NIGHT PASSAGE

"Night Passage" (6:29) opens the album with a punctuated keyboard and sax sounds accompanied with jazzy beats of drum and bass guitar. The keyboard and sax play in alternate overlaying the jazz rhythm. Even from this track I can hear clearly how Jaco plays his bass stunningly. "Dream Clock" (6:26) is a complete slow jazz tune. "Port of Entry" (5:09) starts off with a combined sounds of keyboard (with sitar sounds), sax, percussion , drums, and bass guitar. The opening part is nuanced and it has a very nice rhythmic. Sax and keyboard play roles as melody. At a glance it sounds like an explorative music in avant- garde style. But when I observe the beat, it has a sort of predetermined rhythm. The bass guitar solo is accompanied with percussion and drum and gives a wonderful music. The combined solo of keyboard and bass guitar is also excellent. Overall this is one of the song highlight in this album.

"Rockin' in Rhythm" (3:02) is a very nice combination of improvised sax, keyboard and bass guitar with dynamic drumming; performed in relatively fast tempo with jazzy beats. There is a nice bass guitar solo in the middle of the track followed with a big band / swing jazz kind of music style. "Fast City" (6:16) is a dynamic track with sax functioning as rhythm section as well as solo during the tagline melody appearance. Bass guitar and dazzling drum provide the track's dynamic and energetic nuance. This track will favor those of you who love sax improvisation accompanied with solid bass lines. I also like the structure of this track as it changes styles throughout the passage of the track. Having satisfied with sax, bass and drum combined work, Joe Zawinul gives his truly awesome keyboard work! This is one of the best Weather Report's tracks, I would say. "Three Views of a Secret" (5:50) is a slow and nice jazz music featuring soft bass guitar solo, sax and dazzling drum work during transition. "Madagascar" (10:56) is another good track that is explorative in style - combining many solos in ambience.

Overall, it's a very good album with good composition, talented musicians and good overall performance. Keep on proggin' ..!