Search - Weather Report :: Black Market

Black Market-Colorful, Catchy, World

B. Bailey | 12/30/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Black Market" is incredible. The compostions are catchy, and brilliant, the playing is as amazing as ever, and there is this one bass player who plays on 2 tracks who I think has potential(his name is Jack Pastoral. really cool stuff). What can I say. This album makes me happy. And If you're too cool for school, it will make you happy too.
-Black Market-The classic tune which goes from a playful,latin melody to a minor European jazz. Good way to start the festivities.
-Cannonball-Debut of Jaco Pastorius, is what made this track famous. People forget how beautiful the composition is(Zawinul wrote it as a tribute to his late boss, the MAN-Cannonball Adderley.)
-Gibraltar-A little masterpice, which has so many different parts. The peaceful little Shorter solo in the middle is the highlight.
-Elegant People-The very cool fade in intro aside(Sampled by Portishead on "Strangers"), this track is in my opinion one of Shorter's best compostions. The chord progression of D7-Eb7-F7 to a Bbm9 never fails to make me pee my pants.
-Three Clowns-Shorter wrote, and plays the hauntingly beautiful melody on a lyricon(a synth sax!) on this track. Nothing else like it really.
-Barbary Coast-A Pastorius original which recalls the funky funky Horace Silver. The bass line and horns give a soul jazz feel fusion forget to steal from.
-Herandnu-Alphonso Johnson was(and still is) and an underrated bassist in Jaco's shadow. But he was a brilliant player nonetheless, and a pretty decent composer. This one is in 11/4 time(wake up Brubeck), and is kind of a dark song to close an album.
"Black Market" is my favorite WR album. It was where they married most successfully jazz chops,and smart, catchy compostions. 5 STARS."

Jazz album of the year in 76

B. Bailey | AUSTIN TEXAS | 04/14/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the preimier breakthrough albums of 76 . This band came out with Black Market and completly wiped me out I had seen them in Conn at the Shaboo Inn .This was right at the height of the Jazz Fussion {return to forever } {mahavisnu)etc. aand is one of the best Zawinol, Shorter and Joanie Mitchells bass player for years now passed on, Jaco Pastorius the premier electric bass player of his time (with respect to stanley clarke)
One cannot go wrong on this timeless classic which I swear today if you listen to Jazz on the radio and you request anything from this CD it will get Aired and quick. sit back and put this on and your in for a treat .JAzz Album of the year 1976 PEace HBB"