The ‘kin way in!
(If you’ve gorrit already, go dig it aaaaaat again)

Ay up mayyyyytes. Thought we’d skip forward to the 70′z for this months tiny taster (it’s a bit bigger than last months cos I felt bad at cutting so much info aaaat of Maiden Voyage)

Weather Report: Mysterious Traveller (1974)

1. Nubian Sundance
2. American Tango
3. Cucumber slumber
4. Mysterious Traveller
5. Blackthorn Rose
6. Scarlet Woman
7. Jungle Book

Keyboards: Josef Zawinul
Saxes: Wayne Shorter
Bass: Alphonso Johnson
Drums: Ishmael Wilburn
Percussion: Dom Um Romao
Plus loadsa guests!

Worra treat this is! Abaaaat 25 years after it come aaat, I was killin time daaaan Mansfield Road in Nottingham, n popped into a record shop. The cover caught me eye (it’s a stunner- especially on full vinyl sleeve) n I thought as I was already lovin “Tale Spinnin (1975)” i’d give this one a go too.. I boarded the Red Arrer back to Derby, n read through the tracks. Already images of Egypt, the US of ‘kin A, and Baloo in a Chimp costume were flowin through the mind, but 45mins after the arrival at my Dads record player I decided they’d actually created a new world- detached from “World music” borrowings..

Joe Zawinul proper starts to lead the band more on this album, :), n there’s a couple that Wayne dosen’t even play on. I’ve heard people say that the synths sound dated on here, but to be honest yer shouldn’t be listening to them as synths. All the sounds are so relevant and integral that it’s a treat to listen to. I find loads of nu-jazz n stuff at the mo uses electronics in such a cold way, but here Joe is in complete control of the sounds he’s making.. All the tunes weave and develop so ‘kin naturally, and I think the main compositional process of just improvising onto tapes and picking out/transcribing the nice bits to use as material is of paramount importance. Lets not forget the leaders were really doin it acoustically in the 60’s- Wayne with Miles Davis and Herbie, Joe with Cannonball Adderley, and they were both right in the mix for the early Miles electric stuff, so the experience and knowledge these guys bring to performance and composition is second to none!

Tunez -wise, Nubian Sundance….well….what else do yer ‘kin need!?! The whole Pentatonic thing is really workin for me, n the beats, n the lines. Get it turned up! As we move through the tracks a really nice thing is Alfonso Johnson’s bass playin. I’m not into Miroslav Vitous, the guy he replaced, and I really don’t dig wannabe guitarist Jaco Pastorius. I’d boot him out of “Ben mi duck” straight off. “Play a bassline Jaco, you berk” ..

All the grooves have awesome space to them, n whilst bein “Funky” retain Jazz sensibilities so they don’t get borin like Funk does. I hate the word “Journey” when describing somethin, but I can’t think of ote better. There’s no point me ramblin on abaaaaat each track, cos you gorra listen yourself. I love the last one though “Jungle book”. It’s another Zawinul piece, like what kicked the album off. The child you can hear is his, whingeing at him cos he was recording improvisations instead of reading Jungle Book! ‘kin kidz. Never get between a man and his Jazz! Lovely way to end an album though..

Best listened to: on a windy dusk at Alport Heights