Weather Report - 1972 [2014] "Live In Tokyo"

Live in Tokyo is the third release (and first live album) by Weather Report. It was recorded on January 13, 1972. It was one of five sold-out concerts played in Japan during January 1972. I Sing the Body Electric contained several tracks that were edited for the studio album, but can be heard as they were performed, in their entirety, on this live album.

Part of the fire seemed to come from the Japanese people themselves. “When we went to Japan,” Zawinul recalled, “we didn’t know what kind of a response we would get, but I couldn’t believe what happened. We thought, ‘What are we gonna do with these Japanese people, man?’ They’re so beautiful, such wonderful listeners, but laid back. That was their culture. So we said, ‘Let’s hit ’em hard, right from the first note,’ and we hit ’em hard! We improvised, because the tunes we had written at that time were not very long–eight bars here, a nice little melody, and so on–but we worked it over, and sometimes we’d play it long, sometimes short. It was an inspirational way of doing things, and through that slowly we developed into a band.” [IASW, p. 144]

In a 1977 article, journalist Sy Johnson recalled his impressions of a Weather Report concert from this period. “[Weather Report’s first album] was an intriguing but introspective affair that puzzled many and won over few. I heard the band in a coffee house in the Village shortly after that first Columbia record, and the vagueness had disappeared. A hard-driving confidence was radiating from the bandstand. Eric Grávátt was on drums and moving the group with rare musicality. Dom Um Romão had taken Airto’s place on percussion… [This band] was everything we could have imagined, and more.” [Jazz77]

In a 1972 article, Zawinul talked about the band’s live performances: “Right from the start, [playing together] was just a very natural thing. But I can’t really talk about the music. None of us can. We don’t know what’s happening. We have our tunes and lines, which we always play differently. What’s happening up there is just composing, and when it’s right, it’s magic. There’s a certain chemistry in the band which amazes me–and which makes it very consistent, also.” [MM72]

He offered these words of advice to those planning to attend a Weather Report concert: “Don’t go expecting anything–just let it come to you. That’s the only way I can say it. At the moment, if you expect anything from anyone then you’re likely to get a great shock! That’s all.”

While side two of I Sing the Body Electric gives us heavily edited glimpses of Weather Report as heard live in Tokyo, this two-disc Japanese import contains entire group ensembles from that concert -- and as such, it is a revelation. Now we can follow the wild, stream-of-consciousness evolution of early Weather Report workouts, taking the listener into all kinds of stylistic territory -- from Joe Zawinul's lone acoustic piano to dissonant free form and electronic explosions -- with lots of adjustments of tempo and texture. The pulse of jazz is more evident in their work here than on their American albums, and the example of Miles Davis circa the Fillmore concerts directs the fierce interplay. In his subsequent recordings with Weather Report, and as a leader, Wayne Shorter would rarely equal the manic intensity he displayed in Tokyo. All of the music is encapsulated in five lengthy "medleys" of WR's repertoire, three of which contain elongated versions of themes from the group's eponymously titled debut album from 1971. This would be the radical apogee of Weather Report on records, though they could retain this level of fire in concert for years to come.

Weather Report really cooks in this concert that is both groundbreaking and barrier shattering. The music is definitely seventies Miles Davis styled fusion, but that's the only thing this album has in common with what you have heard from that era. It is interesting that keyboardist Joe Zawinul has stated that he had the whole electric jazz idea in mind when he joined Miles Davis to record the classic album "In a Silent Way." If you listen to this album and understand that this is a Zawinul driven band completely separate from any Miles David ensemble, it is obvious that Zawinul's claims about "In a Silent Way" are well founded and justified by facts and the passage of time.

There is a lot to recommend the music found at this live concert event. For one thing, Weather Report's sound was often forged at concert dates and then recorded in the studio. The real essence of Weather Report, one could observe, is that of constant live composition and improvisation that thrives on the spontaneity of the moment. Weather Report was founded on the notion that everyone solos while no one solos, and it was an ongoing collaborative effort.

That was in sharp contrast to most of the music of the time. Whether listening to popular music, blues, or jazz of that time period, the majority was primarily based on song composition. That is, the music was first a song with the structure of verse, chorus, or bridge - and it was recorded or performed live in that format. Weather Report pioneered the ongoing sound that was based on a riff or melodic fragment, rhythm or bass line - and was ongoing without clear definition of compositional structure. That was a real contribution to the evolution of music in general and jazz in particular, one that is still being explored today in the musical idioms that followed.

In addition to all the analyzable elements, this album rocks! There is a lot to recommend this album for rock, funk, soul, and jazz audiences - and every bit of it moves and grooves and just kicks hard. There is a lot of experimental, even avant garde sound here as well. The sonic experimentation is awesome, and those with renewed interest in classic synthesizer sound will be thrilled and amazed.

Wayne Shorter excels as always in the saxophone department. His sense of melody, harmony, rhythm, and improvisational flair are unequalled. He truly tells a musical story with every song, every solo. His collaboration with Joe Zawinul's keyboard work is legendary and does not disappoint here. He also succeeds in taking many of the songs in unexpected directions as he spins his musical contributions throughout the concert.

Track listing:

CD 1
01 Medley: Vertical Invader/Seventh Arrow/T.H./Doctor Honoris Causa (Vitouš, Zawinul) – 26:14
02 Medley: Surucucú/Lost/Early Minor/Directions (Shorter, Zawinul) – 19:19

CD 2
01 Orange Lady (Zawinul) – 18:14
02 Medley: Eurydice/The Moors (Shorter) – 13:49
03 Medley: Tears/Umbrellas (Shorter, Zawinul) – 10:54

Personnel:

Josef Zawinul - Electric and acoustic piano
Wayne Shorter - Saxophones
Miroslav Vitouš - Bass
Eric Gravatt - Drums
Dom Um Romão - Percussion

Weather Report - 1973 [1996] "Sweetnighter"

Sweetnighter is Weather Report's fourth album, released on Columbia Records in 1973. The group had recorded the songs in a five-day stretch during February of the same year. It was to be the last album to feature founding member Miroslav Vitouš as the primary bassist. Zawinul began to assert greater control of the band, steering it away from the collective improvisation that marked its live performances toward more structured compositions emphasizing funk and groove. This was exemplified by the album's two dominant tracks, "Boogie Woogie Waltz" and "125th Street Congress," as well as the closer, "Non-Stop Home." Other tracks were reminiscent of Weather Report's previous albums. Sweetnighter is considered to be the most stylistically transitional release by the band as it bridged the gap between the more open, improvisational earlier style to a more compositionally structured format. Also, the more prominent use of electric bass is evident here. Zawinul had taken the decision to add some funky beats in the band's sounds, so he recruited drummer Herschel Dwellingham and percussionist Muruga Booker to play on the album. Andrew White was hired to play the English horn, but also handled the bass for three tracks of the album. Sweetnighter was recorded at a Connecticut recording studio in less than a week, and was released in April 1973.

"Boogie Woogie Waltz" was frequently in the band's live sets through the 1970s, and a live version from 1978 appeared on the album 8:30. Also in 1978, Vitouš recorded a new version of "Will" with Terje Rypdal and Jack DeJohnette on their collective album for ECM.

Right from the start, a vastly different Weather Report emerges here, one that reflects co-leader Joe Zawinul's developing obsession with the groove. It is the groove that rules this mesmerizing album, leading off with the irresistible 3/4 marathon deceptively tagged as the "Boogie Woogie Waltz" and proceeding through a variety of Latin-grounded hip-shakers. It is a record of discovery for Zawinul, who augments his Rhodes electric piano with a funky wah-wah pedal, unveils the ARP synthesizer as a melodic instrument and sound-effects device, and often coasts along on one chord. The once fiery Wayne Shorter has been tamed, for he now contributes mostly sustained ethereal tunes on soprano sax, his tone sometimes doubled for a pleasing octave effect. The wane of freewheeling ensemble interplay is more than offset by the big increase in rhythmic push; bassist Miroslav Vitous, drummer Eric Gravatt, and percussionist Dom Um Romao are now cogs in one of jazz's great swinging machines. 

“I don’t know what the next record will be,” Josef Zawinul said in the summer of 1972, “but it’ll be something else! We’ve been learning every night, and we’re still growing.”

Indeed, Sweetnighter was something else. Zawinul began to assert greater control of band, steering it away from the collective improvisation that marked its live performances toward more structured compositions emphasizing funk and groove. This was exemplified by the album’s two dominant tracks, “Boogie Woogie Waltz” and “125th Street Congress,” as well as the closer, “Non-Stop Home.” Other tracks were reminiscent of Weather Report’s previous albums, making Sweetnighter a transition from the band’s first phase to what one might call its mature phase.

The 1970's was a very interesting time for Jazz music. The once traditional fundamentals of Jazz were now being ignored, as musicians began incorporating aspects of other genres into their music. These new heretical ideas expanded the conventions of Jazz with improvisatory and experimental approaches, providing the genre with endless possibilities for new techniques and alterations. The Weather Report is one of the few musical groups that fully examined all of the different templates that served as defining characteristics of early Jazz Fusion. Their first two albums, Weather Report and I Sing The Body Electric, explored the more progressive aspects of Jazz Fusion, as the musical orchestrations embraced the usage of ambient effects and complex instrumental passages.

Sweetnighter, on the other hand, is a reflection of a new trend that was beginning to become very prominent in the Jazz Fusion scene. Albums like Miles Davis' On The Corner and Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters began incorporating Funk elements into their typical Jazz routines, introducing a sound that emphasized more on rhythmic grooves rather than elaborate soloistic musicianship. In "Boogie Woogie Waltz", we encounter a completely different musical style that we had never heard in the previous efforts by The Weather Report. Joe Zawinul's synthesizer immediately asserts itself as the centerpiece of the music, deploying an eminent usage of Wah-wah effects to produce a propulsive rhythmic framework for the other instruments. Wayne Shorter's saxophone sets out on its own musical expeditions, delivering solos that not only compliment Joe Zawinul's synthesizer, but also manages to distinguish itself by voyaging along on its own melodies. The song also features a dominating percussive arrangement, using maracas and conga drumbeats to help provide a very Latin-influenced groove.

"125th Street Congress" further expands on this new and more conventional musical style, but is approached with a very different concept. This time, Miroslav Vitouš' basslines dominate the direction of the music, with the other instruments serving to compliment the framework of the groove. This is certainly one of the major highlights of the album as the music induces a very infectious melodic atmosphere that is simply impossible to not lose yourself in. "Manolete" is one of the few songs that manages to deviate from the more funkier theme of the album. "Manolete" is, for the most part, a return to the roots of traditional Jazz. Eric Gravatt dictates the rhythm of the song with some really captivating and bombastic drumbeats. Wayne Shorter's saxophone takes the lead as it carries us along, while mesmerizing us with such exquisite musicianship. But as we approach the climax, we begin to see the song enter into a more abstract territory, with Joe Zawinul providing some really disorienting psychedelic flourishes.

"Non-Stop Home" serves as a truly mesmerizing postlude. This is one of the few times that The Weather Report channel the experimental tendencies of their previous albums. It is a descension into a very progressive environment, indulgently exuding a sense of psychedelia from every pore. Joe Zawinul, yet again, steals the spotlight with some truly innovative synthesizer effects that induce a perceptually overwhelming sense of surrealism. In the end, Sweetnighter proves to be the exact type of album that everyone has been anticipating from The Weather Report. It's content is highly accessible, emphasizing on a more jubilant atmosphere, and leaving behind all of the esoteric and tentative musical procedures of their previous albums.

“Weather Report isn’t the first band to try the multi-percussion trip but so far it has been the most successful. The Grávátt-Dewllingham-Romão-Muruga team plays more than polyrhythms. It blows percussion with the same inventiveness and crispness that Shorter brings to his horns, Zawinul to his keyboards, Vitous to the bass. Perhaps to even the number of melody players versus percussionists, Andrew White has been added on English horn… One interesting thing about Weather Report is that this is a band that lives between categories. There are things here, as on the previous albums, that will grab a jazz audience, a rock audience, or an audience that is into classical music. And yet Weather Report is of none of these worlds–truly a band for which there is no pigeon hole.”

“In the year since I Sing the Body Electric, Weather Report has added an ethereal electronic quality to its acoustic soundscape. Their music is now colored by eerie synthesized qualities, haunted by saxophone lyricism and nervous South American rhythms. Musical thoughts are as much implied as real, likewise the suggestions of foreign places are both geographical and neurological. Thus, Sweetnighter is strictly a travelogue of the Seventies… Weather Report’s true musical peers are groups like the Mahavishnu Orchestra and the Herbie Hancock Sextet. Like them, they fuse rock, jazz and electronics into a descriptive music that is brilliantly innovative and accessible. In this they seem to me the epitome of a significant avant-garde trend.”

Track listing

    "Boogie Woogie Waltz" (J. Zawinul)– 13:06
    "Manolete" (W. Shorter)– 5:58
    "Adios" (J. Zawinul)– 3:02
    "125th Street Congress" (J. Zawinul)– 12:16
    "Will" (M. Vitouš)– 6:22
    "Non-Stop Home" (W. Shorter)– 3:53

Personnel

    Josef Zawinul – piano (2-6), electric piano (1-5), synthesizer (1-2-6)
    Wayne Shorter – saxophone
    Miroslav Vitouš – bass (acoustic 1-2-4 & electric 3-5)
    Andrew White - bass (electric 1-4-6), english horn (3-5)
    Herschel Dwellingham - drums (tracks 1-2-4-6)
    Eric Gravatt - drums (tracks 2-4-6)
    Moroccan Clay - drums (tracks 1-2)
    Roller Toy - drums (track 3)
    Israeli Jar - drums (track 4)
    Muruga Booker - drums
    Dom Um Romão - percussion, wood flute

Weather Report - 2006 "Forecast Tomorrow" [3 CD Box]

Forecast: Tomorrow is a 3-CD/1-DVD career-spanning compilation of recordings of Weather Report. The 37 tracks are presented chronologically, beginning with three tracks pre–Weather Report, from ensemble duties with Miles Davis (both Zawinul and Shorter), Cannonball Adderley (Zawinul), and from a Shorter solo album. In addition to one unreleased track, the set closes with DJ Logic's remix of a Weather Report track.
The 4th disc in the package is a 2-hour DVD of a concert in Offenbach am Main, on September 29, 1978 for the German TV program Rockpalast. The boxed set includes a 100-page book with notes on the set by compiler Bob Belden, a long essay on the band by Hal Miller, and a reminiscence of the 1978 concert by drummer Peter Erskine.

Led by Miles Davis alumni Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter, Weather Report incorporated elements of electronic, rock and world music into jazz motifs. This 3-CD set covers their entire 15-year (1970-1985) career with 37 tracks, highlighted by favorites like In a Silent Way; Super Nova; Milky Way; Birdland; Havona; Eurydice (Full Version) and more, plus unreleased tracks. And the DVD offers two full hours of live Weather Report in their prime, performing with Jaco Pastorius on bass and Peter Erskine on drums. The forecast is very, very good!

From 1970 to 1985, the jazz-fusion ensemble known as Weather Report reigned supreme as one the most distinguished and indefinable ensembles of the 20th century, and saxophonist Wayne Shorter and keyboardist Joe Zawinul were the cofounders of this ever-changing group. This superb, three-CD, 37-track collection features the band's incredible cast of musicians: drummers Peter Erksine and Alphonse Mouzon; percussionists Airto Moreira, Alex Acuna, and the late Don Alias; bassists Miroslav Vitous, Alphonso Johnson, and the incredible Jaco Pastorius. The roots of their sound are heard in Zawinul's "In A Silent Way," and their greatest hits--from "A Remark You Made" and an unreleased version of "Nubian Sundance" to their 1976 mega-hit, "Birdland," are included here, along with the lesser known classic, "Indiscretions," a DJ Logic, hip-hop remix of "125th Street Congress," and a sizzling, two-hour DVD concert from Germany in filmed in 1978. This set is a powerful primer to their "folk music of the future."

We’ve seen Weather Report best-of discs before, not to mention the remarkable Live and Unreleased of 2002. But Forecast: Tomorrow is the group’s first box set, and probably the final word on Weather Report compilations. Coproduced by founding members Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter and famed producer Bob Belden, the box is part chronology and part historiography, highlighting the band’s aesthetic origins by including a track apiece from Miles Davis’ In a Silent Way, Shorter’s Super Nova and Cannonball Adderley’s Domination. (Zawinul and Belden explored the Adderley connection in depth via their 2004 Capitol Jazz collection Cannonball Plays Zawinul.)

From this artistic soil, Zawinul, Shorter, bassist Miroslav Vitous, percussionist Airto Moreira and others grew an enduring body of work, examples of which fill the rest of disc one. Devotees will not want to miss the unedited, 11-minute version of Shorter’s “Eurydice” (with five minutes of rubato introduction) and a long-lost studio take of Zawinul’s “Directions.”
Disc two, spanning the mid-to-late ’70s, documents the band’s Alphonso Johnson and Jaco Pastorius eras. All tracks are previously released except the first—a 13-minute live version of “Mysterious Traveller,” recorded straight from the soundboard in Chicago in 1974. Disc three focuses on 1980–’85, from the end of Jaco’s reign to the band’s final incarnation with bassist Victor Bailey and drummer Omar Hakim. The parting shot is DJ Logic’s remix of “125th Street Congress,” which, oddly enough, is not as au courant as the 1973 original.
The tracks on all three discs are well-chosen and representative. But the bonus DVD, which captures the band live in 1978, in Offenbach, Germany, is reason enough to acquire this box. As a lean-and-mean four-piece with Zawinul, Shorter, Jaco and a 24-year-old Peter Erskine, Weather Report was a sight to behold. Erskine, in newly penned liner notes, sets the scene and recalls his time (paraphrasing Zawinul) with “the band that never soloed and always soloed.”
Jaco, of course, rules the stage. By concert’s end, he and Erskine are shirtless (and Erskine has enough body hair for the both of them). But behind the rock-star antics lies a bedrock creative integrity—yes, even on pieces like “Mr. Gone” and “River People,” unjustly denounced in their day as pop sellouts. In the end, it is Zawinul’s odd harmonic personality and sonic scope that leave the most lasting impression. The band members can hardly contain their joy as they take their bows—except for Zawinul, who seems above the fray, revealing not a hint of a smile.

Track Listings
Disc: 1
1. In A Silent Way
2. Super Nova
3. Experience In E Major (Excerpt)
4. Milky Way
5. Tears
6. Eurydice (Full Version)
7. Orange Lady
8. Unknown Soldier
9. Directions
10. Surucucu
11. Second Sunday In August
12. 125th Street Congress

Personnel: Joe Zawinul: organ, electric piano, prepared acoustic piano; Wayne Shorter: tenor and soprano saxophones; Miles Davis: trumpet (1); John McLaughlin: guitar (1, 2); Herbie Hancock: electric piano (1); Chick Corea: electric piano (1), drums (2); Dave Holland: bass (1); Tony Williams: drums (1); Sonny Sharrock: guitar (2); Miroslav Vitous: bass (all tracks except 3); Jack DeJohnette: drums (2); Airto Moreira: percussion (2, 5-8); Nat Adderley: cornet (3); Cannonball Adderley: alto saxophone (3); Walter Booker: bass (3); Roy McCurdy: drums (3); orchestra (3); Alphonse Mouzon: drums (5, 6, 7, 8); Wilmer Wise: piccolo trumpet (8); Hubert Laws: flute (8); Andrew White III: English horn (8), electric bass (12); Yolande Bavan: vocals (8); Joshie Armstrong: vocals (8); Chapman Roberts: vocals (8); Roger Powell: consultant (8); Eric Gravatt: drums (9-12); Dom Um Romao: percussion (9-11), pandeira, cuica, tamanco, chucalho, gong, tambourine, cowbell (12); Herschell Dwellingham: drums (12); Marungo: Israeli jar drum (12).


Disc: 2
1. Nubian Sundance (Live)
2. Blackthorn Rose
3. Badia
4. Cannon Ball
5. Black Market
6. Three Clowns
7. Havona
8. Birdland
9. Palladium
10. The Pursuit Of The Woman With The Feathered Hat
11. The Orphan
12. Sightseeing

Personnel: Joe Zawinul: electric piano, synthesizers, oud, melodica, mzuthra, vocal, west africk, xylophone, acoustic piano, orchestration, ARP 2600, Yamaha grand piano, Oberheim polyphonic synthesizer, keyboards, kalimba, thumbeki drums, sleigh bells; Wayne Shorter: tenor and soprano saxophones, vocals; Alphonso Johnson: electric bass (1, 3, 5, 6); Darryl Brown: drums (1); Dom Um Romao: percussion (1); Alyrio Lima: percussion (3); Ndugu: drums (3); Jaco Pastorius: electric bass, mandocello, vocals, steel drums, drums (4, 7-10, 12); Narada Michael Walden: drums (4, 5); Don Alias: percussion (5); Alex Acuna: percussion (5, 6), drums (7-9); Chester Thompson: drums (6); Manolo Badrena: tambourine (8), congas, percussion (9), solo voice, vocals (10); Peter Erskine: drums, vocals (10, 12); Jon Lucien: vocals (10); West Los Angeles Christian Academy Children's Choir: vocals (11).

Disc: 3
1. Dream Clock
2. Three Views Of A Secret
3. Port Of Entry (Live)
4. Dara Factor Two
5. Procession
6. Plaza Real
7. The Well
8. D-Flat Waltz
9. Domino Theory
10. Predator
11. Face On The Barroom Floor
12. Indiscretions
13. 125th Street Congress (DJ Logic Remix)

Personnel: Joe Zawinul: keyboards, percussion, vocoder, vocals, orchestrations, electric piano); Wayne Shorter: tenor and soprano saxophones; Jaco Pastorius: electric bass, percussion, voice (1-4); Peter Erskine: drums, drum computer, claves (1-4); Robert Thomas Jr.: percussion, hand drums, tambourine (1-4); Victor Bailey: electric bass, vocals (5-12); Omar Hakim: drums, vocals (5-12); Jose Rossy: percussion, vocals (5-10); Mino Cinelu: percussion (12); Miroslav Vitous: acoustic bass (13); Andrew White III: electric bass (13); Eric Gravatt: drums (13); Herschell Dwellingham: drums (13); Marungo: Israeli jar drum (13); Dom Um Romao: pandeira, cuica, tamanco, chucalho, gong, tambourine, cowbell (13); Carlos (Omega) Caberini: vocal (13).

Weather Report - 1971 [1992] "Weather Report"

Originally released in May 1971, Weather Report was the debut album by the group of the same name. The album was reissued by Columbia Records in 1992. The album was digitally remastered by Vic Anesini in November 1991 at Sony Music Studios in New York City, and then released again under the Sony International label. The style of music on this album can be described as avant-garde jazz with electric instruments. It continues the style of Miles Davis album Bitches Brew (on which Zawinul and Shorter played) but in a more ambient setting.

Here we have the free-floating, abstract beginnings of Weather Report, which would define the state of the electronic jazz/rock art from its first note almost to its last. Their first album is a direct extension of the Miles Davis In a Silent Way/Bitches Brew period, more fluid in sound and more volatile in interplay. Joe Zawinul ruminates in a delicate, liquid manner on Rhodes electric piano; at this early stage, he used a ring modulator to create weird synthesizer-like effects. Wayne Shorter's soprano sax shines like a beacon amidst the swirling ensemble work of co-founding bassist Miroslav Vitous, percussionist Airto Moreira, and drummer Alphonse Mouzon. Zawinul's most memorable theme is "Orange Lady" (previously recorded, though uncredited, by Davis on Big Fun), while Shorter scores on "Tears" and "Eurydice." One of the most impressive debuts of all time by a jazz group.

1st album by Weather Report, the greatest Fusion band ever, and a pivotal recording, which would change the face of music for generations to come. The core members of Weather Report were Joe Zawinul (keyboards) and Wayne Shorter (saxophones), two prominent members of the 1960s Miles Davis ensembles, and a young Czech bass player Miroslav Vitous (who played with Davis for a brief period of time only). Vitous arrived in the US in 1966 on a Berklee scholarship (like Zawinul almost a decade earlier) but soon after left the school to explore the soaring jazz scene in NY, where he played with Chick Corea, Herbie Mann, Stan Getz and many others. After meeting Zawinul and Shorter the decision was made to start a new group, which would continue the direction set by Davis on his historic “In A Silent Way” / “Bitches Brew” sessions, based on a collaborative / group improvisation (Davis was moving in the meantime into a more funk oriented period). To complete the group they drafted another ex-Davis musician, the Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira and a young drummer Alphonse Mouzon. The debut album, recorded soon after the band was formed, reveals with full force the extraordinary rapport the members of the group established immediately, transcending their individual personalities. The music is mostly atmospheric, free form and with subtle melody lines, mostly concealed beneath the improvisations. Thus began a journey, which lasted for over 15 years, which would place Weather Report on the forefront on contemporary music and create a model followed by countless jazz and fusion musicians all over the world to this very day. Although the group would undergo multiple personnel changes and stylistic swings, their innovative, groundbreaking and often prophetic leadership would remain unchallenged. In retrospect it’s interesting to see that something, which is considered a core of American culture, was in fact created by a group in which American born musicians were in fact a minority, with Zawinul and Vitous coming from Europe and Moreira from Brazil. It can be also considered as foretelling, since future Weather Report would be one of the first bands to include World Music elements into fusion. This is monumental stuff, absolutely essential listening and a historical document of great importance.

One of the best of the post-Bitches Brew jazz-fusion albums out there, and one that doesn't seem to get as much respect as it probably deserves.  It's not 100% original, and probably could be considered a bit of Miles Davis' stuff from the time (one key track, "Orange Lady" was even originally an outtake from Bitches Brew, though not a Davis composition), good music is good music.  What this album DOES have on anything Miles Davis did is a larger variety of sound, and since people have complained about his fusion albums sounding too much the same throughout them, it could be considered a beneficial thing.  Ranging from low-key ambient type stuff to very busy and upbeat stuff, as well as fusing a lot in between, the group produces a solid and full-range collection of fine adventurous jazz music.  It's less abrasive than the similar Miles stuff of the era, but hardly less interesting, so I can't fathom why fans of In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew wouldn't find this a fine collection of music.

Track listing

    "Milky Way" (Shorter, Zawinul) – 2:33
    "Umbrellas" (Shorter, Vitous, Zawinul) – 3:27
    "Seventh Arrow" (Vitous) – 5:23
    "Orange Lady" (Zawinul) – 8:44
    "Morning Lake" (Vitous) – 4:26
    "Waterfall" (Zawinul) – 6:20
    "Tears" (Shorter) – 3:25
    "Eurydice" (Shorter) – 5:45

Personnel

    Joe Zawinul – Electric and acoustic piano
    Wayne Shorter – Soprano saxophone
    Miroslav Vitouš – Electric and acoustic bass
    Alphonse Mouzon – Drums, voice
    Airto Moreira – Percussion
 

Weather Report - 1974 [1985] "Mysterious Traveller"

Mysterious Traveller is the fourth studio album of Weather Report and was released in 1974. This album marked the end of bassist Miroslav Vitouš's tenure with the band. Vitouš was replaced by Alphonso Johnson. Another addition to the line-up is drummer Ishmael Wilburn. Greg Errico was the drummer for the tour between the previously released Sweetnighter and this album, but declined an invitation to be a permanent member of the band.

The record is the band's first that predominantly uses electric bass and incorporates liberal uses of funk, R&B grooves, and rock that would later be hallmarked as the band's "signature" sound. Also, the more restricted compositional format became evident on this album, replacing the more "open improvisation" formats used on the first three albums. It was voted as the album of the year by the readers of Down Beat for 1974, garnering their 2nd overall win in that category, also garnering a five-star review from that publication along the way.

Weather Report's fourth recording finds Wayne Shorter (on soprano and tenor) taking a lesser role as Joe Zawinul begins to really dominate the group's sound. Most selections also include bassist Alphonso Johnson and drummer Ishmael Wilburn although the personnel shifts from track to track. "Nubian Sundance" adds several vocalists while "Blackthorn Rose" is a Shorter-Zawinul duet. Overall the music is pretty stimulating and sometimes adventurous; high-quality fusion from 1974.

In 1974, three years after the band's inception, Weather Report became one of the world's most popular jazz groups due to their uncompromising originality and musicianship. This was the year that founding member Miroslav Vitous was replaced by Alphonso Johnson, who became a critical asset as both a fluid, creative bassist and a composer. Drummer Ishmael Wilburn and Brazilian percussionist Dom Um Romao, with a shifting cast of supporting players, laid the foundation for the band's most exciting incarnation yet. The overdue reissue of Mysterious Traveller is a welcome acknowledgement of this mid-period lineup's importance in the evolution of fusion.

This album contains some of the Report's most popular works, chiefly the long opener "Nubian Sundance." The sound of cheering crowds (apparently tacked on in the studio to simulate a live performance) still seems a bit presumptuous today, but the overall performance is certainly worth cheering. Zawinul's weirdly nonsensical vocals seem a precursor to Pat Metheny's wordless singing, and they add a witty flavor to the tune. "Cucumber Slumber" is another perennial favorite which gives Johnson the chance to work out the funk via slides and double-stops. The skulking title track brings much fun as well, with Shorter squeaking out alarums in the alley. The bass and sax take a coffee break on "Jungle Book," leaving Zawinul with two percussionists to carve out an inarguable masterpiece. His ability to program the synthesizers to suit his vision was always key to the WR sound, and this track was the ultimate realization of his artistry.

The disc is admittedly uneven at times, a risk run by any ensemble that chews at boundaries as much as the Report. "American Tango," for example, is rather inconsequential in the big picture despite its interesting textures. It's an ironic farewell for Vitous as his bandmates had bigger fish to fry. "Scarlet Woman" is disconcerting on the first few listens, as Shorter and Zawinul cough out sinuous lines sporadically over a net of near-silence. On the other hand, the sax/piano duet "Blackthorn Rose" is both gorgeous and rejuvenating as a change of pace from the electronic effluvium.

Zawinul's motto for the group was "We always solo, we never solo." The special combination of freedom and composition that Weather Report consistently achieved on record amply testifies to that philosophy, and Mysterious Traveller is a quintessential piece of evidence.

Mysterious Traveller was Weather Report's fourth studio album and the successor to Sweetnighter, I Sing The Body Electric and the eponymous first album (Live In Tokyo was only recently released in full outside Japan).

"Nubian Sundance" kicks in hard with two drummers and a percussionist, but there's a curious feeling of suspension, akin to watching Muybridge's horse forever galloping but never moving forward. On top of this, bass, a lot of Rhodes, synthesizers, crowd sounds and vocals create a wonderful impression of a neon-lit rainforest peopled by Rio carnival celebrants.

After the festival comes "American Tango"; a more reflective pace like wandering in the shadows of a Mediterranean sidestreet, the keyboard melody languorous as sleepy sex in morning sunlight. "Cucumber Slumber" (what great titles they had!) is all electric bass, sax, Rhodes and chugging drums.

"Mysterious Traveller" slips in spookily then revs up to a rhythmic workout that recalls Sweetnighter. After all the colour and wonderful grandstanding of the previous four tracks, the acoustic duet of "Blackthorn Rose" between Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul arrives like a welcome, meditative oasis.

"Scarlet Woman" steals in with a plangent sax call, muted desert drum and synthesized wind and slowly steals away again. The album closes with the reflective "Jungle Book", as if recalling the events of a long hot day after the sun has set.

On Mysterious Traveller Weather Report were clearly growing, employing a wider palette of sounds, conjuring different moods: the music is sunnier, more upbeat, colourful and funky than its predecessors.

Early copies of the album do not list "Cucumber Slumber" on the back cover or inner sleeve, and list "Jungle Book" as the final track of side one rather than side two. However, most known copies of the album include the seven tracks in the order listed above. One exception is the cassette release, with "Blackthorn Rose" as the second track of side one and "American Tango" as the second track of side two.

The Mastersound SBM edition of Mysterious Traveller includes a previously unreleased song, "Miroslav's Tune", as a bonus track at the end of the album.

The album peaked at #2 in the Billboard Jazz album chart, #31 in the R&B album chart, and #46 in the Billboard 200 chart.

Track listing:

1. "Nubian Sundance" (Zawinul) – 10:40
2. "American Tango" (Vitouš, Zawinul) – 3:40
3. "Cucumber Slumber" (Johnson, Zawinul) – 8:22
4. "Mysterious Traveller" (Shorter) – 7:21
5. "Blackthorn Rose" (Shorter) – 5:03
6. "Scarlet Woman" (Johnson, Shorter, Zawinul) – 5:46
7. "Jungle Book" (Zawinul) – 7:25

Personnel:

Josef Zawinul - Electric and acoustic piano, synthesizer, guitar, kalimba, organ, tamboura, clay drum, tack piano, melodica
Wayne Shorter - Soprano and tenor saxophone, tack piano
Miroslav Vitouš - Upright bass (track 2 only)
Alphonso Johnson - Bass guitar
Ishmael Wilburn - Drums
Skip Hadden - Drums (tracks 1 and 4 only)
Dom Um Romão - Percussion, drums

Guest musicians:

Ray Barretto - Percussion (track 3)
Meruga Booker aka Muruga Booker - Percussion (track 1)
Steve Little - Timpani (track 6)
Don Ashworth - Ocarinas and woodwinds (track 7)
Isacoff - Tabla, finger cymbals (track 7)
Edna Wright - Vocalists (track 1)
Marti McCall - Vocalists (track 1)
Jessica Smith - Vocalists (track 1)
James Gilstrap - Vocalists (track 1)
Billie Barnum - Vocalists (track 1)

Jaco Pastorius - 2014 "Anthology" - The Warner Bros. Years

Anthology: The Warner Bros. Years is a comprehensive anthology of Jaco Pastorius' output for the label, in 2 CDs, including collaborations with Airto Moreira and Mike Stern, as well as the previously unreleased "Donna Lee" from The Birthday Concert, available for the very first time. Accompanying the discs is a 16-page booklet, featuring a comprehensive essay by Bill Milkowski, author of Jaco: The Extraordinary And Tragic Life Of Jaco Pastorius, and photos by Shigeru Uchiyama.

In 1981, Jaco Pastorius left Weather Report to pursue work with his Word of Mouth Big Band. He released his second solo effort, Word of Mouth under his new contract with Warner Bros.

On December 1st of that year, Jaco celebrated his 30th birthday by hosting a party at a Fort Lauderdale, Florida club. He flew in musicians from the Word of Mouth project to perform, and the event was recorded by Jaco’s friend and engineer Peter Yianilos. Yianilos intended for the recording to be a birthday gift, but it remained unreleased until 1995, when Warner released it on The Birthday Concert.

In 1982, Jaco took his Word of Mouth band on a tour in Japan, which resulted in the release of Invitation in the U.S. by Warner.

Warner has just released an all-new anthology which collects remastered versions of many of the tracks on those three albums, along with some of Jaco’s guest appearances, and a previously unreleased performance of Charlie Parker’s “Donna Lee.”

The two guest appearances include “Nativity,” from percussionist Airto Moreira’s 1977 album I’m Fine, How Are You? and “Mood Swings,” from Mike Stern’s 1986 release, Upside Downside.

Jaco biographer Bill Milkowski contributed the liner notes for the anthology, saying “Through his brilliant innovations…Pastorius liberated his instrument from its traditional role in the background and re-imagined it as a potent solo axe and orchestral tool.”

Material from Jaco Pastorius’s solo career has been compiled many times over. That’s what happens to a musician who meets an untimely death. People want more, but there’s only a finite number of recorded goods. Pastorius recorded plenty of stuff during and after his tenure in the jazz fusion supergroup Weather Report. His legendary status came from him finding a highly specialized niche within the genre, that of a wizard of the fretless bass.

The hit title track from 1976’s Black Market gave a snapshot of Pastorius transforming the low end instrument into, if not a lead instrument, one capable of mighty hooks. Joe Zawinul’s Weather Report soared to new heights with Pastorius and Wayne Shorter in the lineup, but it’s tough to argue whether or not their respective departures resulted in Weather Report losing steam. At any rate, Pastorius’s next move was to wrap up work on an album called Word of Mouth.

This is the starting point of Anthology: The Warner Bros. Years, a collection that only spans three albums. So if you already have copies of Word of Mouth, The Birthday Concert and Invitation, you already have a majority of what Anthology has to offer. What remains are only three tracks of the 22 track double-disc compilation, two of which were previously accounted for on albums where Pastorius was a guest musician. The one not accounted for is a live recording of “Donna Lee”, which is interesting but not as refined as the version heard on Pastorius’s self-titled 1976 record.

Since The Birthday Concert and Invitation are both live albums, the studio tracks are naturally outnumbered on Anthology. One factor that strained the working relationship between Pastorius and Joe Zawinul was Zawinul’s distaste for Pastorius’s showmanship. Watching those old Weather Report shows, he sometimes looked like a rock star trapped inside a jazz band. But sure enough, the crowds as Pastorius’s shows ate it up. You hear it at the end of every live track, the sound of an audience getting pumped up after hearing jazz! With horns too! “Liberty City”, “Soul Intro/The Chicken” and “Invitation” are chock-full of zest, tight auxiliary percussion be damned. “Continuum” and the Weather Report leftover “Punk Jazz” slow the momentum to steady grooves. There is lots of overlap between these two live albums and, for many fans of jazz fusion, picking one version of “Continuum” over another is a matter of apples against oranges.

Proportionately, Word of Mouth is represented just as favorably. Six of its seven songs are here on Anthology, leaving out the 12-minute take of “Liberty City”. And what a brilliantly weird album Word of Mouth was. It begins with a bafflingly fast composition called “Crisis” where Pastorius plays seemingly every note on the neck as the horns scramble for a place to live. “Crisis” doesn’t seem to have a center or a main idea driving it, but it somehow feels like an appropriate opener. His band channel the majesty of the far east for “Chromatic Fantasy” and ram the Beatles’s “Blackbird” through a polyphonic skewer. Both tracks are short and end abruptly, as if someone accidentally sat on the mixing desk. And though Pastorius seemed to be taking a boppier direction in his solo career at this point, “Three Views of a Secret” and “John and Mary” demonstrate that he still had an element of Weather Report-esque fusion in his system.

