-
By Instrumentation
Books on Music
-
-
-
Accessories
|
|
|
|
| 
 enlarge | Artist: Joe Zawinul
Label: Heads Up
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $8.45
You Save: $10.53 (55%)
New (12) Used (7) from $8.11
Avg. Customer Rating:  17 reviews
Sales Rank: 45104
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 3121
UPC: 053361312121
EAN: 0053361312121
ASIN: B000MGVCLS
Release Date: February 27, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: factory sealed, 100% guaranteed.
|
| Customer Reviews:
 Big band a perfect fit September 3, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Joe Zawinul and his core group meshes with the WDR big band to romp through his songs. I'm familiar with some of the Weather Report songs, but most of the songs were new to me. The overall mood, as you can probably tell from the samples, is peppy. The first song sets the mood, it's bouncy and swinging. This CD highlights that Joe Zawinul's keyboard may be able to play a lot of notes and make different sounds, but is no substitute for having a whole mess of horn players. A big band has more dynamics and power, and while fusion may be in jazz terms 180 degrees from big band music, in this case they have a lot in common. "In A Silent Way" focuses more on Zawinul in favor of using the band. "Fast City" is true to its name. In the fast songs, Victor Bailey plays dizzyingly fast bass lines. His tone cuts through the mix, so you can readily hear him whirling along. I think a song or two might have been better served by a slower, funkier bass line like the Jaco lines on "Black Market". There are 10 songs, and the total album length is 84 minutes, so it's barely a double CD, but the price is that of a single. This is one of the better jazz CD's of 2007 so far.
Amen May 18, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a signature album from a keyboardist who spans the time in which I have enjoyed JAZZ.
How much do you miss this band? May 2, 2007
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
If there had never been a synthesizer, would Weather Report had to have been a big band? There's not a dull second over the course of two discs, and they could have put out two more. Never a huge fan of the big band as a youth, I now know it's the best way to get the maximum color out of a composition and it's arrangement (have you all seen the Pat Metheny Group stuff with the big band on You Tube?).
Mr. Mendoza, can you write charts for more of these tunes? Sponsors, funders, underwriters: can you please offer up some grants for the completion of such a project? Somewhere toward the end of "Night Passage", the volume is rising, the groove is SO intense, and I'm pleading "Don't stop, please don't stop!"
If Mr. Zawinul and Mr. Shorter should ever meet on stage again, this is how they should do it. Whether they do or not, Lord have mercy, someone get this record a tour in the U.S., and fast!
Buy it now-it's THAT good.
Thank You Mr. Zawinul April 4, 2007
Thank you Mr. Zawinul for sharing your music with us and I wish that someday there will be a new Weather Report with Mr. Shorter. Your music will live forever. El mundo necesita musica de Jazz como esta simplemente lo mejor! Long Live Weather Report!
Zawinul's own tribute to Weather Report March 11, 2007
18 out of 19 found this review helpful
I was looking forward to this release even though I am not a huge fan of big band. But then, we're talking about the WDR big band, one of the finest in the world. And besides, look at that rhythm section: Alex Acuna, Nathaniel Townsley, Victor Bailey and the Man himself, Josef Erich Zawinul on keys. It's practically Weather Report, sans Mr Shorter.
To top off this stellar roster of players, the arrangements were penned by none less than the inimitable Vince Mendoza. Does it get any better than that? Not with this collection of great tunes. It's amazing how natural these great compositions translate to the big band format; they fit hand in glove. This format allows the listener to clearly hear the relationship Zawinul's ideas have to Duke Ellington's 'shout' melodies Just listen to the beautiful intro to In a Silent Way or the natural big band sound of Night Passage. In a way, Zawinul was gunning for that sound back in the day on those early synths. Now you can hear those parts played by the real deal. Listen to the audience response when the full band enters on the opening track, Brown Street, or for that matter, on the drums and percussion break on the steaming closer, Carnivalito. There is genuine excitement being generated here. It sounds like a party. We are talking serious groove here.
I am delighted and surprised by the ease and depth of feel exhibited by this large ensemble on what were originally small group compositions. The level of soloing is very high, as one would expect from this crack group of european musicians. There are plenty of Zawinul moments, but a number of players have their moments to shine as well. All acquit themselves quite well under Zawinul's watchful ears.
This is a must have for Weather Report fans, but there is something here for lovers of jazz in general. It is a revelation to hear just how steeped in the jazz tradition these pieces are when heard in this more acoustic setting. Big Fun for all.
|
|
|
| |
