Weather Report
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Biography
Formed in 1970 in New York City, Weather Report was one of the most influential jazz fusion group of all time. Founded by Austrian keyboardist Joe Zawinul and American saxophonist Wayne Shorter, the groupâs original line-up also featured American drummer and vocalist Alphonse Mouzon, Czech bassist Miroslave VitouÅ¡, and American percussionists Don Alias and Barbara Burton. Throughout the groupâs 16 years of existence, the fluid line-up would find Zawinul and Shorter joined by a series of acclaimed musicians including bassists Jaco Pastorius, Alphonso Johnson, and Victor Bailey, and drummers Alex Acuña, Chester Thompson, Peter Erskine, and Airto Moreira. The groupâs origins date back to 1959 when Zawinul and Shorter met while members of Maynard Fergusonâs Big Band. After leaving Fergusonâs group, both members played with other jazz outfits before coming together again to help pioneer jazz fusion in Miles Davisâ band in 1969 and 1970. Zawinul and Shorter broke away from Davisâ band in order to create a new kind of fusion that was free of any musical boundaries. The groupâs self-titled debut album was released in 1971 and featured a more acoustic approach to fusion and avant-garde jazz. By the time of the groupâs second album, I Sing the Body Electric (1972), the group featured Zawinul, Shorter, and VitouÅ¡ joined by two new members. With each subsequent release, the bandâs sound began to incorporate elements of R&B and featured Zawinul embracing synthesizers. 1973âs Sweetnighter reached Number 2 on the Jazz Albums chart and was followed by Mysterious Traveler (1974), which rose to Number 46 on the Billboard 200. Bassist Alphonso Johnson replaced VitouÅ¡ by the time of 1975âs Tale Spinninâ (Number 31) and 1976âs Black Market (Number 42) before Jaco Pastorius joined the band and helped usher in the groupâs most successful period yet. Their album Heavy Weather (1977) reached Number 1 on the Jazz albums chart while also climbing to Number 30 on the Billboard 200. They also achieved success with the albums Mr. Gone (1978), the Grammy Award-winning 8:30 (1979), Night Passage (1980), and Weather Report (1982). After the departure of Pastorius (due to drug addiction and mental health issues), the group continued with albums such as Procession (1983), Domino Theory (1984), Sportin' Life (1985), and This Is This (1986), although they were no longer as commercially as successful. Having fulfilled their recording contract, Wayne Shorter left Weather Report in 1986 and Joe Zawinul dissolved the group a year later. Jaco Pastorius died on September 21, 1987. Percussionist Dom Um Romão (1971-1974) died on July 27, 2005. Joe Zawinul died on September 11, 2007. Bassist Victor Bailey died on November 11, 2016. Drummer Alphonse Mouzon died on December 25, 2016. Wayne Shorter died on March 2, 2023.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Palladium
- Harlequin
- Havona
- Elegant People
- Birdland
- Teen Town
- Cucumber Slumber
- Dara Factor One
- A Remark You Made
- Man In The Green Shirt
- Boogie Woogie Waltz
- Blackthorn Rose
- Unknown
- Jungle Book
- American Tango
- Nubian Sundance
- The Pursuit Of The Woman With The Feathered Hat
- Mysterious Traveler
- Fast City
- Cigano
- Thanks For The Memory (Tenor Sax Solo)
- Night Passage
- Speechless
- Port of Entry
