Weather Report (1982 album)

Weather Report (1982) is the eleventh album from the jazz group Weather Report. The band's first album is also self titled, causing confusion among consumers and retailers upon its release. It is the final album featuring Jaco Pastorius and Peter Erskine in the rhythm section of Weather Report bringing to an end what many fans considered the best lineup in the band's history.

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 synthesiser orchestration heavily laid on top. The final movement, Crazy About Jazz, is a cordial ending that fits its name in every way.

Bizzarely, the highlight of this album is the closing minute of 'Dara Factor Two' in which the band achieve the heights of their previous work. It has been argued that this was an intentional snub of the record company, by the band, who had demanded a more commercial and straight forward release that would hopefully be played on the radio.

[edit] Track listing

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

[edit] Personnel

Josef Zawinul - Electric keyboards, piano, clay drum, drum computer, percussion, voice, horn, woodwind, string and brass sounds
Wayne Shorter - Tenor and soprano saxophones
Jaco Pastorius - Bass guitar, percussion, voice
Peter Erskine - Drums, drum computer, claves
Robert Thomas Jr. - Percussion