AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Weather Report

Artist:Weather Report

Song:Birdland 

Album:The Best of Weather Report

The 1977 song Birdland by Weather Report was probably the most recognizable song to emerge from the jazz fusion movement of the 70s especially when The Manhattan Transfer's vocal adaptation was very successful. The 1977 album Heavy Weather was certified Platinum because of that exposure. The formation of Weather Report came out of Miles Davis' experiments in blending jazz and psychedelic rock typified by the album Bitches Brew. Keyboard whiz Joe Zawinul and sax player Wayne Shorter became friends when they were in Maynard Ferguson's band in 1959. In the 60s Zawinul was musical director for Cannonball Adderley. He wrote Mercy, Mercy, Mercy. Shorter was in Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and then in Davis' band with Herbie Hancock and Tony Williams. Both guys played on the Davis fusion albums In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew. Also on those albums was bassist Miroslav Vitous. They started Weather Report. Alphonse Mouzon was the original drummer. Don Alias was the original percussionist. Make no mistake about it. Joe Zawinul was the leader of Weather Report. So usually when guys left the band it was after butting heads with Zawinul. That's what happened with Alias. He was replaced by Airto Moreira. That was the band on Weather Report's 1971 debut album. When Zawinul turned Weather Report into a more funk oriented sound, Vitous didn't like it and refused to play it. He was replaced by studio musician Alphonso Johnson. The band also went through several drummers. If Zawinul didn't like the sound, he got someone else. Johnson was replaced by Jaco Pastorius in 1976. Narada Michael Walden was the drummer. He was replaced by Alex Acuna. The new percussionist was Manolo Badrena. And that's the band that recorded Heavy Weather. Of course Birdland was Zawinul's tribute to the famed New York jazz club. Zawinul saw a lot of bands there and also met his wife there. He says Birdland was the most important place in his life. They recorded it in one take and then of course it became a classic and is now in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Heavy Weather is available as a budget CD. But I recommend this comp for beginners. Zawinul and Shorter continued to lead Weather Report until 1986. They had to fire Pastorius in 1981 when his drug abuse spiralled out of control. Victor Bailey replaced him until the 1986 split. Here's Weather Report performing Birdland on the German TV show Rockpalast 1978.