And now the third…
Luciano Pavarotti, Madeleine L’Engle and now Joe Zawinul.
Nope. You probably don’t know that last name. But his impact on American Jazz and therefore pop music of the late 20th century (and therefore me) will ripple through time.
I learned about Weather Report (and Joe) in high school when we played the jazz band arrangement of his classic “Birdland.” Joe was the pianist. I was the pianist. See how there might be a connection? I never realized at the time though that he was older than my folks. (He was so much cooler! How could he have been older??!!)
This video is dated 1978, a year before I first heard and then played the piece. It must have been taken at a warmish venue as the bass player (Jaco) and the drummer (I think it’s Airto…at least he’s the drummer on my album) are both stripped to the waste. Another fabulous version of the piece was recorded by Maynard Ferguson and then of course there’s the vocal version by Manhattan Transfer.
This is Funky jazz at it’s finest…or at least a funky jazz that makes my pulse race and the goosebumps run up and down my arms.
Anyway this is the coolest song EVER and I highly recommend you check it out. Maybe a download is in order?
Weather Report - Birdland
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A year ago (or longer) on This Journey…
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Sometimes Mom confirms what others say about you….. 2007
It was one of those days… 2006
talk about rejection 2006
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A year ago (or longer) on This Journey…
-
Sometimes Mom confirms what others say about you….. 2007
It was one of those days… 2006
talk about rejection 2006
— — —
A year ago (or longer) on This Journey…
September 12th, 2007 at 7:14 am
1. If you could hold any position in public office in this country, what would it be and why?
2. When holding this position, what changes would you make?
3. Where do you see yourself in five years and why?
4. McKilt vs. Mr. Hockey - can you tell me what really gives you shivers up your spine about each one?
5. What advice would you give to your kids when they get older about love and life?
Okay hon’. Here you go. Can’t wait to hear the answers.
September 12th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
It is weird how these deaths come in threes.
October 9th, 2007 at 8:47 am
A superb song that created a real buzz. Jaco had pulled the frets out of his bass guitar and filled the grooves in with wood putty, thus inventing the fretless bass guitar! On this track he is playing the melody (the really high bit — the tune) while the keyboards and sax play the traditional bass line. It’s all upside down and completely original! Everyone copies the bass sounds and tricks, and Joe single handedly brought synths and electric instruments into Jazz - he plugged it in, man! A live Weather Report gig was just amazing, it was about dance music (what a surprise for the musos and jazz crowd who went along to listen and politely clap at being amazed), Joe’s band cooked up a storm live, and it was just pure, clean fun! Music has had a real loss on so many counts — and that it was almost exactly 20 years to the day we lost Jaco is just weird. Just another 9-11.