Record Reviews

WEATHER REPORT ~ THE COLUMBIA ALBUMS 1976-1982 SONY 886979394025 (Barcode: 886979394025) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 1976 - 1982 Released: 2011 When bassist / composer Jaco PastoriusFind albums by this artist joined the ranks of Weather ReportFind albums by this artist in 1976, a new phase of stability and prosperity opened for the band, which would last for almost the entire next seven years period and produce an incredible body of work, considered today as part of the classic Jazz, Fusion and Funk heritage. The six albums recorded during that period and included in this Box Set, including the live double LP, are all perfect examples of the band´s incredible writing and performing talents and their everlasting search for new sounds, musical explorations and means of expression. Pastorius brought into the band not only his youthful energy, but also his unparalleled virtuosity, extreme rhythmic sensitivity and of course his compositions, which were every bit as good as those of the group founders keyboardist / composer Joe ZawinulFind albums by this artist and saxophonist / composer Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist. His musical personality was in fact a perfect choice for the direction the band was taking already by the end of the previous phase, which meant more pre-composed melodic themes and more individual soloing, although the overall concept of group improvisation on top of a solid and resourceful rhythm section continued to apply. With Shorter gradually taking a step back from the front line, allowing Zawinul to dominate the group´s repertoire with his compositions and musical direction, it was Pastorius who kept Weather Report as an organic group, rather than a Zawinul backup group, which they would eventually turn into following the departure of Pastorius at the end of this phase. In spite of these internal tensions and changes, in retrospect this phase in the group´s lifetime proved to be the most productive and also commercially successful, both as a recording and a touring act. The bonus tracks used here come mostly from the compilation album "Live And UnreleasedFind albums with this title" and two are previously unreleased. This Box Set is a companion release to the "The Columbia Albums 1971-1975Find albums with this title" Box Set, which covers the first phase of the band´s activity. Hopefully the four remaining Weather Report albums, recorded 1983-1986, will also get a similar reissue treatment, to complete this seminal band´s complete discography. This is an essential release and should be a part of any decent music collection, especially in view of its accessibility, which should appeal to quite a wide spectrum of listeners. They don´t make music like this any more…

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend