Reviews (page 4 of 8)
5 stars for Jaco alone? Let’s see. 1.50 into Birdland and there is sooo much to take in. The sounds out of the synth, bass, is that a guitar sound, a modified bass sound, is that some harmonics out of the bass, the playing! Second track not so interesting. I found Shorter’s sax a bit boring and it is the main focus for much of the song but it doea build and ends with some great soloing by the keyboardist over some incredible bass chords. Next track kicks it up a gear and back to so much happening. Then Harlequin pulls it back down but some beautiful drumming and bass through this. Rumba mumba to mix it up! Okay. Palladium for something a bit more funly. This album is all over the place. I cant decide if it ties together regardless or cant decide what it wants to be and should have been released as singles. Where or what is Lebowski’s rug in all of this? I think it is the dynamics between the keyboard and the bass. Yeah bit all over but hard not to rate highly due to the quality of the players.
I've never listened to this album (44). Solid AF. Jaco was a menace.
This sounds like it's straight out of a 90s ps1 skiing game
This is REALLY bland. I just don't like this 70s/80s style of parlour music.
I knew I had to get Weather Report on the list at some point. I know them enough by reputation, but I made it to 1040 before hitting it. I don’t know. I don’t get how people legitimately like this, to be honest. Tolerate, sure. Use for background, maybe. But enjoy? I feel like Weathers Report is why the music lovers who hate jazz think they hate jazz. Why did they need to make jazz sound more 80s? Jazz didn’t need or deserve that.
The jump from fusion to smooth jazz is a remarkably small one but this is an example of where that smoothness associated with fusion is beneficial with a little bit of funkiness underneath
This was a real miss for me. I love Wayne Shorter's earlier jazz work so was quite excited to give this a listen, but I thought this was so middle of the road and dull.
Jazz-Album, Melodien sind angenehm zu hören 3/5
One of the greatest jazz album of the last 50 years! Amazing musicians, with a top of the class saxophonist and bassline! Birdland became a standard, known by every jazz player
I was vibing so hard to this album that I kept listening for an extra half an hour even though it already finished.
The only thing wrong with this album, is that it's too short! Add to my score a 0.5, because this SLAPS!!!
Thick heavy jazz interrupted by brain stabbing flutes. Standard hold music performed at the highest level. Quality is a 4, enjoyability is a 1.
A real blast from the past. Jazz Fusion. I found the album a bit boring, although I quite liked the hit single "Birdland" which I remember from the late 70s.
Dreadful.
Not as bad as I anticipated considering I am not a fan of jazz! It was nice to discover what jazz fusion was!
Instrumental only
Nice, smooth jazz
elevator music
This is the worst kind of 80s slop jazz that makes me think I don’t like jazz. But I do, but not this
Cool jazz nothing crazy
A more interesting approach to jazz. "Birdland" did its job as an opening track. However, the other tracks weren't as great. I liked the inclusion of synths on "Heavy Weather". The album reminds me of stuff from Emerson, Lake and Palmer. 3 stars for "Heavy Weather".
I knew of Weather Report only by reputation. It's got some good stuff on it. It is the meeting point between Jazz and Progressive Rock. A lot if it is good but I was feeling a little fatigued by the end. Not something I could listen to every day. Too much synth for my tastes.
Half elevator music, half Saturday Night Live vibes
I'm tempted to give this an extra star simply for being far ahead enough to be the inspiration for every crappy 80s movie soundtrack in existence. But I'm going to turn away from temptation, and this mess of an album, today.
Not my kind of 1977 music. US TV theme tune from some bad show - then some jazzy wank. Another US TV theme toon. Rumba Mama - some vocals! Still bad. Then back to Lift muzak. Awful.
The Weather Report is F-
Was looking forward to this given my foray into Miles-fusion but ouch Doc, my ears... Sounds a little like if Steely Dan expanded further into the genre, Yacht Jazz ensuing.
I had no idea what this might sound like, turns out it was what I’d describe as jazz for people who aren’t really into jazz ✅ So yeah, I quite enjoyed it. I recognised part of the opening track, maybe from an old TV show? Though the overall feel is a soundtrack to a show where a suburban US cop with a liking for whiskey investigates alien phenomena. I’ll not be exploring more, but an interesting addition to the list all the same.
Not my favorite type of jazz, very produced and smooth. It gets a “3” for Birdland.
Idk much about jazz so in my mind this basically sounds like an album of really long 70s tv show themes. Will I finish this? Sure. Would I make this again? Probably not. Alright, see you tomorrow.
This reminded me of the music in Wave Race 64. Which isn't a bad thing! I like the music in Wave Race 64!
Classic album
Heavy Weather is overflowing with talent sometimes great talent as in the case of Jaco Pastorrius. It's an exceptionally well played boring jazz fusion album released in 1977 a couple years past the era (late 1960s to the mid 1970s) that the few jazz fusion albums (by the likes of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, etc.) that I enjoy, sometimes greatly, were released. This album feels like arriving late to a great party that is winding down. There is enough there to tell that it was a night to remember but the snores of the passed-out people just makes you want to leave so you stick around for just over 30 minutes, you make small talk, you nurse some cocktail that you really don't need and you leave. Come Monday morning you won't even remember being there.
Pretty approachable for a jazz album
Great bass in this jazzy jam
Really enjoyed it
Electronic Jazz Fusion. 4/5
This was a very surprising listen. Ive never heard of this band before and found the first half of this album highly enjoyable. Birdland is the band's most famous song, with its urgent percussion. A Remark You Made is another strong track but the albums highlight for me is Teen Town. Rumba Mama is straight up hilarious if you understand the lyrics, which are rare in this album. The best way to describe this is as soul and jazz fusion à la Bitches Brew. Great album and love the cover art too.
I was hesitant to give this one 4 stars since I literally just gave the same rating to Bayou Country, but halfway through the opening track I caught myself nodding along. This album is weird in a good way, the kind of record that surprises you with how much it grows on you. The mix of jazz, funk, and rock elements gives it a cool, unpredictable energy. It’s a fusion record that actually feels like a fusion instead of just showing off technical skill. Every instrument has room to breathe, and the groove never really lets up once it kicks in. Overall, Heavy Weather turned out to be a really fun listen. It’s experimental without being inaccessible, and it’s got enough rhythm and personality to pull you in even if jazz isn’t your usual go-to.
1/1
Pretty good
Probably not something I'd listen to regularly, but it's a joy to listen to. Especially with good headphones. Jaco Pastorius was one of the most talented and influential bassists ever and the rest of the music is also really great.
Not a bad listen. Just not particularly engaging after the first track. Pleasant enough.
Fretless
Listened to it yesterday and have since forgotten how much I liked/disliked it. Definitely between a 1 and a 2. Let's let it scape a 2 because it initially made me want to watch a bad 80's movie, which to me is a positive.
No more instrumental stuff please.
Today's forecast is bland & pretentious with a chance of hotel lobby.
Was enjoying it at the start, thought a 4 could be possible. It became a bit annoying by the end and just about clung onto a 3
Essentially a jazz fusion supergroup. They're all shit hot players and you've just got to sit back and enjoy it. It's not as far out or complex as some fusion can be and that's probably what made it so popular. You can clean your glasses while nodding your head (on or off beat). Best Tracks: Birdland; Teen Town; Palladium
This is a worthy album which even a non-jazz guy like me can appreciate.
Jazz-fusion, jazz-rock, whatever you want to call it, just doesn't do much for me.
It’s fine
Fun and upbeat, this was really good! 4/5 would listen again
Jaco still the goat.
as far as jazz goes, pretty good
Funk and international
I’d listen to it again, but won’t go out of my way to do so
I guess smooth jazz had to start somewhere
Very nice Jaco pastorius
Damn that’s smooth. And a little sleepy.
Meh
Not my kind of music
Was good for a drive Will I listen to again: 45%
weather update: its raining the hypnotic rains of smooth jazz. 3/5
I really enjoyed this! I admit I initially judged it based on the look of the cover and the name "Weather Report". I cringed, thinking this would be folk hippie tripe similar to Fairport Convention or The Incredible String Band (vomit!!), but my oh my, was I pleasantly surprised at this delectable collection of jazz fusion. Birdland is a fantastic piece and made its way straight onto my playlist of faves. I will research more of their work for sure. A happy new discovery.
Highs and lows. It is a shame, It had potential to be a very nice album
Fahrstuhlmusik, chillig
This is, literally and figuratively, a load of soft jazz.
A lovely jazz album.
I’m sure they’re great musicians, but this is brutal. Boring, cheesy, elevator music. Nothing to connect to emotionally, and with vey dated production. Sounds like what’s quietly playing in the background as you walk around an 80s mall.
All the jazz on this list, regardless of quality, has tended to be super depressing. This isn't. Sounds like the soundtrack to an 80s movie ive never seen Cover art is funny
le colonne sonore dei film anni 80..
First thing Hays said when they heard this was, "what sitcom is this from?" This album sounds like it had a huge influence on culture at large. 1977 version of chill beats to study and relax to. Very cool and easy to listen to. Loved it!
Glad I listened to it, but the involvement of synthesizers and other electronic sounds was just too much to rate this any higher. I also don't think I'd want to listen to it again, but there were some parts I really liked. Overall liked it more than I thought I would. Jaco could sure play that thing though.
Very nice
I'd completely forgotten about Birdland, took me straight back to high school jazz band. So glad to come across this and listen to the whole thing!
Birdland - and not much more. Successful Jazz album
It’s fine. Not my thing.
Forgot it was playing in the background, but was nice
Reminds me of similar jazz bands that followed in Weather Report's footsteps. This is decent stuff.
Not too bad. I kind of enjoyed it, but it's definitely not my favorite kind of music.
This was like a soundtrack for a cheesy seventies movie or show
Album cover is dope. Favorite track: A Remark You Made 3.5/5
4/10… jazz fusion
A bit bland for me. This album gets recommended a lot for people who like Zappa, but it’s just plain jazz rock.
Un album dégoulinant de cuivres lyriques et de percussions pseudo-jazz qui m’a rappelé de la musique d’ascenseur ou des génériques de séries télévisées des années 1980
Nice. Just music which took me by suprise
This album always is on the edge of that line for me - it is technically my jam, I love many of the artists in the supergroup, but together it sounds so damn CHEEZY
The mixing is neat and balanced, and the overall structure feels solid. The songs aren’t exactly my usual taste, but they’re definitely well-made and interesting to break down.
Weather Report is the kind of jazz group my Dad would have listened to in the 1970s and 1980s, even though, to the best of my knowledge, he never owned a single one of their albums. These guys seemed like they were laying the groundwork for artists like Spyro Gyra and Chick Corea (albums I know for a fact that my Dad did have!), although they all probably played around the same timeframe. Who knows. Jazz Fusion is weird. I don't know what else to say. I'll stop talking now.
Solid late 70s jazz album. What you'd expect from these guys
Smooth, easy listening that grow into slight earworms. And also a little bizarre... ゴゴゴゴ
Pleasant but just makes me feel like I'm in a hotel lobby. Jazz really isn't my thing.
Smooth but forgettable.
I'll always enjoy hearing Jaco smoothly rip it up on the bass.
Now that’s what I call 70’s b film jazz music
Kinda cheesy but ok.
The birth of yacht rock? Maybe. Jazz deconstructed with funk bass lines and a desire to lay low and chill.
