Weather Report, a jazz fusion group that was influential in the 1970s and 1980s. They were one of the pioneers of this genre. Their first style was improvisational free jazz with strong rhythmic beats and Latin influences. They then moved into funk-oriented rhythms. As Joe Zawinul, the keyboard player, embraced new technologies, the sound evolved from an acoustic line-up to more synthesised sounds. Josef Zawinul (keyboards), and Wayne Shorter(saxophones), founded the band in 1970. They had previously been friends for over a decade. Shorter and Zawinul were the only members who remained. Other musicians included Alphonso Johnson (bass), Jaco Pastorius, Victor Bailey, Jaco Pastorius, Jaco Pastorius, and Victor Bailey; drummers Alphonse Mozon, Eric Gravatt and Chester Thompson; and percussionists Alex Acuna, Manolo Badrena, and Airto Moreira; along with many other collaborators and guests. Weather Report’s early releases are a direct tribute to Miles Davis’s late-60s electric style. However, by 1974’s release of Mysterious Traveller, they had developed their own style. Many tracks rely on propulsive rhythmic figures with solos that are more explorative than technical excellence. They were also more creatively ambitious than most jazz/fusion musicians. The band’s lineup was stable from Black Market (1976), to Weather Report (1982), with Pastorius, Shorter, and Zawinul remaining the core of the group. Heavy Weather (1977), which was the album that brought Weather Report to the forefront of the public’s attention with Birdland, its hit single, was released during this period. The band suffered from the constant’revolving doors’ of musicians after Pastorius left. They also lost their popularity, and were faced with conflicting solo projects. Their 1986 album, This Is This, was led by Zawinul’s keyboards. It also featured solos by Carlos Santana. Shorter’s saxophone could barely be heard. A full history and discography can be found at http://www.binkie.net/wrdisc/. Text contributed by users is available under Creative Commons By–SA License. It may also be available under GNU FDL.
