Joe Zawinul

[racersforcoffee]

Principle Keyboardist during the halcyon days of Miles Davis' Electric innovations. He was brusque in interviews-I didn't always see eye to eye with his take on society- but he was honest in his music and his life. His Weather Report (..and it was his...) was powerful magic. A great link back to Eastern European music roots fused with Vienna discipline and good ol' American musics. The AP has a nice obit tonight-gocheckitout.......

Weigh-In, WC?

[draglist]

Thanks, Racers... i depend on you and Cat to get me up to speed on these lost icons. bp

[racersforcoffee]

.....lost icons....

...........so it would then follow that I, too.....

am......old


------*deep sigh*

[WildcatOne]

Taking my cue from Coffee's lead-in, here I go: Joe Zawinul made history with his combo called Weather Report in the early-to-mid 70s, he had been at the forefront of progressive jazz which began to fuse itself to rock, and it all kind of came together over at Miles Davis' place...but Joe had more than improvisational skills, he was a major player, one of a handful of European musicians who "crossed over" even in arguably the most difficult of musical idioms. He had hits. The guy played beautiful music. His band delivered..."Heavy Weather" stood out among so many contemporary albums that sounded as if they were searching for the chemistry that Weather Report had found. It was a brilliant moment, and Joe went on to become a leader, a visionary force, in that scene. He and a few others, notably Chuck Mangione, Maynard Ferguson, George Benson and Larry Carlton were the prototypes of "cool jazz"...but Joe didn't stay put...I always saw Joe as taking over where Steely Dan left off...He never stopped working on new and different ways of making a statement with his music, and as a personal aside, all I can say is even the Mahavishnu Orchestra, the fastest, tightest jazz-rock fusion band ever, only made 3 albums together before things changed again and again and again. Choosing the life that Joe Zawinul did, he faced more challenges and obstacles than most men would, and he overcame and made the world a better place. My only wish is that if it wasn't always posthumous that the praise these people deserved so much would be given to them during their time here. Rest in Peace, Joe. You made your masterpiece in your time and your music is immortal. WC1

[draglist]

Thanks, Coffee and Cat... bp