Smooth, unengaging dinner-party-background-music Jazz Fusion.
lindo jazz
very groovy
An early jazz album for me which was super accessible since it leans more into fusion. Really good to come back to (3.5/5)
Jazz is definitely not a genre I'm familiar with but this was nice to leave on and just vibe to. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would; pleasant to listen to without being too boring. The incorporation of different instrumentals (flute, synths) keeps this fresh the whole way through. I love the atmosphere of this. Heavy Weather would be good music to have on in the background, and I don't mean that in a derisive way.
with this album i discovered a new kind of jazz (rock jazz) I never heard something like this and I quite enjoyed it.
Jazz.. 4 stars
I love Weather Report and Jaco Pastorious and this was my introduction to them both. Sublime stuff.
Originally purchased this album as Jaco, my bass idol, was on the line up. This connection allowed me the patience to "understand" the music and the sound. Still have my vinyl copy <3
Jaco je definitivno bolji nego suma svih njihovih dijelova. Osjećaj je da je dosta statično, uz par zanimljivijih stvari.
I always feel bad for people that can’t listen to instrumental music/albums because they’re “boring”. This FUCKS
Background.
It was interesting
Decent enough
Birdland is a bop. The rest of the album is middling.
Solid instrumental album, reminded me of plantasia. Great music for deep focus. 7/10
Damn, "Birdland" is awesome. I'm movin'. I didn't take note of too many individual songs, but I loved this. The 'jazz-rock' fusion is definitely more consumable for me than straight jazz most of the time. I loved this record, great jams the whole way through. 8/10
Sophisticated elevator music to be used in an 80s erotic thriller.
Great album
It started off strong and like a 90s comedy movie but… ended flat for me.
Enjoyable
3.5/5
Excelente álbum, siendo bajista es una obra esencial ya que es el primer álbum de Weather Report junto a Jaco Pastorius. Su presencia es innegable desde el primer tema. Creo que el álbum es fantástico, una representación clara de lo mejor del jazz fusión de la época. Los sonidos que utilizan, la instrumentación, los ambientes que generan, la capacidad de producir temas con mucho funk y rock a baladas melancólicas es sobresaliente. El único tema que me parece despegado del álbum es "Rumba Mama". Una versión en vivo de una interpretación predominantemente percusiva de estilo afrolatino. Aún siendo un álbum ecléctico siento que esta pieza que muy por afuera de lo que el álbum propone, por lo que no entiendo muy bien porqué lo agregaron. Sin embargo no le quita mérito ni solidez a la experiencia que ofrece esta obra.
This was another groovy album, wish it had some lyrics, birdland was really good
We could've had the 2 hour long experimental fusion masterpiece Get Up With It by Miles Davis on the list, but instead we get this drudgery. I like this list overall but for too many artists and genres it values commercial succes over actual artistry
Pretty cool, but sort of becomes background for me. I would call this a 2.5, but bumping because I've heard some of this before and it's iconic.
Genre: Jazz Fusion Elevator music turned up to 11. Weather Report had a big hit with the opening track on this album, Birdland, one I was unfamiliar with (surprisingly). It’s pretty good, as are the rest of the tracks. Some great playing, and some solid moods, but not totally for me. I know a number of people eat this stuff up, so I’m happy for them, because this is pretty solid. 3/5
Birdland, A Remark You Made, and Teen Town — not a bad way to start off your jazz fusion record. NGL, that cover is some serious Heavy Weather as well. For the genre, it's a standout classic, in the larger context of my preferences though it's less than that.
this was all instrumental and a bit boring
I got really high and put on a documentary about the Newport Jazz festival one night. I passed out not long into the show and dont remember much about it. The title track on this snapped me back to watching the doc and I suddenly remembered parts of it. Anyway,just like the Newport Jazz Fest doc, I had enough after a song or two.
yeah...
this was weird and enjoyable
6.5 Jazzy funky or funky jazzy?? Idk but it was one of those two
I loved this album! A more introspective Bruce
4 - Fun, funky
I know there a many sub genres of jazz music... jazz fusion, acid jazz, dixieland, etc.... whichever one this album is is among my least favorite.
An essential album from a band that hardly put out anything less than essential.
This is fun, but there’s obviously a reason it didn’t become popular. I think this is way too tight. This prog, jazz/funk, fusion, whatever this genre may be is too locked down. Where’s the improvisation?! The instrumentation is obviously deadly. Except for the brief live bit on that one song, there were no vocals to help this album stay in my memory and I guarantee I won’t be able to recall any specifics the moment I turn it off. The general vibe will stick with me for at least an hour, maybe more, but that’s all. This should’ve stayed in the back of the bin and not made its way to this list. I will say that it accomplished what it wanted to and it was not annoying as fuck, so that’s a plus. 3/5
It's nice background music but not something that requires active listening, at least not something I'd want to devote active listening.
this album is so complex and fun - it's a bunch of fantastic jazz musicians who have incredibly capabilities and i thoroughly enjoyed listening to it.
Very cool fusion jazz!
Nothing looks familiar from the track list. Seems like something I should be into a this point in my life. I was excited for this one. Very robotic, too perfect, and prog-y. No humanity.
4 stars for the bass player, 1 for the rest. Rambling and urgent, but no sense of direction. Sounds like background music for a terrible 80s cop movie.
Vaguely familiar with this one. Maximalist Latin Jazz Rock Fusion 𝘎𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘭. It's cool, but doesn't inspire me to feel, think or write a lot about my impression. Actually, no, wait. Havona is playing right now - the Drum 'n Bass here? 😍 - I might spin this a few more times today. We'll see. Once more "actually, no": Havona is the stand-out track for me, I'm circling back to "It's cool."
jazzy
Seconding Sameen that Wayne Shorter is the goat, that guy RULES!! Also the hat on this cover really reminds me of the hat Tim Robinson wears in the courtroom ITYSL sketch. Very good album, it's very easy listening but deceptively simple, I'd say - a lot going on instrumentally!!
Jazz :)
one thing i really appreciate about Wayne Shorter is that he was maybe the most dynamic of all the 60s titans of jazz. the fact that he spent his 70s and 80s basically playing in bands and making albums with joni mitchell is so cool to me. i actually had never heard of weather report but it kinda blows my mind that Shorter and Jaco Pastorius were in a jazz rock band and it kinda upsets me that i didnt already know about it!!!! anyways i am slowly starting to make a mental case for Shorter being the goat ...
Nope Reminds me of a theme song for a sitcom
Wasn’t expecting the jazz vibe, and heavy use of sax throughout the album when I heard the name. To be honest I loved the slow use of saxophone, very mood setting. However I didn’t appreciate that the whole album would be synths and sax (keyboards and drums too) An album I’d play with a glass of red wine and to try to act pretentious. “Oh you don’t know the weather report, gwahf you must listen” but sadly those sort of evenings are few and far between. Rumba mama was a miss on the album. Not needed and just a different vibe felt out of place I appreciate the musical talent on the album. However not one I’d stick on regularly. Maybe if I needed some background music to drown out my spreadsheets.
This is a lovely little album with some great musicianship from an outfit I had not heard of. No particular favourite, however would listen in the background in the future.
Twiddly jazz... Not bad - not great...
Weird. At times, a groovy record to get down with your lady on the thick shag carpet. At times, a nicotine stained conversion van with an airbrushed mural headed downtown. At times, elevated elevator music. At times, some freaky post-Bitches Brew experimentalism.
Wow. Well. I guess I listened to this when I was a serious preteen jazz music student, which casts a strange shadow over it, but I guess my first take is that... it isn't as unlistenable as I expected. Some of it is sort of great. I think I need to put my white shoes back on to listen to this and probably smoke a bunch of weed while I'm at it to really feel it. Did anyone notice that it sounds quite a bit like a variety of early Sesame Street and PBS programming? Album came out the same week I was born in 1977. I like imagining the doctors rocking this in the break room after I appeared. Also: "Teen Town" is a hilarious name for a song.
Hmm, there were some moments I could kind of get into, but this felt too much like the Muzak of my childhood.
really nice
Jazz isn't my thing, but this was a little different. It was jazz but strong R&B vibes, that made the songs a little more polished and cohesive. I could see where true jazz fans wouldn't like it, but to me it made it more enjoyable and easier to connect with. I also like how the songs highlighted instruments beyond the trumpets. It felt less like jazz, but more R&B big band that was jazz inspired.
This had some cool moments, I liked the 70s-ness of it all, but it mostly melted into background noise. Jazz tends to do that for me.
'Birdland' takes me back to my earliest introductions to jazz when I joined the high school "jazz" band as a reluctant bass player. We managed to perform a simplified score of 'Birdland' that I remember fondly. Nearly twenty years later, I've since become an active performer, regularly gigging out on most weekends. And most of the time, bass is the instrument I'm hired to play. I wonder how my life would be different if it weren't for 'Birdland' and jazz band bass, my whole inadvertent introduction to it all? I remember really disliking this record during my high school times due to its plasticky perfection, but I view it now with much more appreciation for its restrained and tasteful arrangements. The sound is pristine. Pastorius took his own instrument to a new level. I only fault the record for its faulty flow--the random 'Rumba Mama' really kills the continuity for me. Why put a live track on a studio album? Ach.
In college, I had some friends who were really into this era of jazz. We’d sit around listening to farty bass sounds all day, smoking joints and playing go. Hearing Weather Report or Mahavishnu Orchestra, I immediately am primed to want coffee, like a whole pot’s worth. But, even though I indulged my jazz loving friends, I never took to this. It’s crazy stuff, and Jaco revolutionized how the bass was played (we’d have no modern Metallica without this, believe it or not), but I just really can’t. Not only is it SO dated, there’s literally nothing for me to grasp onto here. I can appreciate that they played a lot of difficult chords quickly, I guess. I can appreciate that the musicians made some choices… they just weren’t the right choices for, you know, pleasing my ears.
= The Beatles
I don't really know were I sit with this album. Overall I enjoyed it but parts of it I just completely tuned out for.
Fun, but forgettable. Good background music for working and thinking.
Yeah. Its jazz
Kuulostaa ihan hyvältä, helposti nieltävää. Jos jättää livet kuulematta (onko virhe?), mittakin on maltillinen eikä mikään pörise tai vanuta liikaa. Mutta jää haaleaksi kokemukseksi mulla.
not for me i like something with lyics and a bit more meaning
With all due respect, it's the most background music, white-people-dinner-party type jazz you can get. Not that it's terrible, it's fine, but not engaging in the slightest.
This is #day345 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… it’s been raining here for the past couple of days. I honestly don't remember so much rain in July, and judging by the forecast, it's going to stay this way until the end of the month. But I don't mind, as long as it's not hurting the planet. Anyway, I've seen this band's name pop up a lot among vinyl collectors, and now I kind of understand why. This record begs to be experienced on vinyl. It's very musical: spacey, textured, jazz-rock, or so they say. Definitely one for audiophiles. But I'm all for it. "A Remark You Made" is especially enjoyable. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day346.
Nice easy listening jazz fusion. Perhaps an odd criticism but it might be *too* palatable?
Jazz, but make it 80s movie. I think it's the maracas and definitely the saxophone.
Felt like I was listening to hold music for an entire album. 2/5
so so good. i knew some of the songs already, but love it.
