There is a disconnect on this recent release of previously unissued material of Weather Report in concert. The album claims to be recorded during a (series of?) concert of the famed band in 1983, but the picture on the inside sleeve and cover photos has the lineup to be the team of Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Peter Erskine and Jaco Pastorius. The only problem is that this band broke up in 1982, and their 1983 album Procession (of which this album has the songs from) features the Shorter/Zawinul leadership with Omar Hakim/dr, J ose Rossy/perc and Victor Bailey/b, which for my money is the band on this release. FYI…
Musically, while the recording is a tad distant, the energy Is in full throttle. The band was becoming more of a showpiece for Zawinul, and he’s all over the place, with Shorter on tenor on the frenetic “Fast City” and simmering over Hakim’s high hat on “DB Waltz”. Zawinul and Shorter get a bit spacey on “Blue Note Sound Not 3” and Zawinul’s key splash out “Molasses Run”. Shorter’s soprano is passionate on “Plaza Real” and adds to the tribal atmosphere of “Where The Moon Goes”. Just a tad past their halcyon days, but not so’s you’d notice.