Live In Berlin 1975 [CD+DVD, Live]

Members of the ‘not more old jazz’ lobby might find it hard to raise a smile let alone lend an ear to something like this, but that would be their loss. A previously unreleased concert set captures the fusion pioneers at full tilt and deliciously re-opens the debate on what is the definitive line-up of the group that was spearheaded by Miles Davis alumni, keyboardist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and saw a string of brilliant young tyros come and go over some 15 years of volcanic activity.

Perhaps most controversially, one might argue that bass guitarist Alphonso Johnson was possibly a more effective cog in the futuristic machine than the deified Jaco Pastorious, the man who would replace him and become one of the defining figures on the instrument in the years that followed. Johnson is simply imperious here, his tone both rugged and articulate and his phrasing elaborate and immediate with the kind of roadhouse blues-rock character that entirely suits the brawny and boisterous, testosterone-fuelled bombast that is such a vital part of the WR aesthetic.

Freezing Fire, which opens the set with mucho sturm und drang is a case in point. This is possibly the band at its most red raw, with Johnson’s bass, Chester Thompson’s drums and Alex Acuña’s percussion creating a bubbling whirlpool of what is really heady, hyperactive staccato funk. Furthermore, wild accelerations on the snare provide an excitingly muddy blueprint for the yet-to-be-born jungle producers of the 1990s, a decade which already feels a lifetime ago. But if we’re talking about past, present and future blending and blurring to good effect, then Weather Report were masters of sonic time-travelling.

What really makes this performance extraordinary is the way the keyboard colours and horn motifs conjure up an ancestral, almost dawn-of-time ambience in one bar and then a sci-fi it-came-from-outer-space tone the next, the epitome of which is an absolutely astounding version of Scarlet Woman. Other highlights include a sturdy, groove-heavy Mysterious Traveller and a moody, plaintive Badia/Boogie Woogie Waltz. Essential listening for both faithful and faithless.

--Kevin Le Gendre

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(4 stars) Finds that balance of spacious tone-poetry, incisive improv and infectious hook-playing that was the essence of their best performances.

(5 stars) A fantastic and unexpected release from this legendary group and is simply an essential purchase.

(4 stars) A ferociously energetic line-up...a 20-minute jam that pulls out all the stops as it heads to a tumultuous climax.

(4 stars) Johnson's fluid, funk-infused bass lines brought a deep sense of groove to the band, giving them a rhythmic cohesion.

(4 stars) Previously unreleased gem from this great band...the interplay and exchange between the musicians is constantly absorbing...very worthwhile double set.

Brilliant...finds the band in incendiary form...a masterclass in organic ensemble work.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the founding of Weather Report, the Zawinul estate is proud to release this live document of the supergroup’s appearance at the 1975 Jazztage Berlin, one of the oldest and most prestigious jazz festivals in Europe. This is the first time that this historic performance has been made available commercially. From the opening strains of Wayne Shorter’s propulsive “Freezing Fire” to Joe Zawinul’s exotic “Badia” (a template for the world music movement that would come over a decade later), Live in Berlin, 1975 crackles with an audacious spirit of discovery and daring, underscored by an uncanny sense of group-thinking that allowed the band to be truly in the moment from tune to tune, from bar to bar. Personnel: Joe Zawinul (synths, Fender Rhodes, grand piano), Wanye Shorter (tenor and soprano saxophone), Alphonso Johnson (electric bass), Chester Thompson (drums), Alex Acuna (percussion)

CD + DVD set. Miles Davis alumni Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter & co pre Jaco Pastorious. Still fantastic! Incl DVD