A really nice, chill listen while I worked today. It was just ok to me though. Highlights: A Remark You Made
Good fun Jazz, I found this really enjoyable Fav songs: Palladium
2.5 Great musicianship but too soft jazz/easy listening for me.
Sonido que encajaria muy bien como BSO de Cowboy Bebop, aunque a veces se desvia a peli porno de los 70/80, con excepción de Rumba Mama que de repetente te trasporta a un centro entre Africa y Latino America. Por lo general un 5/10 de dinamismo, menos al final que se hace un poco mas potente. En conjunto un sonido muy parecido entre la mayoria de las canciones. Ninguna favorita. Meh. El casi aprobado es por el Bebop. 4.9/10
It was very good and was a great jazz/fusion album
Boring.
Ok sheesh! Jazz fusion is on this list?? Of course I already had heard birdland, but super cool to hear the other tracks on this album. Such a cool vibe and style. Weather report does such a good job making an engaging and cohesive Freeform sound. I almost want to give 5 stars, but I think I’ll settle with 4.
I don’t know much of the genre of fusion but it seems pretty sweet. Decent stuff from Weather Report here.
not bad, but this kind of jazz isn't my favorite listening
Nope not for me thank you.
2.5. enjoyed as background noise but wasn't that exciting. still it's jazz i like jazz.
It was okay, but there’s better fusion out there.
Not necessarily bad just not memorable at all. I didn’t even notice when the album ended.
Upbeat, synthy, cheesy music that deserves nothing better than being used as background tracks to 1980s corporate training videos. Sickening, for me this was genuinely one of the hardest albums to get through.
Fantastique album! Une de mes entrées dans le monde du Jazz et un des meilleurs élèves du mouvement fusion. Je recommande à tous les intéressés, c’est d’la bombe en barres!
Awesome band name. Cool jazz.
Has it's moments, and they are talented, but also turns into background music.
4.5/5
The version of Birdland is great, and Jacob's bass is incredible, but it does feel quite safe.
1+ Stars (3/15)
Yeah, it's weather report music.
This is a fantastic album that everyone should hear.
Great album, lots of energetic jazz-rock
Love the Instruments, but maybe not my cup of tea
Thankfully this is only 37 minutes. It's a bit boring if I'm honest.
Birdland is probably one of the most catchy jazz fusion songs within my mental catalog. So god damn catchy. That song alone puts the whole band on my radar. Sadly the album does not hold up but I have Weather Report to thank for my confusion of associating this song with Baltimore Orioles baseball team for the rest of my life.
This is technically competent, but it felt a bit hollow.
While Jazz isn't a 100% my music style, I still thinks this is a nice Jazz album. Good to hear at the side.
Nice easy listening jazz.
Another album from my youth. Gotta love a bit of jazz fusion!
Jazz Fusion bought us some odd albums. This one sometimes seems to make fun of the genre by being not too weird but relies on well crafted "When does my fellow musician comes in?" moments. It's good but nothing you put on too often I find.
Some good songs, could be a 3.5/4
Oh my god where has this album and band been all my life. It was amazing, didn’t expect much but no. Blown away. Will listen again definitely
Good jazz. Some weird tracks bump it down a point. 3/5
Surprised to see Jaco and Wayne were in a group together, I had no idea. I listened to it a couple times and enjoyed it. I liked some tracks more than others, but might seek out again on my own even though not my fav type of jazz.
High quality jazz
Jazzy, taking a whole journey from low to high energy and everywhere in between. Some of the tracks sound like opening or closing credits music from a 70s sitcom or drama. Even though I generally love jazz, this is not super exciting for me, probably in part since I've never had a ton of fondness for the sounds of the 70s.
don't know why it has such a low rating here, yeah it is not groundbreaking but was still an enjoyable listen! 3.5/5
I was previously familiar with Birdland from this album. Given what I know from that track, this album is pretty much what I expected. It's really good jazz fusion. My favorite track is probably A Remark You Made but it's solid front to back. Would listen again.
Top notch fusion! Legendary line-up as well. Very accessible fusion album overall and has some pop and period production elements to it.
Good mix of capturing moments and others fading into the air. A good background record.
Spacey big band kinda vibe. No music, give like a 60s space age kinda vibe. Not necessarily a happy vibe, but mysterious
Too mellow.
3/10 My lack of interest is... 6-11-2025
Much of "Heavy Weather" follows the lead of the opening track: catchy, happy jazz. Maybe some tracks are a little too happy. Maybe others are a little too jazzy. There is no doubting the quality and talent of the players ... but sometimes the album sounded like something "Duke Silver" (from Parks and Recreation) might have put out.
There are some bits of this I really like and I recognised Birdland which is a jaunty wee tune but I REALLY dislike that keyboard sound. It overpowers and ruins everything far too often. It seems they pioneered that cheesy 80s sound before the 80s. I recognise that there is some cracking musicianship in here though. 2.5
A surprise new favorite, it was a great jam. I had never heard of them before but it all grooved and sounded awesome
Thoughts before listening: I love any album with Jaco Pastorius on it. Weather Report is 70s jazz fusion with all players being the top of their game, but as a teenager trying to learn to play the bass, Jaco was considered one of the best. I owned at least one Weather Report cd back in the day which I believe was a best of compilation, so while I may not know this whole album I suspect I will recognize some songs. Review: Oh ok...so this starts out with "Birdland" which is one of the band's best songs and definitely their most well known. Potentially its just being a victim of the times, but Weather Report in general can slide into easy listening/new age music territory at times. Their music is very polished and there is a certain synthesizer vibe at all times that can come off as cheesy at times. That being said, the band is all very accomplished musicians with Jaco being the best. His fluid style of bass playing with lines dancing around the melody is very distinctive within their sound and was a huge influence on countless musicians since his time. This is a 4-star album.
Trash
Meh
Very fun jazz album, it reminds me a lot of witches brew for some reason
Sounds exactly like the album cover
Rätt svängigt. Okay bakgrundsmusik.3
fun jazz pretty funky
An excellent bass album, to be sure. That Rumba Mama song in the middle kinda kills the momentum. Excellent instrumentation with the sax, bass, and keys all playing together nicely.
Intriguing. Never heard of this, but the description makes it sound pretty interesting. The jazz records I've gotten on this generator so far have all been pretty stellar, so I'm hoping that this one is of similar quality. I have no idea what to expect from this, just crossing my fingers for a good time. Birdland Love the opening guitar sequence. The bass on this song is pretty magnetic. A very melodic and approachable arrangement. Decent groove, very stimulating. Fresh and fun piece of jazz fusion. Love the way it ends. Great. 4.5/5 A Remark You Made The echoey delay makes for a slow and soothing atmosphere. The bass tone really integrates itself nicely with said atmosphere. Love the duetting with the sax. Extremely smooth and pleasant, gives of serious summer evening energy. Oh that keyboard part is magical. Great. 4.5/5 Teen Town The bass playing on this album so far has been nothing short of incredible, this track included. Love the tempo on the cymbals. That was sick. Great. 4.5/5 Harlequin Very interesting keyboard playing. Love how it interplays with the bass and the background piano. That drum breakdown at the end is absolutely stunning. Good. 4/5 Rumba Mama That opening vocal is absolutely insane, so much energy and spirit. Amazing percussion. A great rhythmic experience with blazing energy and fun atmosphere. Good. 4/5 Palladium Comes right out the gate with a great funky groove. Amazing instrumental interplay. Love how synergistic everything is while sounding technical and colourful at the same time. Energetic, complicated and deep, yet really approachable and simple to listen to. Each instrument delivers its own infectious part. Fantastic. 5/5 The Juggler Very dreamy and pleasant. Almost sounds like a whismical new world at times. Especially with that cute keyboard part. Very sweet, fun and pleasant to the ears. Feels experimental. Good. 4/5 Havona Yet again another amazing bass track. He plays with such bounce and fluidity that he makes the hard parts sound effortless. Would also like to shout out the drummer for somehow being just as impressive. Love the part where the piano just goes insane in tandem with the bass. Strong ending. Good. 4/5 Whenever you get a star studded lineup such as this there's always the fear that there will be some clashing of egoes. This usually either leads to synergy issues, or that the band simply fails to get the best out of each member. This is clearly not the case here. This is air tight, it's fast, it's fun and it has infectious parts from everyone involved. Importantly, it's also very accessible, serving as a great entry point to the genre without sacrificing the integrity of the performers behind it. Looking at other reviews of this, the negative reviews mostly come from two camps: Hardcore jazz fans and people who hate jazz. And sure it's not as challenging and emotional as masterworks produced by the greats. However this thing is always gonna be approachable to casuals, which might lead to them developing an interest for the genre. It shows of the talents of amazing instrumentalists such as Jaco Pastorius or Joe Zawinul and gives people a snippet of what such masters can do when they work together. Bouncy rhythms, funky basslines and smooth sax parts, littered with eclectic keyboard playing which sprinkles in a bit of magic on the recording. This makes for a charming, slightly cheesy album which never takes itself too seriously. A solid listen for when you just want a fun, free flowing experience. Or a great springboard to use for delving into several musical rabbitholes, following the people that made it. A simple highlight of this is the bass playing, which myself and others alike have pointed out as quite a marvelous ordeal. If some funky, rhythmic and effortless sounding bass parts is something you're into, then perhaps it's worth checking out just for that. 4/5
Not really into jam bands. Not bad though
Bland is the best description I can come up with. Forgettable background music. Like other albums before it, if it fades into the background but isn't offensive enough for me to notice, it gets a 2.
At first I was kinda like - what the heck is this? - but then I settled in and really enjoyed it. Funk, jazz, I hear city pop, at points I even hear 90s video game music. Not surprised this is a group of super solid professionals. Just a fun, easy listen. I’d listen to more of this group! 500 albums down!!
This was a bit dull, no playback value at all for me. Honestly I’ve never really been that into jazz, and I know this album isn’t even a real showpiece for the genre. Hopefully when I get further into the list a bit of better jazz comes my way
This album feels like one that would make more sense in a movie, as background music, but it was overall not too bad, as it was jazzy and pretty chill.
Parts of this are unbelievably fun and funky, other parts are real lame and cheesy. A real fine balance was to be had in the 1970s
Weather Report is a band I’ve generally steered clear of over the years. I'd loosely file their sound under modern jazz—a genre I've never quite clicked with. Still, I figured it was time to give Heavy Weather a fair shot. Most of the jazz I've explored so far for this challenge has been from the late ’50s, and truth be told, it hasn’t really resonated with me. So how does ’70s jazz stack up in comparison? Let’s find out. The opening track, “Birdland,” was an enjoyable listen—upbeat, polished, and packed with vibrant wind instrumentation. I found myself liking it, along with a couple of other tracks. That said, the album as a whole strikes me as a rather bland attempt at modernizing jazz. Technically impressive, yes—but emotionally, it left me cold. Favourite track: “Rumba Mama” stood out as a fun, energetic detour from the rest of the album. It’s very short, but memorable. “Birdland” was also a highlight. Least favourite track: “Palladium” is the kind of jazz that really puts me off—disjointed and hard to engage with. Album artwork: I genuinely love the cover. It’s bold, vivid, and perfectly captures the experimental vibe of the music within.
Gets better as it goes along, conclusion is fantastic. Salutations, my children, are you ready for your daily dose of smooth jazz? -Kelpy G
just kind of boring imho
This was a nice background jazz vibe. I know nothing about Jazz tbh but vibes
Kinda like energetic, but lacking like Weather channel music.
Not the most interesting album, but great musicians and some parts were cool. Standout songs: A Remark You Made The Juggler
A very slow moving album. Jaco Pastorius' fretless work is sublime, but as for the songs, all I can say is that I didn't mind listening. It was nice enough, but Jazz isn't really in my Top 5 of genres. 3/5
Esch no geil jazzig, vorallem Birdland, aber halt rein instrumental ond rächt langwiilig sodass nüd wörk hange bliibt.
The weather was exactly the amount of jazzy reported. Astounding!
Kind of interesting how the tone shifts from song to song. Some tracks with sci-fi atmospheric vibes, others afro Caribbean, but everything is fun and somehow flows together well. Listened to the extended version which has live songs as well which are enjoyable. Don't think there was a single song that dragged, an excellent album.
Birdland really sounds like the soundtrack to something, like a 90s sitcom or something. Rumba Mama came out of fucking nowhere, hahaha. Turns out that Birdland was a cover of the original version by Maynard Ferguson.
Jaco. That’s it.
Didnt know what I was getting into but it was pretty fun.
I might listen to this album again for some incredible bass lines. By the way, this was my first introduction to Jaco Pastorius' work. Anyway, jazz fusion is always a great way to go :)
Jojo's reference? It's a decent album. 3.5/5
Great 70s jazz album.
Good instrumental background music. Feels like a 70’s police procedural
4-
This is like the Brian Eno of the fusion jazz world. I’m sure the players on here are proficient, and may well be gifted, but I found it wholly soulless. It just sounds like bland, background music from wine bars in the 1980s. The cover is more interesting than the 37 minutes of music and it didn’t engage me at all. I never want to hear this album again and I’m pretty sure I didn’t need to hear it before I die either.
far from groundbreaking as far as jazz goes, but it’s an enjoyable listen
I personally didn’t care much for this album. To me, it feels like stereotypical soft, boring jazz you’d hear in a dentist’s waiting room, just dressed up with a touch of world music and progressive elements.
An interesting album but no standout songs.
Kinda noodly and not my style. Points for trying
3.5 - Good
El jazz es complejisimo, y más con sus subgéneros. Ser fan es divertido y difícil y en este caso, es de bostezo
Liftmuziek, dat genre hadden we nog niet gehad. Het is leuke funk of jazz (met een Afrikaans uitstapje?), maar ook wel een beetje saai. Of misschien is het gewoon te vaak geïmiteerd. Mijn collega-recensenten zien er tv-tunes in, en inderdaad, het klinkt iets te veel als Koffietijd.
Het TV-prorgamma voor 1990: - 1:00 . "Birdland" Een spelprogramma - 2.00 "A Remark You Made" aftiteling van een soap - 3.00 "Teen Town" De nachtprogrammering - 4.00 "Harlequin" testbeeld - 5.00 "Rumba Mamá" hervatting uitzending - 6.00 "Palladíum" een kinderprogramma - 7.00 "The Juggler" een uitzending van de gezamelijke kerken - 8.00 "Havona" een kinderthriller
Weer zoiets waar je van denkt dat je het niet kent, maar als het refreintje van het eerste nummer begint, dan klinkt het toch enigszins bekend. Of althans, het klinkt herkenbaar. De youtube video die ik aan heb staan heeft ook meer dan 2 miljoen views, wat ik best veel vind voor dit soort muziek. Ik heb het idee dat het deuntje vast wel ergens gebruikt is voor een 80s sitcom en daarom enigszins herkenbaar is. De wiki zegt er niks over, maar wel dat Birdland "is one of only a handful of contemporary jazz tunes that everyone seems to have heard". Wellicht is dat het dan. Ik blijf het muziek vinden die perfect onder sitcoms of films uit de jaren 80 past. Zeker omdat er niet in gezongen wordt. Daardoor ga je wel wat meer naar de andere instrumenten luisteren. De toeter fungeert natuurlijk wel als een soort stem. De sax en de synths doen het heel erg 80s aan, maar ook de dik aangezette bas. Het (live) trommel intermezzo voelt een beetje alsof de reclame tussen de film komt. Het haalt niet per se de vaart uit het geheel, maar het is een gekke onderbreking. Verder vermaak ik me toch wel hiermee. Ik zou het niet snel zelf opzetten, dan ga ik eerder voor iets als Steely Dan als ik in de jazzy fusion hoek wat zoek.
Elevator music. Blah.
Jazzy sound of that particular era, probably fueled a thousand late 70s/early 80s dinner parties where people schmoozed, did cocaine, shared partners, and laughed about new fangled things like how do they set the clock on the VCR?
As I got further into this album the rating dropped lower and lower. Not because the music is bad - I think it's perfectly tolerable as background music in, say, 1985 - this album just feels like it goes on FOREVER with nothing redeemable. I'm sure you could play me this album again in a year and I wouldn't remember a single thing. It's just well-produced, risk-averse, bland late 70s jazz. Certainly not something I MUST listen to before I die, taking the title of this website literally.
Very funky
Feels like I've been on hold so long I've forgotten why I was phoning
BIAS ALERT: I love this album. My dad is a bass player, and is a big fan of Victor Wooten and Jaco Pastorius, so I listened to this album and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones a bunch growing up. I think my nostalgia holds this album up a little higher than it deserves, just in that it's not as great as I remember it being. It is still very good, but I thought this would be an easy 5/5. The solos are incredible. I love when all the instruments lock in with each other. And the bass playing is just sick as fuck. I think for the purposes of this list, you can probably skip any extended version nonsense at the end of the album (unless you truly really love those songs). Favorite Song(s): Birdland, Teen Town
More jazz... it's just not for me.
it was okay... kinda sounded all the same except for rumba mamba
jazz fusion. Not my thing. There were a couple songs I grooved to, but nah. Not for me.
