Weather Report (1982 album)

Template:Use mdy dates Weather Report is the tenth studio album by the American jazz fusion band Weather Report, released in January 1982. It is the final album featuring bass guitarist Jaco Pastorius and drummer Peter Erskine in the rhythm section.

Background

The album features an increasingly heavy use of synthesized orchestration from Josef Zawinul, who had been becoming even more dominant within the band's sound. Zawinul was by now frequently doubling the basslines on Quadra synthesizer, something which annoyed and alienated Pastorius, who also had reservations about Zawinul's electronic big band sound (and who was himself increasingly working on a side career with a mostly acoustic band).

The vast majority of the album was composed by Zawinul, with the exception of one Wayne Shorter piece and one collectively composed item assembled from a group jam. The center piece of the album is the three part "N.Y.C." The three movement suite starts with 41st Parallel, a bouncing groove showing off Erskine's unique touch on the drums. The second movement, The Dance, is a more traditional swing feel, but with Zawinul's synthesizer orchestration heavily laid on top. The final movement, Crazy About Jazz, is a cordial ending.

Critical reception

Template:Music ratings Richard S. Ginell of AllMusic claimed, "Though the creativity level seems to be on medium-tank here, the band could still startle the ear with surprising new sounds, a supremely pithy Wayne Shorter statement, or fresh Third World spices. Their ability to swing is never in doubt."

Track listing

1. "Volcano for Hire" (Zawinul) – 5:25
2. "Current Affairs" (Zawinul) – 5:54
3. "N.Y.C. (41st Parallel/The Dance/Crazy About Jazz)" (Zawinul) – 10:11
4. "Dara Factor One" (Zawinul) – 5:25
5. "When It Was Now" (Shorter) – 4:45
6. "Speechless" (Zawinul) – 5:58
7. "Dara Factor Two" (Zawinul, Shorter, Pastorius, Erskine, Thomas Jr.) – 4:27

Personnel

Weather Report

• Joe Zawinul – electric keyboards, piano, synthesized horn/strings/brass/woodwind, clay drum, drum computer, percussion, voice, front cover concept
• Wayne Shorter – tenor and soprano saxophones
• Jaco Pastorius – bass guitar, percussion, vocals
• Peter Erskine – drums, drum computer, claves
• Robert Thomas Jr. – percussion

Production

• Neil Dorfsman – engineer (at the Power Station)
• Brian Risner – engineer (recording, mixing)
• Mitch Gibson – assistant engineer (at Soundcastle studios)
• Joseph Futterer – art direction
• Richie Powell – art direction
• Don Dixon – cover artwork

External links

• Weather Report Annotated Discography: Weather Report (1982)