HEAVY WEATHER

When Weather Report released their most successful album "Heavy Weather" in 1977, the jazz fusion era was already starting to wind down in popularity. They were considered one of the 4 most influential jazz/rock fusion bands of the time along with Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever and The Headhunters, but each of those bands had already had their popularity peaks in previous years and were on their ways down from those pinnacles. Weather Report, on the other hand, was still on the way up, and "Heavy Weather" would end up being their most popular album, mostly pushed to that peak by the track "Birdland", and justifiably so. With a memorable, yet still complex sound, it grabbed the attention of both jazz and rock lovers alike.

The band was riding high after the previous album "Black Market" which was also successful, yet it still didn't beat "Heavy Weather" in terms of sales. That previous album introduced one of jazz's best bass players, Jaco Pastorius, but this new album would feature Pastorius as a regular member. His influence could be strongly felt in the style of the band, opening them up to less stringent songs. The music not only sounded less forced, but his amazing style reminded listeners of an instrument that could speak and that fit so naturally with the direction the band wanted to go in, a freer, more upbeat sound where all of the players were important. Jaco was not one to sit in the background and play a repetitive pattern, but could prove that bass could be upfront just like any of the other instruments. You can hear his playfulness throughout the entire album, and that drive pushed the rhythm section above and beyond many of the other fusion bands of the time.

The first half of the album starts off with the favorite "Birdland" that most everyone is familiar with and the infectious groove and style of that track definitely got everyone's attention. It is interesting that the remainder of the first half slows things down to songs that are more romantic sounding, mellow, yet still intriguing songs, yet Jaco's playing still stands out, yet it never overplays Zawinul's keys and guitars or Shorter's brass. However, when the record gets to "Harlequin", the interplay between the keys and the bass is simply outstanding. The 2nd half of the album is devoted to more upbeat tracks with the album's weakest moment "Rumba Mama" opening it up with crazy percussion. It's simply the weakest moment because the track is way too short. It is recorded live, which is fine, and it works it's way up to where it sounds like it is going to just take off, and then it's over. However, the remaining 3 tracks more than make up for this with happier and groovier sounds and leaving the best track "Havona" top close it all out. The feeling I get when I get to this point is, I want to hear more.

The reissue that was released with the box set in 2014 does exactly that. Three live tracks that really bring the excitement of their live shows right to your living room (or wherever your sound system is located). There is a 9 minute live version of the previous album's "Black Market" that sounds better than ever. The biggest pleasant surprise is the live version of "Teen Town", which comes from this album in a less than 3 minute version, now stretched out to over 6 minutes. This is what the band could do in concert, even with what might be considered their less important songs. Now it takes on a new life where it becomes just as important and great as any of the band's best. The last track is a faster paced version of "Birdland", also live.

This album shows this band at some of it's best, and if you were to only own one of their albums, this would be the one to get. But make sure you pay attention to the way this band functions so well together. And just listen to that amazing bass. If there wasn't anything else great about this album, just the bass alone would merit that album's inclusion in your collection, but fortunately, everything about this album is perfect. This is one I would consider essential to any fusion lover's collection, and even any prog collection.