Cool jazz album
The bangers are great. But there is some annoying atonal saxophone rubbish.
It just sounds like a series of TV show theme music. And none of it really sounds like weather report music, so that's a bit misleading.
I wish i could listen to this with alexis because man it sure seems like i dont get it. “A remark you made” is fire, and there are some interesting drums here and there, but overall meh. I was ready for this to be over and it’s only 36 minutes.
This was way better than I had imagined it would be. Jazz fusion is the genre. It was lovely. Yeah, this is absolutely great and I can't really say anything bad about it at all. It never gets boring, sometimes is sublime, and remains way up there as far as generally entertaining music is concerned. There are few lyrics, few bells and whistles, but it is a thing of beauty.
I knew of Jaco, but I never explored the WR catalog...
The album itself is smooth as duck shit. Not a fan of that, even if it’s technically competent. I was going to skip the expanded version, since I wasn’t into the album itself, but the live stuff is GREAT. Easily a 4 for the live stuff. I’m giving it a 2 for the actual album though.
First song sounds like the song you'd hear in an 80's movie while the plucky, irreverent protagonist lead guy is walking through the streets of New York, getting into various amusing hijinks. I'm not crazy about it. The second song is quickly confirming this is an album of music used to set the moods in various 80's movies.
Nice album, even though jazz is not usually to my taste
I've heard duller records but I can't remember when
Heavy Weather might be one of the most unique jazz albums on this list. This album is like Weather Report couldn't keep still! The genre was jazz, but it could be smooth or playful or loud, nothing like how jazz typically is. At times, the album sounded jumbled, but I didn't mind it too much when the output was inventive and fun. Truth be told, my favorite song was "A Remark You Made," which is probably the most basic jazz song on the album, but I don't mind. I'm just really glad I listened to this.
I don't get it? It mostly just felt like background jazzy-pop instrumental music. Furthermore, it just seemed like a random assortment of songs in that vein; I didn't really pick up on an interesting point of view or any kind of "story" here. It wasn't BAD, but I really didn't find it very noteworthy, either. I was intrigued by the album art. I thought it reminded me of some 2000s hipster shit, font and all.
Ovo je već "tv bingo" faza. Meni je najdraži "i sing the body electric". ovo je čini mi se drugi album s jaco pastoriusem,i znam da je jako cijenjen ali to njegovo fretless razvlačenje mi ide na je tricu. Fusion je inaće bolji što je bliži ranim sedamdesetima kad ih nadrogirani Miles gonio da sviraju a ne tandrliću
I don’t know how to feel about Jaco Pastorius. On the one hand he played bass on some of Joni Mitchell’s best work. On the other hand, there’s this. I’m not sure how much a joke this is, if at all? If you listen to Vulfpeck who are very conspicuous influenced by this album, in particular Teen Town. However, Vulfpeck clearly is just having fun and often being playful. This however, if they are being playful, are doing so with such sincerity that it comes off as mostly cringe. I agree with the commenter who said it sounds like it should be the score for some buddy cop comedy from the 80s. I understand that this is performed wonderfully, but I just can’t take it seriously.
some of these tracks make me feel like im in a montage for a lighthearted 90s rom-com or comedy drama set in nyc. 3.5. birdland really is best
Strange. Not bad, but strange. Funky jazz with sax solos but with a 1st or 2nd gen synth that seems to do more harm than good. The composition is varied, and I think to a larger degree there is something interesting about how they approach sub-genres with each song; however, there is something lacking. Worth a listen to but unlikely to strike a chord with most people. 3/5
Funky type beat. A bit of a different listening experience for me as I don't listen to a lot of jazz. Since they're all instrumentals, it's hard to pick one out specifically. Nothing here sounded bad, but at the same time I can't recall a single song.
Excellent variety of jazz
Das Album wird Jazz-Fusion betrachtet, es war jedoch kein Musikgenuss. Auch die Experimentierfreude der Band half es nicht einen emotionaler Zugang zur Musik zu schaffen. Tracks wie „Birdland“, wirkten auf kalt und mechanisch. Insgesamt konnte das Album weder mit seiner Atmosphäre noch mit seiner Komposition punkten.
Breezy Jazz fusion. Sometimes funky, always cool.
"Weather Report rewrote the rules of jazz with Heavy Weather." https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-heavy-weather-by-weather?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
1. bird - 1.5 2. made - 2 3. teen - 1 4. harlequin - 1.5 5. rumba - 1 6. palladium - 1.5 7. juggler - 1 8. havona - 1 9. market - 1 10. touun - 1 11. land - 0
I believe this album might have also served as the soundtrack all those Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor movies. I'm dying. This sounds like the music to the Roblox game Bee Swarm Simulator. I bet these guys love the Night Court theme. This had to be added as an inside joke. I guess Rumba Mama's Portuguese shouting at least breaks up the soft jazz. All the fusion jazz songs just blur into one terrible, long, hazy jam.
Not a big fusion jazz fan. I prefer the older Hard Bop, Modal and Free Jazz. However, the bass playing is exceptional. I appreciate Jaco’s contribution here as he was a true innovator in the industry.
Det er rigtig fint for mig det her. Både jazz, og lidt fimisk, lidt pjattet til tider, og ind i mellem ret meh.. Perfekt øre renser musik efter lidt for meget dødsmetal.
Virkelig kedeligt jazz
Feels like the soundtrack to a budget 1970s-80s buddy cop movie
Very good, tremendous playing especially by Jaco Pastorius the bassist. Everyone is top notch and they are all in the pocket with each other. You can just single out each member and focus on their individual playing. At the same time, the album is cool and kind of relaxing. Puts me in an good mood. Will listen again! 4/5
My least favorite type of album, Jazz. My musical blind spot. I didn't enjoy this at all.
Its not unlistenable - its just not my thing.
they made a music step ahead