HEAVY WEATHER

This is the best of Weather Report's "Jaco era". I'll go ahead and tell you already that this album is essential for bass players everywhere, but now with the album itself. I have a lot of Jaco's grooves on this album Memorized. :-D Heavy Weather isn't my favorite of Weather Report's discography, but I like it a lot. The album has great compositions, the album just isn't..even. It's hard to explain, but anyway...

Birdland - 8/10 - Good Zawinul tune. Great bass parts too. The "jazz guitar" tone at the beginning is Jaco playing false harmonics on his bass for those that didn't know. However, even though it is a good tune, IT SHOULDN'T BE OVERPLAYED. :-)

A Remark You Made - 7/10 - Great ballad. For some reason, Zawinul's synth sound makes this tune sound REALLY DATED. The live version on 8:30 is much better, and Jaco, Wayne, and Zawinul have more solo room.

Teen Town - 8/10 - Wonderful Jaco tune. This song is an electric bass standard. It's too short though..

Harlequin - 8/10 - One of my favorite tunes on this album. I LOVE the piano in this, and the synth doesn't make this tune sound so dated.

Rumba Mama - 8/10 - Really cool drum improv, Manolo Badrena and Alex Acuña are the masterminds behind this tune. Their shouting of random shit in Spanish kind of throws me off though.

Palladium - 9/10 - I LOVE THIS TUNE. The beginning KICKS ASS. Great latin style tune. The bass line is definitely something to catch. The percussion is spectacular as well.

The Juggler - 7/10 - More explorations of Zawinuls "world music" sounding stuff. It's all right. Not my favorite at all.

Havona - 9/10 - My second favorite on this album. The synths make it sound a little dated..but not too much. The percussion is great on this one as with Palladium. The bass line kicks ass, and Jaco doubling the piano/synth part half the time is definitely something to listen to.

Final score - 64/80 - 4 stars - Final rating - 4 stars