Anthology: The Warner Bros. Years wraps up with the three outsider tracks mentioned earlier:  “Nativity”, Mood Swings” and “Donna Lee”. “Nativity” comes from percussionist Airto Moreira’s 1977 Warner release I’m Fine, How Are You? and “Mood Swings” is drawn from guitarist Mike Stern’s 1986 album Upside Down. Pastorius’ presence is felt heavily on “Nativity”, a track that swings from ambient world to something with considerably more drive to it. The duet with Mike Stern is some intense straight up jam fusion. The live recording of the Charlie Parker tune “Donna Lee”, the one and only exclusive to Anthology.

If you consider yourself a bass player and you don’t hold Jaco Pastorius in the highest esteem, then we can only presume you’ve never really listened to the man, because he’s one of those guys whose work with the instrument was so unique and groundbreaking that it’s hard to hear it without wanting to drop to your knees and begin recitation of the phrase, “I’m not worthy!”

‘Anthology: The Warner Bros. Years’ is one of many retrospectives of bass genius Jaco Pastorius’ work that have been issued since his tragic death at the age of 35. Containing music from his time with the Warner Bros. label, the vast majority of the album is made up of selections from his sophomore solo studio release ‘Word Of Mouth’ and live albums ‘The Birthday Concert’ and ‘Invitation’.

Among the four tracks which are not from these albums, first up is a live version of ‘Okonkole y Trompa’ from debut album ‘Jaco Pastorius’. This recording comes from the Japanese release ‘Twins I & II’ and stays pretty close to the original as an atmospheric piece featuring some beautiful French horn. ‘Nativity’ from Weather Report and Return To Forever percussionist Airto Moreira’s 1977 album, ‘I’m Fine, How Are You?’, continues in the atmospheric vein before a more upbeat mood is struck on ‘Mood Swings’ from Mike Stern’s ‘Upside Downside’.

While the idea of seeing Jaco in other settings could well provide some interest, if there are only a couple of token examples his work with Joni Mitchell or Pat Metheny would almost certainly lend more insight than the selections here. All three of the tracks here were in fact included on 2003's 'Punk Jazz: The Jaco Pastorius Anthology' alongside some of his work with Mitchell and Metheny as well recordings from the beginnings of Jaco's career in an altogether more cohesive and informative compilation.

Here’s the track listing, to get you further excited about diving into the set:

Disc One

1. “Crisis”
2. “Blackbird”
3. “Chromatic Fantasy”
4. “Word Of Mouth”
5. “Three Views Of A Secret”
6. “John And Mary”
7. “Continuum”
8. “Liberty City”
9. “Soul Intro / The Chicken”
10. “Reza”
11. “Happy Birthday”

Disc Two

1. “Punk Jazz”
2. “Amerika”
3. “Invitation”
4. “Domingo”
5. “Sophisticated Lady”
6. “Fannie Mae”
7. “Eleven”
8. “Okonkole’ Y Trompa”
9. “Nativity” – with Airto Moreira
10. “Mood Swings” – with Mike Stern
11. “Donna Lee” – previously unreleased

3rd World Electric - 2009 "Kilimanjaro Secret Brew"

A couple of years ago, Roine Stolt recognized that an overdose of Flower Kings material threatened to deter the fans, so he decided to concentrate on some new projects. One of these projects was Agents Of Mercy, still in the familiar territory of prog, but his latest one 3rd World Electric is something different. At least, for Stolt, but not for the music lover because Kilimanjaro Secret Brew takes us back deep into the seventies fusion and jazz-rock scene.

De CD-cover reminds me of the Miles Davis-albums, but the musical style is pure Weather Report. The dominant role of the saxophone and the percussion makes this mixture of jazz, world-music and rock a real tribute to the music Joe Zawinul and his men made in those early days. 3rd World Electric also consists of excellent musicians, just as the groups in those days. Next to guitarist Roine Stolt, we find his band mates bass player Jonas Reingold, drummer Zoltan Csörz, Rhodes-keyboardist Lalle Larson, saxophonist Karl Martin Almqvist - who really does a first-rate job - percussionist Ayi Solomon and even famous drummer Dave Weckl on two tracks.

All tracks on this album last between five and ten minutes, which must have been quite a constraint for Stolt, but it’s a relief for the listeners as these songs manage to keep their attention. There’s nothing original here, but that was certainly not the intention of the group. They wanted to play jazz-rock and they do that quite well. Might this be the return of a long dead scene?

If my reviews of the past few weeks are any indication then it would appear that 70s’ progressive jazz fusion is making something of a quiet comeback. My latest review for the CD “Sessions” from the Cleveland based jazz fusion unit RARE BLEND was reminiscent of the early albums by the group BRAND X – back when Phil Collins was pounding the skins - and now with this new album “Kilimanjaro Secret Brew” by 3rd WORLD ELECTRIC we have a group re-visiting the type of sax dominated fusion created by German multi-instrumentalist Klaus Doldinger and his incredible 70s’ jazz ensemble PASSPORT.
3rd WORLD ELECTRIC is another of the many side projects by FLOWER KINGS guitarist Roine Stolt and bassist Jonas Reingold. But unlike other progressive rock side projects such as TRANSATLANTIC, KARMAKANIC, TANGENT, AGENTS OF MERCY, and CIRCUS BRIMSTONE this time Stolt and Reingold have opted to explore what they consider the unfashionable label of “fusion”, with an homage to masters of the genre such as WEATHER REPORT, RETURN TO FOREVER, MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA, HERBOE HANDCOCK AND THE HEADHUNTERS, BILLY COBHAM and GEORGE DUKE.
Ironically the mirror image of 3rd WORLD ELECTRIC is PASSPORT, a once popular German fusion group they neglect to mention in their press release. And as a rabid aficionado of that group I can tell you “Kilimanjaro Secret Brew” has more in common with the early PASSPORT albums “Cross-Collateral”, “Second Passport”, “Looking Thru”, “Hand Made”, and “Infinity Machine” than anything you’ll hear on a MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA recording.
That said, I can think of no greater compliment then to suggest “Kilimanjaro Secret Brew” is comparable to the great work of Doldinger’s PASSPORT during the most creative period of their career.
“Kilimanjaro Secret Brew” does not break new ground nor do the members try to re-invent the genre, they simply re-create the kind of kinetic raw energy that made those early 70s’ recording so appealing … excellent compositions, melodic sax leads without those annoying squonking squeals, intricate synth and guitar interplay, and a toe-tapping groove sure to put a bounce in your step and a smile on your face.
To pull this off Stolt and Reingold assembled a talented international cast of players including: Karl Martin Almqvist (Tenor and Soprano saxophone), Lalle Larsson (piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, and synthesizers), Zoltan Csorz (drums), Dave Weckl (drums), and Ayi Solomon (congas & percussion). Together with Roine Stolt (guitars, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Clavinet, MiniMoog), and Jonas Reingold (bass and additional synth) they make up the members of the astounding jazz fusion group 3rd WORLD ELECTRIC.
I highly recommended “Kilimanjaro Secret Brew” for fans of energetic jazz fusion.

If you're already familiar with the member of this project then you'll already be aware of their song-writing and musicianship skills. If you're not, then basically it;'s the crème de la crème of Sweden's rather healthy prog-rock scene, and featured past and present members of the Flower Kings, Karmakanic and others.

But when they decided to get together and write a 70s era fusion record you would have thought they might have bitten off more than they can chew. Not so! This is a gem of an album. presenting music firmly in the style of Weather Report, they go beat the original masters at their own game. The songs, the tunes, and the playing is of an incredibly high quality. And the sound is real authentic. Whilst it boasts a crystal clear modern production, 3rd World Electric create all the Nostalgia of classic era Weather Report of Zawinul Syndicate. And the music is far more interesting and urgent that a lot of material by their fore-fathers which kind of just meanders to nowhere.

The choices of keyboard sounds are especially impressive. Lalle Larson's playing is already known to me, and he's a formidable player. But his excellent choice of sounds show someone who has an incredibly intimate knowledge of the workings of this idiom. Jonas Reingold's fretless bass also helps to create (or re-create) that distinctive sound we all associate with you-know-who, and he has chops to match. Roine Stolt's guitar mainly takes a supporting role her, with only a few, tasteful solos. The playing is bang-on, and once again the sound/production is gorgeous. I'm not familiar with the sax player, but he also shines. And with the powerhouse that is Zoltan Csorzs on drums, and even a guest appearance by Dave Weckly on one track, what more can you ask for?

This album could in many ways be seen as a tribute to Weather Report. Whilst some may say it lacks originality, when the songs are this good, and surpass those they're paying tribute to, who can complain! This is amazing jazz fusion, and they out-do most full-time fusion players with this great little record, a mere side-project to their other wonderful bands!

Like the other reviewer said, If you know the musicians involved it had to be good. I just recently downloaded a copy of Heavy Weather by Weather Report since I hadn't played my album for years and was really enjoying it. So when I read in an interview that Roine, Jonas, Zoltan and Lalle had produced a Weather Report style album and that Dave Wekl had played on it as well I had to have it. Well I haven't been the slightest bit disappointed. It's fantastic! There were favorites the first time through and others have grown on me so much it's hard to decide which one to share with friends first! Roine is one of my favorite humans ever. He is not featured as much as I would prefer, though the solos on the title cut and Tin Can Robots alone are worth the price of admission. Jonas Reingold is one of the best bassists ever and to hear him featured prominently in this style is a real blast! Lalle Larson, who captures Zowinal's style perfectly but never gets too "way out there" is now one of my favorite jazz keyboardists. Almqvist is outstanding on all the different saxophones, style, sound, solos, excellent. With Zoltan, Dave and Ayi holding down the variety of funky beats what can I say. If you like Weather Report or jazz fusion at it's best just GET IT! You'll be so glad you did.

