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Performance

Performance image
Parent Issue
Day
6
Month
May
Year
1976
OCR Text

Weather Report & Lookout Farm

Weather Report blew into Ann Arbor April 7th riding the crest of some unseasonably stormy weather to unveil the latest edition of the popular fusion unit. This time out bandleaders Wayne Shorter (saxophones) and Joe Zawinul (keyboards) directed a rhythm section made up of Alejandro Acurandras (drums), Jaco Pastorius (electric bass), and an unidentified percussionist through a set of material from the band's last two Columbia L.Ps, Tale Spinnin', and the current Black Market.

Weather Report plays an ethnic-electric brand of music, fusing a variety of musical sources into an attractive, easy-to-listen-to jazz-rock format. Zawinul is of eastern European origin; Shorter, of Newark, New Jersey, leans toward South American sounds; and the other three members also display some distinctly exotic origins. Together they produce an interesting collage of cultures with deep jazz roots. The new members all held their own despite the unfamiliarity of the material: Pastorius, the bassist, intertwined his fancy finger-board work with some elegant  Fender harmonics, and the two percussionists laid down a solid rhythmic texture which could bounce as well as roar.

Shorter, a veteran of the Art Blakey and Miles Davis bands of the early sixties, blew a lot harder than the last few times I've seen him, and it was a pleasure to see him take a larger role in defining the band's directions on stage. Zawinul rides like the happy captain of the ship under his sailor's cap, moving from keyboard to keyboard twisting the knobs, and creating a magnificent atmosphere for his cohorts to roam around in. At times the band fell into a monotonous, mechanical groove, with only Shorter's sparkling tenor and soprano to offer relief, but on the whole, the weather was just fine. Dave Liebman and Lookout Farm (Richie Bierach, keyboards; Frank Tusa, bass; Jeff Williams, drums) opened the evening with a fast-paced set of impressive improvisations, focussing in on the leader's steaming tenor and soprano saxophone work. Liebman, a young veteran of the Miles Davis and Elvin Jones bands, ranges from free jazz to funk-based material, providing plenty of room for the musicians and their audience to get comfortably excited in. At times Lookout Farm would also fall into a lax groove, but never long enough to cloud the highs of Liebman's wailing horns or the somber lows of a delicate piano/soprano duet. The players were inspired and it was an impressive set- a fine booking for this new band, who record for A&M's Horizon Jazz label. One regret: it sure would be nice to hear Wayne Shorter perform the music from his Native Dancer album, and to see at last the mysterious Milton Nasciemento- but unhappily this wasn't the night for it. Nevertheless, UM's Eclipse Jazz people are to be highly commended for another excellent evening of modern music- a very special treat indeed.