and the instrument designers at Yamaha, Korg, etc. There are more vocals than ever, mostly wordless chant by guests Carl Anderson, Bobby McFerrin and others, and there is a total departure in the form of an attractive folk-like song sung and played by the new percussionist/guitarist Mino Cinelu.

Black Market is an instrumental jazz fusion album released by Weather Report in 1976. This album was produced by Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter. It was recorded in December 1975 and released in April 1976 through Columbia Records. This is Weather Report's seventh overall album and the first with the bass player Jaco Pastorius who features on two tracks. The back cover photo shows Pastorius, Chester Thompson and Alex Acuña with the band, although Alphonso Johnson played on more than half of the record. The album draws heavily from African influences and its style could be described as "world fusion". The second Track, "Cannon Ball" is tribute to Zawinul's then recently deceased former band leader, saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley.