CD Review: Weather Report, “Forecast: Tomorrow”

4 Stars

Weather Report were the Cream, and the cream, of the jazz world—a super-group of instrumental greats. Formed when saxophonist Wayne Shorter and pianist/composer Joe Zawinul left their prestigious positions in the Miles Davis quintet, the group, whose roster featured an ever-changing list of talented sidemen, began experimenting with the possibilities of jazz fusion—a bold mixture of rock music, funk, soul, and world music. In pursuing Davis’ experimental leanings as displayed on “In A Sentimental Mood” and “Bitches Brew,” the group created some of the most innovative and dynamic jazz on record over its 1970-1985 career.

Following the recent trend of jazz re-releases, the newly released Weather Report box set “Forecast: Tomorrow” includes over three hours of their best tracks squeezed onto three discs as well as a newly discovered two-hour DVD from a German TV station that captures the group in concert in 1978 with the astoundingly energetic Jaco Pastorius on electric bass.

The three discs’ tracks are arranged chronologically and were selected by Shorter, Zawinul, and Columbia/Legacy producer Bob Belden. The discs are remarkable not only for their breadth but also for their portrayal of a band constantly evolving over a 15-year period. The collection begins with looser sounding tracks, consisting mostly of an electronic-fusion background to an amazing Wayne Shorter on saxophone, while later tracks find a more evolved, fully fused sound that is only really fully realized with the inclusion of Pastorius on bass.

While Weather Report is certainly important historically and features some great musicianship on these disks, the problem with the music is ironically implied by the title of the compilation. “Forecast: Tomorrow” seems to be anything but—rather, it sounds as dated as the decade that spawned it.

Weather Report were the most talented practitioners of fusion, a style often derided primarily because it shades into “smooth jazz,” widely acknowledged as the most soulless genre in the history of music. Unfortunately, many of the tracks on this set veer uncomfortably close to the F-word, such as “Cannon Ball” and their oft-copied version of “Birdland.”

While a lot of the smooth jazz blunders seem to come in the middle of the second disc, even the rest of the tracks seem like throwbacks to a time that to many younger listeners just sounds too eighties. “Dara Factor Two” opens with the brushes of a synth-heavy pop song and can’t manage to recover, conjuring up images of neon pink and black outfits and primitive special effects in music videos.

This is not to say that the entire compilation is plagued by these dated moments. Other tracks sound surprisingly modern, such as the knife-like electric bass of Miroslav Vituous and screeching soprano of Shorter on the live track “Surucucú”. The West African-inspired “Badia” features Zaminul on oud, melodica, mzuthra, vocal, West Africk xylophone and acoustic piano, and creates a unique and more importantly compelling sound from its worldly inspirations. Other slower songs such as “Three Clowns,” “The Orphan,” and “Dream Clock” find Shorter in his element on tenor saxophone, conjuring beautiful melodies effortlessly and insistently.

The compilation ends after an exhausting 3.7 hours, by which time you will have been beaten over the head with the genius of the arrangements many times over. Despite their historical and technical brilliance, the band remains defined by its era. Weather Report ushered in a wholly original sound, mastered the genre in fifteen years, and left little else to be done—they came, they fused, they conquered.

—Reviewer Kimberly E. Gittleson can be reached at gittles@fas.harvard.edu.