Courtesy original uploader.

Tracks Listing

1. Waterfront Migration (7:50)
2. Ode to Joe (4:59)
3. Capetown Traffic (5:38)
4. Downbeat Dakar (6:16)
5. The Lava Juggler (5:30)
6. Kilimanjaro Secret Brew (7:02)
7. Tin Can Robots (6:04)
8. Children of the Future (9:02)

Line-up / Musicians

.Roine Stolt - Guitars, Rhodes, Minimoog, Clavinet, Percussion
.Jonas Reingold - Fender & Warmoth Basses, Additional Synth
.Lalle Larsson - Piano, Rhodes & Synth
.Karl-Martin Almqvist - Tenor & Soprano Saxophones
.Dave Weckl - Drums
.Zoltan Czörsz - Drums
.Ayi Solomon - Congas, Shakers & Percussion

Various Artists - 2015 "Jaco" (Original Soundtrack)

“JACO,” The surprisingly cohesive soundtrack to the 2015 Jaco Pastorius documentary Jaco features tracks the legendary jazz bassist recorded during his short career in the '70s and '80s. The first major documentary film about Pastorius, who was born in 1951 and died tragically in 1987 at age 35, Jaco was produced by bassist Robert Trujillo (Suicidal Tendencies, Metallica) and Pastorius' oldest son, Johnny Pastorius. Jaco details Pastorius' rise from unknown Florida musician to internationally recognized and innovative jazz superstar. In concordance, we get cuts Pastorius recorded as a solo artist and as a member of the influential fusion outfit Weather Report. Fittingly, Trujillo and Pastorius cull tracks off the bassist's two major solo studio albums, 1976's Jaco Pastorius and 1981's Word of Mouth, including "Come on, Come Over," "Continuum," and "Crisis." Elsewhere, we get a handful of major Weather Report sides, including the synth-heavy "River People" and the funky Pastorius feature "Teen Town." Along the way, we also get several tracks Pastorius recorded for other artists, including a live version of "The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines" with Joni Mitchell and "All American Alien Boy" off Ian Hunter's 1978 studio album. Bringing Pastorius' influence full circle, Trujillo also includes several brand-new recordings, including a cover of "Come on, Come Over" by his own band Mass Mental, as well as a cover of "Continuum" by Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. While there is certainly room for longer, more exhaustive Pastorius anthologies, Jaco succeeds in providing a listenable -- and one feels lovingly heartfelt -- overview of the bassist's career.

With so many compilations already out there, it might be easy to question why a soundtrack to JACO is even necessary. But one look at the track listing renders its raison d'être clear: JACO: Original Soundtrack is, in some ways, the most comprehensive document of the bassist's career, even if it doesn't contain as much music as previous double-disc sets. Yes, there is plenty of time given to his leader debut, Jaco Pastorius (Epic, 1976), with everything from the soul/funk of "Come On, Come Over" and the ethereal "Continuum" to the hauntingly beautiful "Portrait of Tracy" and the atmospheric, harmonic-driven feature for French horn and percussion, "Okonkole yTrompa."

But there's also space for a couple of tracks from his second album (and 1981 Warner Bros. debut), Word of Mouth, including the staggeringly chaotic album- opener, "Crisis," and more bouyant and accessible big band chart, "Liberty City"—which, in addition to jazz giant Herbie Hancock, also features Pastorius' longtime friends from his Florida days, steel pan player Othello Molineaux and percussionist Don Alias.

Pastorius' tenure in Weather Report, too, is briefly represented with every aspiring bassist's rite of passage, "Teen Town," from the group's 1977 mega hit, Heavy Weather (Columbia) and equally impressive "River People," from 1978's Mr. Gone (Columbia), which combines Pastorius' relentless sixteenth-note anchor and keyboardist Joe Zawinul's broad orchestrations with a disco-fied beat that boosters the bassist's comment, in the film, that "everything's hip." Also included is "Barbary Coast," one of two tracks (and the only one written by Pastorius) that the bassist contributed to the transitional Black Market (Columbia, 1976), a brief piece of greasy funk that was a harbinger of even better things to come as Pastorius took over the bass chair from Alphonso Johnson.

JACO: Original Soundtrack also includes a couple of his many guest appearances, including Joni Mitchell's setting of Charles Mingus' "The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines" to words, first found on her collaborative album with the great double bassist, Mingus (Elektra/Asylum, 1979), but heard here as the incendiary live version from Shadows and Light the following year, where saxophonist Michael Brecker takes a lengthy closing solo that Pastorius and Alias (this time on drum kit) push into the stratosphere and beyond. Less often included on jazz-centric Pastorius compilations is his contribution to ex-Mott the Hoople singer Ian Hunter's second solo album, All American Alien Boy, with the title track included here, complete with a bass solo that demonstrates Pastorius' ability to fit into any context.

But what really makes the JACO: Original Soundtrack special are the five tracks that close the 74-minute set. Daughter Mary Pastorius' "Longing" is a dark, dreamy ballad where the singer is supported solely by bassist Chuck Doom and, from her father's Weather Report days, percussionist/drummer Robert Thomas, Jr. "1987" is performed by a group named with nothing but three symbols —with Chuck Doom on bass and keyboards, guitarist Shaun Lopez and vocalist Chino Moreno creating a similarly dreamy but increasingly dramatic response to the year of Pastorius' death. "Shine" takes the bass line from Jaco Pastorius' "Kuru," played by the bassist's nephew David Pastorius, but covers a lot of territory in its brief three minutes, with rap from TechN9ne (speaking in time with "Kuru"'s relentlessly fast bass line) and singing from keyboardist Soko, building into an urban-centric, song-based homage. Acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela performs a more rhythmically propulsive version of Jaco Pastorius floating "Continuum," also turning it into a fine solo vehicle for both guitarists.

Finally, the group dubbed Mass Mental—which features bassists including the film's co-producer from Metallica, Robert Trujillo, alongside one-time Zawinul Syndicate bassist Armand Sabal-Lecco and Red Hot Chilli Peppers' irrepressible Flea—closes the recording by bringing it full circle with a more contemporary rendition of JACO: Original Soundtrack's opening track: Jaco Pastorius' Sam & Dave feature, "Come On, Come Over." Here, however, Mass Mental blends sung vocals with rap, and horns and keys combined with a dense mix from all three bassist that demonstrates the continued breadth and depth of Jaco Pastorius' reach and influence.

As much a starting point for those unfamiliar with Jaco Pastorius' work as it is a heartfelt tribute by family, friends and those who may never have met the bassist but were touched by his work, JACO: Original Soundtrack is a rare soundtrack album that honors its subject by demonstrating not just the subject's own work but showing how the father of "Punk Jazz" affected so many others in such a wide variety of genres. As much as the film succeeded in telling a story, this soundtrack is pure evidence of an artist whose influence continues to be felt nearly three decades after his passing.

Compilation Produced by Robert Trujillo & Johnny Pastorius

Track List:

01 Come On, Come Over – Jaco Pastorius
02 Continuum – Jaco Pastorius
03 River People – Weather Report
04 Teen Town – Weather Report
05 Portrait of Tracy – Jaco Pastorius
06 The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines (Live Version) – Joni Mitchell
07 All American Alien Boy – Ian Hunter
08 Liberty City (with Herbie Hancock) – Jaco Pastorius
09 Okonkole Y Trompa – Jaco Pastorius
10 Barbary Coast – Weather Report
11 Crisis – Jaco Pastorius
12 Longing – Mary Pastorius
13 Nineteen Eighty Seven – †††
14 Shine – Tech N9ne
15 Continuum – Rodrigo y Gabriela
16 Come On Come Over – Mass Mental (featuring Robert Trujillo, Armand Sabal-Lecco, Flea, Whit       Crane, Benji Webbe, Stephen Perkins & C-Minus)

Personnel:

Jaco Pastorius: bass (1-11), drums (3-4), voice (3, 11),timpani (3), Prophet 5 Synthesizer (8), cymbals (8), keyboards (11), synthesizer (11); Randy Brecker: trumpet (1); Ron Tooley: trumpet (1); David Samborn: alto saxophone (1); Michael Brecker: tenor saxophone (1, 8, 11); Howard Johnson: baritone saxophone (1, 8); Herbie Hancock: keyboards (1), Fender Rhodes (2), piano (8); Don Alias: congas (1, 9), bells (2), drums (6), percussion (8), Okonkolo y lya (9),Afu he (9); Narada Michael Walden: drums (1); Sam Moore: vocals (1); Dave Prater: vocals (1); Lenny White: drums (2) Wayne Shorter: soprano saxophone (3-4, 8, 10), tenor saxophone (10, 11), Lyricon (10); Manolo Badrena: congas (3-4); Joe Zawinul: keyboards (3, 10), ARP (3), Prophet (3) Fender Rhodes (4, 10), ARP 2600 (4, 10), melodica (4), Oberheim Polyphonic Synthesizer (4, 10), grand piano (10); Joni Mitchell: voice (6); Pat Metheny: guitar (6); Lyle Mays: keyboards (6); Ian Hunter: rhythm guitar (7), piano (7), vocals (7); Ann Sutton: background vocals (7); Gail Kantor: background vocals (7); Erin Dickens: background vocals (7); Cornell Dupree: guitar (7); Aynsley Dunbar: drums (7); Chris Stainton: organ (7), keyboards (7); Toots Thielemans: harmonica (8, 11); Othello Molineaux: steel pans (8); Paul Hornmueller: steel pans (8); Leroy Williams: steel pans (8); Jack DeJohnette: drums (8, 11); Robert Thomas, Jr.: percussion (8), hand drums (12), drum kit (12); Chuck Findley: trumpet (8); Bobby Findley: trumpet (8); Snooky Young: trumpet (8); Dave Bargeron: trombone (8); Jim Pugh: trombone (8); David Taylor: bass trombone (8); John Clark: French horn (8); Peter Gordon: French horn (8, 9); Hubert Lass: piccolo (8, 11), flute (8); George Young: alto saxophone (8); Alphonso Johnson: electric bass (10); Chester Thompson: drums (10), percussion (10); Alex Acuña: congas (10), percussion (10); Mary Pastorius: vox (12); Chuck Doom: bass (12,13), keyboards (13); God: rain (12), thunder (12); Chino Moreno: voice (13); Shaun Lopez: guitars (13); TechN9ne: vocals (14); Soko: vocals (14), keyboards (14); David Pastorius: bass (14); Rodrigo y Gabriela: acoustic guitars (15); C-Minus: keyboards (16), horns (16); Stephen Perkins: drums (16); Whit Crane: vocals (16); Benji Webbe: vocals (16); Robert Trujillo: Main Chango bass (16); Armand Sabal-Lecco: Tenor Juju bass (16); Flea: bass stabs (16), bass solo (16).

Weather Report - 1972 [2004] "I Sing The Body Electric"

I Sing the Body Electric is the second album released by Weather Report from 1972. The album includes two new members of the band: percussionist Dom Um Romão and drummer Eric Gravatt. The last three tracks were recorded live in concert in Tokyo, Japan on January 13, 1972. These tracks have been edited for this album and can be heard in their entirety on Weather Report's 1972 import album Live in Tokyo.
The album takes its title from an 1855 poem by Walt Whitman, also a 1969 short story by Ray Bradbury.

Like the weather itself, this band would assume a new shape with virtually every release -- and this album, half recorded in the studio and half live in Tokyo, set the pattern of change. Exit Airto Moreira and Alphonse Mouzon; enter percussionist Dom Um Romao, drummer Eric Gravatt, and a slew of cameo guests like guitarist Ralph Towner, flutist Hubert Laws, and others. The studio tracks are more biting, more ethnically diverse in influence, and more laden with electronic effects and grandiose structural complexities than before. The live material (heard in full on the import Live in Tokyo) is even fiercer and showcases for the first time some of the tremendous drive WR was capable of, though it doesn't give you much of an idea of its stream of consciousness nature.

I Sing The Body Electric is a very obscure collection of music. It almost completely ignores the ambient sound that was explored by its predecessor. The Weather Report's eponymous debut experimented with an atmospheric approach to Jazz music, expanding on the musical concepts found in albums like Miles Davis' In A Silent Way. But I Sing The Body Electric follows a very different objective, the music seems to have more in common with the experimental nature of Progressive rock than Jazz. This time drawing influence from albums like Pink Floyd's Ummagumma, as the compositions seem to question all rules of musical convention, while leaving us to roam through various musical landscapes.

The opening song, "The Unknown Soldier", completely diverts itself away from the traditional etiquettes of Jazz orchestration. It is a voyage through the abstract, expressing an enigmatic philosophy for us to decipher. Eric Gravatt establishes a rhythmic landscape with his drumming, and from there, the other instruments begin to erupt with sounds that tend to project contrasting moods- from inducing an ominous environment to expressing a more calming sensation. Even Eric Gravatt's drumming, who often provides a delicate percussive rhythm, also has his moments of intensive of solos. "The Unknown Soldier" is a very interesting piece because we have absolutely no idea where the musicians are taking us in this musical voyage. And before we even get the chance to fully grasp the concept behind this song, it fades into silence.

"The Moors", on the other hand, follows a more conventional approach. It opens with a solo performance on an acoustic guitar. The orchestral arrangement is very spastic, following its own pace while remaining loyal to the album's esoteric plot. But this guitar solo exists for a purpose, it's our passage into a mesmerizing jam. This is actually a very gentle performance, Wayne Shorter's saxophone asserts itself as the centerpiece and his deliveries convey a very soothing tone. "Crystal" and "Second Sunday In August" follow a similar musical style, as they return to the atmospheric textures explored in the previous album, while at times even transcending into psychedelia.

The final section of the album contains an assortment of live recordings from a performance in Japan, yet another connection to the compositional structure of Ummagumma. It opens with "Medley: Vertical Invader, T.H., Dr. Honorius Causa" and ends with "Directions", and right from the beginning, without any hesitation, the musicians deliver a set filled with relentless Jazz Fusion. I mean, this performance explores every aspect of the genre- releases of musical spontaneity, long instrumental voyages that transcend the boundaries of Progressive rock and Psychedelia, and of course, eruptions of dextrous solos from each musician. In the end, I Sing The Body Electricintroduces itself as an album written by a band that is still trying to decide what kind of music it is that they want to produce. It's going to be a very interesting experience for the listener to discover how much this band has evolved since the release of their debut the previous year, as The Weather Report are still exploring musical possibilities and expanding their sound. This is a very experimental album and one that requires a commitment from the listener to understand its plot. My advice is to open all of your senses to the piece at hand. Try and experience all it has to offer, meditate on every sound, and the music itself will reveal its meaning.

http://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=weather+report

Tracks Listing

1. Unknown Soldier (7:57)
2. The Moors (4:40)
3. Crystal (7:16)
4. Second Sunday in August (4:09)
5. Medley: T.H./Dr. Honoris Causa (10:10)
6. Surucucus (7:41)
7. Directions (4:35)

Total Time: 46:28

Line-up / Musicians

- Eric Gravatt / drums
- Don Um Romao / percussion
- Wayne Shorter / soprano & tenor saxophones
- Miroslav Vitous / bass
- Joe Zawinul / acoustic & electric pianos, ARP 2600 synthesizers

Special Guests

    Andrew White - English horn ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Hubert Laws, Jr. - Flute ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Wilmer Wise - D and piccolo trumpets ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Yolande Bavan - Voice ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Joshie Armstrong - Voice ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Chapman Roberts - Voice ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Roger Powell - Consultant (synthesizer programming) ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Dom Um Romão - Percussion ("The Moors" only)
    Ralph Towner - 12-string guitar ("The Moors" only)

Various Artists - 2000 "Celebrating the Music of Weather Report"

Telarc and producer Jason Miles brought in a boat-load of contemporary jazz heavyweights to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Weather Report's formation with this recording, and quite a celebration it is. Miles and his all-star cast have managed to remain true to the original music, while updating and opening up the arrangements. Tenor saxman extraordinaire Michael Brecker smokes up "Elegant People," while alto superstar David Sanborn teams up with the final Weather Report rhythm section of Victor Bailey and Omar Hakim to take a scrumptious, synth-soaked stroll through "Cannonball." Lesser known saxophonist Aaron Heick comports himself well as he fills Shorter's shoes on "Mysterious Traveller," and Spyro Gyra's Jay Beckentein turns in a lovely soprano sax lead over Joe Sample's distinctive piano on the ballad "Harlequin." "The Man in the Green Shirt" journeys to the islands courtesy of steel pan man Andy Narell. Randy Brecker's trumpet gives a new dimension to "Palladium," while Marcus Miller and John Scofield take a loping, funky trip through "Cucumber Slumber." In fact, the only complaint about this recording is that the modern synthesizers, employed a little heavy-handedly at times by Miles, have a much cheesier sound than did Joe Zawinul's bank of organic keyboards and early synths in the band's heyday. Nonetheless, this celebration offers a bevy of delights to remind old-time Weather Report fans of the band's greatness; it may even help introduce a new generation of listeners to this superb music, hopefully enticing them to check out the originals.

With a rich subject to mine and a distinctive, creative vision, the compilation Celebrating the Music of Weather Report (Telarc CD-83473; 58:30) stands a cut above the glut of all-star tribute albums currently on the market. The common thread uniting a football team-sized cast is keyboard phenom Jason Miles, who through unique arrangements of carefully chosen pieces traces the band’s evolution and highlights its influence without wandering into cliche territory. Where “Birdland” is given a whammy-bowed, rock guitar read by Chuck Loeb, with Take 6 building rich rhythms via voice, “Cannonball” finds David Sanborn belting the alto sax melody over Miles’ lovely keyboard tones and fusion-styled breaks. “Badia” boasts exotic percussion backbeat, tribal vocals and prickly mid-eastern tones, while “Harlequin” makes an unexpectedly lush, darkly romantic statement with saxophonist Jay Beckenstein at the helm. Most startling and revealing are “Mysterious Traveler,” with Miles setting a haunted, cornered keyboard tone for Aaron Heick to set aflame with multiple squealing saxes, and “Palladium,” which starts with a music-box keyboard feel before opening into a fusion storm, with Omar Hakim’s spitfire drums and Randy Brecker’s singing, sharp trumpet line.

With a huge assembly of star performers like Marcus Miller, Dennis Chambers, Jay Beckenstein etc.,the performances are top-notch, but the overall production borders on "smooth", although some of Weather Reports' catalog is quiet catchy in a "pop" kind of way and therefore lends itself to a slightly more "poppy and smooth" version of fusion jazz.

The sonics are as usual for Telarc, fantastic, and the music is perfectly suited for 5.1, and the mix does not
disappoint, with tasteful use of the surrounds for synths, percussion and "atmosphere", but the main performance is up-front.

