Search - Miroslav Vitous :: Remembering Weather Report (Ocrd)

The Forgotten Side of Weather Report

A. Davis | Greenville, SC | 07/26/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am delighted to say that this recording is long overdue. When you look at the renewed interest in the Weather Report musical legacy after the passing of Joe Zawinul, a lot of the focus centered around the period that evolved after Miroslav Vitous departed the group in mid 70's. The funkier/soulful music that Weather Report recorded when Alphonso Johnson and Jaco Pastorious anchored the Bass chairs cannot be argued or denied as anything but brilliant music. As one of the three original founding members of Weather Report, Miroslav's contribution to the group's success has almost been lost in the latest interest in the Group's contribution to Jazz. Vitous was, and still is, a masterful composer with a truly unique approach to the Acoustic Bass. Looking back at Weather Report during his tenure with the group, his playing was so far ahead of everything else I heard at the time, that I missed part of his unique contributions to the group's open-ended improvisational sound. "Remembering Weather Report" sent me reeling backwards to those beautiful moments captured in the first three Weather Report albums.



This is a jewel of a recording that updates and pushes forward the idea of Jazz being centered around "direct conversations and parity between the instruments." The beauty in this music is that you can clearly here the passion that each musician brings to the recording. Miroslav is still the best at Bass bowing because he is not afraid to tap into all musical spectrums to color his sound. I was not familiar with the other musician playing here, but have started exploring their individual works because they play so well in this setting. I hope that this is the first of many recordings that they will do together. This creative and startling beautiful music will open your ears to new possibilities to explore. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.



I also hope that this release will highly motivate ECM to release two other exceptional recordings from Miroslav's catalog. The vibrant and beautiful "First Meeting" (1980) and "Miroslav Vitous Group" (1981) deserve to be released from the ECM vaults. This Bassist deserves to be heard and treasured. So let's get cracking and get it done! In the mean time, cherish this work of excellence. Peace!"

This is much more of an excellent free-jazz set than the tit

ippo77 | 07/31/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The title may seem misleading.

In fact his method of paying tribute to his old band takes an unconventional shape that may appeal more to those with a taste for a freer approach.

Fans of the band won't find much connection with their typical sound or compositional structures. He is joined by guest Michel Portal on bass clarinet, alongside Italian talented trumpeter Franco Ambrosetti and two younger Americans, Gary Campbell on tenor sax and drummer Gerald Cleaver

The Czech acoustic-bass virtuoso's "Weather Report memories make no reference to the electric grooving that made it famous, and he concentrates instead on the free spirit of co-founder Wayne Shorter's elliptical imagination (subtly reflected here by tenorist Gary Campbell) and the fertile jazz soil of the 60s and early 70s from which Weather Report grew". - John Fordhan

Vitous prefers a rather noodly free jazz, an inspired version of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" (with both Campbell and the great French clarinetist Michel Portal reflecting the yearning theme) and his own bowed and plucked playing.

The material includes also a sometimes sketchy "Variations on W. Shorter" and a sort of speculation on a meeting between Miles Davis and Dvorák.

He and his new all-acoustic quartet play brilliantly: it all comes together and is very impressive. But Vitous is the star, whether plucking or bowing his mighty bass, his sound full of passion and jagged energy."

Great music

David Leone | Nashville, TN USA | 02/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Miroslav Vitous was the original bassist for Weather Report, when their music was less fusion and more free form. The first two records are very different from the Weather Report of "Birdland", and this recording is aptly titled "Remembering Weather Report" since it brings to mind the period and music of the early group.



Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter were both in bands led by Miles Davis before forming Weather Report and their background is actually coming from a place more like this than the later fusion records. In a way, I lost some interest in the band after Jaco Pastorius joined, not that those bands were not extremely good, just that the music became less creative, in my opinion. But, those later records are what people think of when they think of Weather Report - which is why several of the reviewers are somewhat confused by this CD.



I am very happy "Remembering Weather Report" exists and am very happy to have some new music from Miroslav Vitous."