Tag Archives: Weather Report

Wayne Shorter

On March 2, 2023, Wayne Shorter died aged 89. He was musician (saxophone) and composer. He was member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and  Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet, and then co-founded the band Weather Report. Many of the Shorter’s compositions have become jazz standards and his work earned critical praise worldwide. In 1970, he won “Down Beat’s” annual poll-winner, winning the critics’ poll for 10 consecutive years and the readers’ poll for 18 consecutive years. Shorter recorded and performed with Donald Byrd, Billy Childs, Pino Daniele, Lou Donaldson, Benny Golson, Gil Evans, Toninho Horta, Norah Jones, J. J. Johnson, Don Henley, Wynton Kelly, Michael Landau, Lionel Loueke, Grachan Moncur III, Milton Nascimento, Michel Petrucciani, The Rolling Stones, Masahiko Satoh, John Scofield, Esperanza Spalding, Steely Dan, Bobby Timmons, Kazumi Watanabe, Buster Williams, Herbie Hacock, Tony Williams, Joe Zawinul, Freddie Hubbard, Joni Mitchell, Lee Morgan, Jaco Pastorius, Carlos Santana and McCoy Tyner. In 2008, “The New York Times” described Shorter as “probably jazz’s greatest living small-group composer and a contender for greatest living improviser”. In 2017, he was awarded the “Polar Music Prize”. As leader, Shorter released 28 albums.

Weather Report: Procession

In February 1983, “Columbia” label released “Procession”, the eleventh Weather Report album. It was recorded in 1982, and was produced by Josef Zawinul and Wayne Shorter.

Personnel:

  • Josef Zawinul – keyboards
  • Wayne Shorter – soprano and tenor saxophones
  • Victor Bailey – bass
  • Omar Hakim – vocals, drums, guitar
  • José Rossy – percussion, concertina
  • The Manhattan Transfer – vocals
  • Neil Dorfsman, Tom Fouce, Mitch Gibson, Tom Miller – engineer
  • John Lykes – cover artwork
  • Bruce Talamon – photography

Track listing:

  1. Procession – Josef Zawinul
  2. Plaza Real – Wayne Shorter
  3. Two Lines – Josef Zawinul
  4. Where the Moon Goes – lyrics by Nan O’Byrne and Josef Zawinul, music by Josef Zawinul
  5. The Well – Wayne Shorter, Joseph Zawinul
  6. Molasses Run – Omar Hakim

Jaco Pastorius

On September 21, 1987, John Francis Anthony “Jaco” Pastorius III died aged 35. He was a musician (bass), a member of Weather Report (1976 – 1981). Regarded as one of the best world bass players, he worked and recorded with Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Randy Bernsen, Little Beaver, Ira Sullivan,  Albert Mangelsdorff, Ian Hunter, Airto Moreira, Tom Scott, Flora Purim,  Cockrell & Santos, Michel Colombier, Manolo Badrena, Michel Polnareff, Bob Mintzer, Brian Melvin, Jimmy Cliff, Brian Melvin Trio, and Mike Stern. In 2006 Pastorius was voted “The Greatest Bass Player Who Has Ever Lived” by readers in Bass Guitar magazine, and was inducted in the Down Beat “Hall of Fame”. During his lifetime Pastorius released four albums as a leader.

Weather Report: Domino Theory

In February 1984, “Columbia” label released “Domino Theory”, the fourteenth Weather Report studio album. It was recorded in 1983, and was produced by Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter and Omar Hakim.

Personnel:

  • Joe Zawinul– keyboards, synthesizers
  • Wayne Shorter- saxophones
  • Victor Bailey- bass
  • Omar Hakim- drums
  • José Rossy – percussion
  • Carl Anderson- vocals
  • Bernie Fromm, Mitch Gibson, Tom Suzuki – engineer
  • Larry Ferguson – engineer assistant
  • Tony Lane, Nancy Donald – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Joe Zawinul, except where noted.

  1. Can It Be Done – Wilson Tee
  2. D Flat Waltz
  3. The Peasant
  4. Predator – Wayne Shorter
  5. Blue Sound – Note 3
  6. Swamp Cabbage – Wayne Shorter
  7. Domino Theory

Weather Report: Mr. Gone

In September 1978, “ARC” label released “Mr. Gone”, the ninth Weather Report album. It was recorded in May 1978, at “Devonshire Sound Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Joe Zawinul and Jaco Pastorius.

Personnel:

  • Joe Zawinul- modified Rhodes 88 electric piano, acoustic piano, two ARP 2600 synthesizers, Oberheim polyphonic synthesizer, Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 synthesizer, Mu-Tron Bi-Phase and Mu-Tron Volume Wah effects, kalimba, thumbeki drums, sleigh bells, melodica, high hat, voice
  • Wayne Shorter- tenor, alto and soprano saxophone, voice
  • Jaco Pastorius- bass, drums, timpani, voice
  • Peter Erskine- drums , high hat , voice
  • Tony Williams, Steve Gadd- drums
  • Manolo Badrena- voice solo
  • Jon Lucien, Deniece Williams- voice
  • Maurice White- vocal
  • Alex Kazanegras – engineer
  • Dave Mancini – second engineer
  • Nancy Donald – design
  • Lou Beach – cover illustration

Track listing:

  1. The Pursuit of the Woman with the Feathered Hat – Joe Zawinul
  2. River People – Jaco Pastorius
  3. Young and Fine – Joe Zawinul
  4. The Elders – Wayne Shorter, arranged by Joe Zawinul
  5. Gone – Joe Zawinul
  6. Punk Jazz – Jaco Pastorius
  7. Pinocchio – Wayne Shorter
  8. And Then – music – Joe Zawinul, lyrics – Sam Guest

Weather Report: Tale Spinnin’

In May 1975, “Columbia” label released “Tale Spinnin’”, the sixth Weather Report album. It was recorded February-April 1975, at “Wally Heider Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter.

Personnel:

  • Josef Zawinul- Rhodes piano, acoustic piano, melodica, TONTO synthesizer, ARP 2600 synthesizer, organ, steel drums, oud, mzuthra, West African talking drum, xylophone, cymbals, vocals
  • Wayne Shorter- Soprano and tenor saxophones
  • Alphonso Johnson- electric bass
  • Leon “Ndugu” Chancler- drums, tympani, marching cymbals
  • Alyrio Lima – percussion
  • Bruce Botnick- recording, mixing
  • Wayne Shorter– mixing
  • Teresa Alfieri, John Berg – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Joe Zawinul except where noted.

  1. Man in the Green Shirt
  2. Lusitanos – Wayne Shorter
  3. Between the Thighs
  4. Badia
  5. Freezing Fire – Wayne Shorter
  6. Five Short Stories

Weather Report: Same

weather-report

In February 1982, “Columbia” label released the self-titled, twelfth Weather Report album. It was recorded in 1981, at “The Power Station” in New York City, and was produced by Joe Zawinul, Jaco Pastorius and Wayne Shorter.

Personnel:

  • Joe Zawinul– electric keyboards, piano, clay drum, drum computer, percussion, voice, horn, woodwind, string and brass sounds, front cover concept
  • Wayne Shorter– tenor and soprano saxophones
  • Jaco Pastorius– bass guitar, percussion, voice
  • Peter Erskine– drums, drum computer, claves
  • Robert Thomas Jr.– percussion
  • Neil Dorfsman, Mitch Gibson – engineer
  • Joseph Futterer, Richie Powell – art direction
  • Don Dixon – cover artwork

Track listing:

  1. Volcano for Hire – Joe Zawinul
  2. Current Affairs – Joe Zawinul
  3. Y.C. (41st Parallel/The Dance/Crazy About Jazz) – Joe Zawinul
  4. Dara Factor One – Joe Zawinul
  5. When It Was Now – Wayne Shorter
  6. Speechless – Joe Zawinul
  7. Dara Factor Two – Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Peter Erskine, Robert Thomas Jr.

Alphonse Mouzon

On December 25, 2016, Alphonse Lee Mouzon died aged 68. He was musician (drums), composer, arranger, producer and actor, and the owner of Tenacious Records. He has recorded and performed with many famous musicians and music acts including Arild Andersen, Donald Byrd,  Herbie Hancock, Bobbi Humphrey, Joachim Kühn, Les McCann, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Weather Report, Eugene McDaniels, Betty Davis, Infinity, Doug Carn, Norman Connors, Willie Colon, Poussez, Al Di Meola, Torsten de Winkel, Hellmut Hattler, Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Fania All-Stars, Carlos Garnett, George Gruntz, Tim Hardin, Miki Howard, Paul Jackson, Paul Jackson Jr., Alphonso Johnson and Patrick Moraz.

Weather Report: I Sing The Body Electric

I sing body electric

On May 26, 1972, “Columbia” label released “I Sing the Body Electric”, the second Weather Report album. It was recorded 1971 – 1972, and was produced by Robert Devere. The last three album tracks were recorded on January 13, 1972, live in concert in Tokyo. These tracks can be heard in their entirety on 1972 import album “Live in Tokyo”. The album title is from an 1855 poem by Walt Whitman and a 1969 short story by Ray Bradbury.

Personnel:

  • Josef Zawinul – acoustic and electric piano, ARP 2600 synthesizer
  • Wayne Shorter- saxophones
  • Miroslav Vitouš- bass
  • Eric Gravatt- drums
  • Dom Um Romão- percussion
  • Andrew White- english horn
  • Hubert Laws, Jr. – flute
  • Wilmer Wise- D and piccolo trumpets
  • Ralph Towner- 12-string guitar
  • Yolande Bavan- voice
  • Joshie Armstrong – voice
  • Chapman Roberts – voice

Track listing:

  1. Unknown Soldier – Joe Zawinul
  2. The Moors – Wayne Shorter
  3. Crystal – Miroslav Vitouš
  4. Second Sunday In August – Joe Zawinul
  5. Medley: Vertical Invader – Joe Zawinul) / H. – Miroslav Vitouš) / Dr. Honoris Causa – Joe Zawinul
  6. Surucucú – Wayne Shorter
  7. Directions – Joe Zawinul

Weather Report: Same

Weather_Report

On May 12, 1971, “Columbia” label released the self-titled, debut Weather Report album. It was recorded February – March 1971, and was produced by Shoviza Productions. The album was voted “Jazz Album of the Year” in “Down Beat Readers Poll”, and it won “Swing Journal” magazine “Grand Prix Award” in the “Journal’s Readers’ and Critics” polls.

Personnel:

  • Joe Zawinul– electric and acoustic piano
  • Wayne Shorter– soprano saxophone
  • Miroslav Vitouš– acoustic and electric bass
  • Alphonse Mouzon– voice, drums
  • Airto Moreira– percussion
  • Barbara Burton – percussion
  • Don Alias– percussion

Track listing:

  1. Milky Way – Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul
  2. Umbrellas – Wayne Shorter, Miroslav Vitous, Joe Zawinul
  3. Seventh Arrow – Miroslav Vitous
  4. Orange Lady – Joe Zawinul
  5. Morning Lake – Miroslav Vitous
  6. Waterfall – Joe Zawinul
  7. Tears – Wayne Shorter
  8. Eurydice – Wayne Shorter