WEATHER REPORT — Heavy Weather (review)

WEATHER REPORT — Heavy Weather album cover Album · 1977 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
FunkFreak75
An album that brought world fame to an otherwise obscure and rather run-of-the-mill jazz-rock fusion band because of the radio-friendly mega hit, "Birdland." Though I never listened to this album as much as its companion, the previous year's, Black Market, I do like it.

Lineup / Musicians: - Joe Zawinul / Synthesizer [Oberheim Polyphonic, Arp 2600], Piano [Acoustic], Vocals, Melodica, Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano [Rhodes], Guitar, Tabla - Wayne Shorter / Soprano and Tenor Saxophones, Composer (4, 6) - Jaco Pastorius / Bass, Mandocello (1, 7), Drums (3), Steel Drums (6), Vocals (1), Composer (3, 8) - Alejandro "Alex" Acuña / Drums, Congas and Tom Toms (5), Handclaps (7) - Manolo Badrena / Tambourine (1), Congas (3 5, 6), Vocals (4, 5), Timbales (5), Percussion (6, 7)

1. "Birdland" (5:57) iconic (though never a favorite of mine). (8.875/10)

2. "A Remark You Made" (6:51) beautiful melodies and performances but the song is so dang slow--and it just seems to drag more and more the longer it goes. Almost irritating! Still, that Zawinal synth solo toward the end is great. (13.33333/15)

3. "Teen Town" (2:51) a Jaco Pastorius showpiece, otherwise it's not much musically. (8.6667/10)

4. "Harlequin" (3:59) slow, melodic and memorable, this is one of my three favorite songs on the album and perhaps my favorite Weather Report song (that I've ever heard). (9/10)

5. "Rumba Mama" (2:11) is this where Pat Metheny got the idea to do this expanded percussion section jam so often? Weird that this is a live recording (Why couldn't they have done it in the studio.) (4.25/5)

6. "Palladium" (4:46) the second best song on the album with all band members in sync and hitting on all cylinders. I wish it were a little more melodic. (9.5/10)

7. "The Juggler" (5:03) another decent song: it's fairly slow and spacious with lots of individual subtleties woven together but the song never seems to get into full gear. Another top three song. (8.875/10)

8. "Havona" (6:01) another top three song: the most dynamic song on the album. Jaco and Alex's performances are sublime. This is jazz fusion! (9.5/10)

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of full-blown Jazz-Rock Fusion--one my Top 20 Favorites from the "Third Wave" of prog's "Classic Era."
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Light Of Day Pop/Art Song/Folk
PETER WHITE
Buy this album from MMA partners
A Brand New State Post Bop
ALEX MCLAUGHLIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Thrive Post-Fusion Contemporary
FABIENNE AMBÜHL (AMBUEHL)
Buy this album from MMA partners
Beneath the Skin Vocal Jazz
NNENNA FREELON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ozark Concerto Third Stream
JAKE HERTZOG
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Peter White - Catalonia (Official Audio)
PETER WHITE
js· 2 hours ago
Elevation
ALEX MCLAUGHLIN
js· 2 hours ago
Fabienne Ambuehl - Thrive (2025)
FABIENNE AMBÜHL (AMBUEHL)
js· 7 hours ago
The making of Ensemble C's second album, 'Every Journey'
ENSEMBLE C
js· 9 hours ago
The Green Comet
IRO HAARLA
snobb· 13 hours ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed