BLACK MARKET

Black Market is a surprisingly effective record considering that it showcases Weather Report in their transitional stage with the whole rhythmic section in a state of motion. The effectiveness of the recording comes from its consistency that I so far missed on the two other Weather Report albums that I've had the pleasure of hearing so far.

The album consists of a steady stream of great Jazz Rock/Fusion work that doesn't gets interrupted by any inconsistencies which I've experienced on both I Sing The Body Electric and the follow-up release Heavy Weather. Besides, judging from the ratings that all of the other Weather Report albums have gathered, Black Market seems to be the only album of its kind. Side one consists entirely out of Joe Zawinul's compositions and its also where the record shines the most. Maybe I'm a bit biased about my opinion since I've always preferred the delicate synthesizers and piano based Joe Zawinul-compositions over the much rougher Wayne Shorter work. Still even Shorter manages to outdo himself with Elegant People that easily takes my no.2 spot right after Cannon Ball.

Towards the end of the album we also get one track from each of the bass players that really show how far apart Jaco Pastorius and Alphonso Johnson were with their approach to music writing and its delivery. Barbary Coast is a funky and playful composition that gives us a preview of the bass work that Jaco Pastorius will be so famous for. Alphonso Johnson's Herandnu sounds to me like a more ambitious composition and it would have been interesting to hear more of his work works in this band's setting.

This is easily my pick for a record that should be heard by the newcomers to both Weather Report but also Jazz Rock/Fusion in general since it features everything that is so great about the genre. Simply put, an excellent addition to any prog rock music collection.

***** star songs: Cannon Ball (4:41)

**** star songs: Black Market (6:30) Gibraltar (7:49) Elegant People (5:04) Three Clowns (3:27) Barbary Coast (3:11) Herandnu (6:39)