With the recent passing of Wayne Shorter (March 2nd
of this year) the iconic Jazz Fusion Band Weather Report has lost the third of
it’s core and most influential members. First there was the untimely passing of
Jaco Pastorious ( Sept. 1987) followed next within days of exactly twenty years
later by his fellow Joe Zawinul (Sept. 2007.) These three seminal musicians,
each were individually profound as well as collectively. Each musician a ground
breaker for their chosen instrument and in their collaborative achievements
when they came together as Weather Report. Mr. Shorter for saxophone, Mr.
Pastorious, electric bass and thirdly Mr. Zawinul, key boardest. They mastered
music and created sounds and thematic themes comparable to the world’s greatest
music. They crossed, mixed and created forms, genres and styles within their efforts.
And in the passage of time their legends have grown and continue to flourish.
The men of Weather Report were visionaries and artistic explorers
in a very real sense. They inter-acted and played with the greats of their
times; Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Pat Methany, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana
and Esperanza Spalding to name a few. They played with and composed hit music
for other recording artist that would become modern standards; Mercy/Mercy/Mercy,
Birdland and Steely Dan’s Aja’. Earth,
Wind & Fire, Patrice Rushen and The Manhattan Transfer are among luminaries
featured on their albums. They loved and were dedicated to literature,
philosophy, the arts and sciences. It is all reflected in their music and life pursuits.
Their music resides among the most imaginative, innovative, challenging and
beautiful the world yet knows.
Jaco Pastorious Joe Zawinul Wayne Shorter
This blog is a celebration of these artist’s lives and what they
have given the world. For such accomplished artist of their sort nothing speaks
more eloquently or profoundly for them than their recordings. I have included links
to some of their most stunning music along with the gorgeous album covers that
house it. Here as tribute to their
greatness I hope you will enjoy!
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