Track Listing:

01. Birdland
02. Elegant People
03. Badia
04. Young And Fine
05. Cannonball
06. Pursuit Of The Woman With The Feathered Hat
07. Mysterious Traveller
08. Harlequin
09. Man In The Green Shirt
10. Palladium
11. Cucumber Slumber

Personnel:

- John Scofield, Chuck Loeb, Dean Brown / guitar
- Randy Brecker / trumpet
- Michael Brecker / Tenor saxophone
- David Sanborn / Alto saxophone
- Joe Sample / piano
- Victor Bailey, Mike Pope, John Patitucci, Will Lee, Marcus Miller / bass
- Dennis Chambers, Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd, Omar Hakim / drums
- Aaron Heick / Soprano & Tenor saxophones
- Jay Beckenstein / Soprano saxophone
- Jason Miles / keyboards, programming, background vocals
- Tom Schuman / synthesizer
- Andy Narell / pans
- Mark Quinones, Cyro Baptista / percussion
- Mary Fahl, Porter Carroll, Take 6 / background vocals

Weather Report - 1972 [1990] "I Sing The Body Electric"

I Sing the Body Electric is the second album released by Weather Report from 1972. The album includes two new members of the band: percussionist Dom Um Romão and drummer Eric Gravatt. The last three tracks were recorded live in concert in Tokyo, Japan on January 13, 1972. These tracks have been edited for this album and can be heard in their entirety on Weather Report's 1972 import album Live in Tokyo.
The album takes its title from an 1855 poem by Walt Whitman, also a 1969 short story by Ray Bradbury.

Like the weather itself, this band would assume a new shape with virtually every release -- and this album, half recorded in the studio and half live in Tokyo, set the pattern of change. Exit Airto Moreira and Alphonse Mouzon; enter percussionist Dom Um Romao, drummer Eric Gravatt, and a slew of cameo guests like guitarist Ralph Towner, flutist Hubert Laws, and others. The studio tracks are more biting, more ethnically diverse in influence, and more laden with electronic effects and grandiose structural complexities than before. The live material (heard in full on the import Live in Tokyo) is even fiercer and showcases for the first time some of the tremendous drive WR was capable of, though it doesn't give you much of an idea of its stream of consciousness nature. 

I Sing The Body Electric is a very obscure collection of music. It almost completely ignores the ambient sound that was explored by its predecessor. The Weather Report's eponymous debut experimented with an atmospheric approach to Jazz music, expanding on the musical concepts found in albums like Miles Davis' In A Silent Way. But I Sing The Body Electric follows a very different objective, the music seems to have more in common with the experimental nature of Progressive rock than Jazz. This time drawing influence from albums like Pink Floyd's Ummagumma, as the compositions seem to question all rules of musical convention, while leaving us to roam through various musical landscapes.

The opening song, "The Unknown Soldier", completely diverts itself away from the traditional etiquettes of Jazz orchestration. It is a voyage through the abstract, expressing an enigmatic philosophy for us to decipher. Eric Gravatt establishes a rhythmic landscape with his drumming, and from there, the other instruments begin to erupt with sounds that tend to project contrasting moods- from inducing an ominous environment to expressing a more calming sensation. Even Eric Gravatt's drumming, who often provides a delicate percussive rhythm, also has his moments of intensive of solos. "The Unknown Soldier" is a very interesting piece because we have absolutely no idea where the musicians are taking us in this musical voyage. And before we even get the chance to fully grasp the concept behind this song, it fades into silence.

"The Moors", on the other hand, follows a more conventional approach. It opens with a solo performance on an acoustic guitar. The orchestral arrangement is very spastic, following its own pace while remaining loyal to the album's esoteric plot. But this guitar solo exists for a purpose, it's our passage into a mesmerizing jam. This is actually a very gentle performance, Wayne Shorter's saxophone asserts itself as the centerpiece and his deliveries convey a very soothing tone. "Crystal" and "Second Sunday In August" follow a similar musical style, as they return to the atmospheric textures explored in the previous album, while at times even transcending into psychedelia.

The final section of the album contains an assortment of live recordings from a performance in Japan, yet another connection to the compositional structure of Ummagumma. It opens with "Medley: Vertical Invader, T.H., Dr. Honorius Causa" and ends with "Directions", and right from the beginning, without any hesitation, the musicians deliver a set filled with relentless Jazz Fusion. I mean, this performance explores every aspect of the genre- releases of musical spontaneity, long instrumental voyages that transcend the boundaries of Progressive rock and Psychedelia, and of course, eruptions of dextrous solos from each musician. In the end, I Sing The Body Electric introduces itself as an album written by a band that is still trying to decide what kind of music it is that they want to produce. It's going to be a very interesting experience for the listener to discover how much this band has evolved since the release of their debut the previous year, as The Weather Report are still exploring musical possibilities and expanding their sound. This is a very experimental album and one that requires a commitment from the listener to understand its plot. My advice is to open all of your senses to the piece at hand. Try and experience all it has to offer, meditate on every sound, and the music itself will reveal its meaning.

Tracks Listing

1. Unknown Soldier (7:57)
2. The Moors (4:40)
3. Crystal (7:16)
4. Second Sunday in August (4:09)
5. Medley: T.H./Dr. Honoris Causa (10:10)
6. Surucucus (7:41)
7. Directions (4:35)

Total Time: 46:28

Line-up / Musicians

- Eric Gravatt / drums
- Don Um Romao / percussion
- Wayne Shorter / soprano & tenor saxophones
- Miroslav Vitous / bass
- Joe Zawinul / acoustic & electric pianos, ARP 2600 synthesizers

Special Guests

    Andrew White - English horn ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Hubert Laws, Jr. - Flute ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Wilmer Wise - D and piccolo trumpets ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Yolande Bavan - Voice ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Joshie Armstrong - Voice ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Chapman Roberts - Voice ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Roger Powell - Consultant (synthesizer programming) ("Unknown Soldier" only)
    Dom Um Romão - Percussion ("The Moors" only)
    Ralph Towner - 12-string guitar ("The Moors" only)

Acuña Alex & The Unknowns - 1991 "Thinking of You"

Alejandro Neciosup Acuña aka Alex Acuña (born December 12, 1944) is a Peruvian drummer and percussionist, in the Afro-Cuban jazz style.

Born in Pativilca, Peru, Acuña played in local bands from the age of ten, and moved to Lima as a teenager. At the age of eighteen he joined the band of Perez Prado, and in 1966 he moved to San Juan Puerto Rico. In 1974 Acuña moved to Las Vegas, working with artists such as Elvis Presley and Diana Ross, and the following year he joined the jazz-fusion group Weather Report, appearing on the albums Black Market and Heavy Weather. Acuña left Weather Report in 1978, and became a session musician in California, recording and playing live with (amongst many others) Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, Chick Corea, Whitney Houston, Plácido Domingo, former Weather Report bandmates Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Beck, Roberta Flack, U2, Al Jarreau Marcos Witt. He can be found on recordings by musicians as culturally Lee Ritenour, Johnny Clegg, Roy Orbison, YellowJackets, Lalo Schiffrin, Milton Nascimento, Don Grusin, Dave Grusin, The Brecker Brothers, Arturo sandoval, Paquito d' Rivera, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Brad Melhdau, Paco de Lucia, John Patitucci, Sadao Watanabe, Lyle Mays, Diana Ross, Sergio Mendez, Robbie Robertson, Jackson Browne Beth Midler, Christina Aguilrera, Seal, Chris Botti.
In the 1980s Acuña also recorded and toured with the Christian jazz band Koinonia, which featured session musicians Abraham Laboriel, Justo Almario, Hadley Hockensmith, Harlan Rogers, and Bill Maxwell. The Winans, Andrae Crouch, Madona, He played on Willy DeVille's Crow Jane Alley album and in 1987 he teamed up with Elvis Presley's TCB Band for the Roy Orbison TV special "A Black and White Night". He played percussion on Blondie's number one hit "The Tide Is High", Also recorded more than 300 movies under the direction of lalo Shiffrin, Dave Grusin, Michelle Legrand, Bill Conti, James Horner, James Newton Howard, John Williams, Alan Silvestri, Michael Giachinno, Christopher Beck, Murice Jarre, Steve Jablonski, John Powell, Heitor Pereira. In 1987, Acuña was summoned back to Perú by producer Ricardo Ghibellini to form part of "Los Hijos del Sol", a supergroup of peruvian prodigies designed to promote peruvian music worldwide.
He has also worked as an educator at University of California, Los Angeles and Berklee College of Music.LAMA, Musicians Institute, USC, CSUN.

Alex Acuna & The Unknowns are one of the greatest fusion groups that nobody has heard of! Alex Acuna ( drummer for the famous Weather Report ) and world class session drummer is well known but his work with the "Unknowns" remains unknown to the vast majority of the jazz fusion listening public!

Great writing and musicianship - you gotta' here this album - and don't forget to check out the groups other release "No Accent" - absolutely some of the best jazz fusion!!! - David Arivett CJA Network 

Tracks:
-------
01. Te Amo 3:52
02. Joe's Red Eye 3:48
03. Marionettes 4:43
04. Hoppin' It 5:31
05. Nice 4:06
06. Cocho San 4:16
07. Van Nuys Jam 2:56
08. Think Of You (Pensando En Ti) 5:05
09. Psalms 5:58
10. Ten O'Clock Groove 3:55

Personnel:
------
Alex Acuna - drums, percussions, vocals
Carlos Santana - guitar
Abraham Laboriel - bass
Paulinho Da Costa - percussion
Luis Conte - percussion
Brandon Fields - sax
Lou Pardini - vocal, piano
John Pena - bass
Michito Sanchez - percussion
Rudi Delgado - percussion
Efrain Toro - drums, percussions, programming
Otmaro Ruiz - keyboards, vocals
Pedro Eustache - flute, wind synthesizer
Ramon Stagnard - guitars
Cocho Abre - keyboards
Diana Acuna - vocals
Danilo Lozano - flute
Tiki - background vocals
Dante Young - background vocals