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Joe Zawinul

It may be a word overused but there isn't truly a more appropriate way to describe keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul.

Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky hit "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" which reached the top on the Billboard magazine Pop Charts in 1967.

Zawinul then moved on to a brief but fateful encounter and collaboration with Miles Davis, just at the time Miles was moving into the electric arena. It was Zawinul’s tune "In a Silent Way", in fact, which served as the title track of Miles’ first electric foray, and Zawinul had a potent impact on Bitches Brew, as well.

He is one of a bare handful of synthesizer players who actually learned how to play the instrument, to make it an expressive, swinging part of his arsenal. Prior to the invention of the portable synthesizer, Zawinul's example helped bring the Wurlitzer and Fender-Rhodes electric pianos into the jazz mainstream.

After releasing his debut solo album on Atlantic in 1970, Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter put together what was to become the most important jazz group of the ‘70s and beyond, Weather Report. Drawing on the power and theatricality of rock and R&B, while maintaining allegiance to jazz and the pure spirit of improvisation, they tapped into the so-called "fusion”" movement of that decade while carving out their own unique niche. Bandmembers came and went, including Miroslav Vitous, Alphonso Johnson, Jaco Pastorius, Victor Bailey, Peter Erskine and Omar Hakim, but the band spirit prevailed over the course of 17 albums, including the ground-breaking album Black Market and the massively popular Heavy Weather, with Zawinul's infectious song "Birdland". That song, in versions by Weather Report, Manhattan Transfer and Quincy Jones, won separate Grammy awards in three successive decades, and Weather Report itself won a Grammy for their momentous live album, 8:30.

In 1985, after he and Shorter finally agreed to go in separate musical directions, Zawinul continued to create adventurous new grooves in the group known as Weather Update and then the Zawinul Syndicate, whose albums have included the Grammy-nominated My People in 1996 and the two-CD, Grammy-nominated World Tour in 1998. Other special projects have included an adventurous solo album, Dialects (1986), and work as producer and arranger on Salif Keita’s landmark album, Amen (1991). Meanwhile, as another tributary of his creative life, Zawinul has also pursued classical composition, writing his ambitious "Stories of the Danube" in 1993 and working with renowned classical pianist Friedrich Gulda. His special solo project, Mauthausen released in Europe in 2000, is a memorial for the victims of the Holocaust, and was performed on the site of the Austrian concentration camp it is named after.

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Radio & Podcasts

Electric Jazz with Joe Zawinul, Courtney Pine and Others

Read "Electric Jazz with Joe Zawinul, Courtney Pine and Others" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


This is a special vintage show from December 2021 on the role of electricity in jazz, and the resulting fusions with other genres like ambient music, jazz-rock, and trip-hop. Musicians heard on the show include Joe Zawinul, Sun Ra, Courtney Pine, John Zorn, Massive Attack, and Terje Rypdal. Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 Joe Zawinul “In A Silent ...

25
Reassessing

The Electric Years Box Set

Read "The Electric Years Box Set" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


In a year that has brought us a true bounty of previously unheard majesty including Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy (Impulse!), and Bill Evans; Treasures: Solo, Trio & Orchestra Recordings from Denmark (1965-1969), (Elemental Music) it is only fitting that Miles Davis get his due. And in a very, very big way. Seared into modern memory, modern art, the music presented on the gloriously massive, eleven LP set Miles Davis: The Electric Years ...

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Play This!

Joe Zawinul and the Zawinul Syndicate: Zansa II

Read "Joe Zawinul and the Zawinul Syndicate: Zansa II" reviewed by Mike Jacobs


A stunning live duet by the late, great Joe Zawinul (on keyboards and vocoder vox) and Syndicate drummer Paco Sery (on kalimba). From World Tour (ESC Records, 1998). ...

1
Radio & Podcasts

Weather Report, Joe Zawinul, Mark Isham and Aki Rissanen

Read "Weather Report, Joe Zawinul, Mark Isham and Aki Rissanen" reviewed by Len Davis


Music from Weather Report and Joe Zawinul and trumpeter Mark Isham paying tribute to Miles Davis. New music from German band Metrik System featuring Richard Hallebeek. Also, the John Irvine Band, the latest from Michael Formanek, Anthony Pirog and Mike Pride and from Finland, pianist Aki Rissanen.Playlist Weather Report “Boogie Boogie Waltz" from The Best Of Weather Report (Columbia) 00:00 Joe Zawinul “Tower Of Silence" from Faces and Places (ESC) 06:13 Mark Isham “Great Expectations" from Miles Remembered-The ...

7
Extended Analysis

A Supreme Love

Read "A Supreme Love" reviewed by Duncan Heining


Alan Skidmore is one of the finest saxophonists to come out of the United Kingdom, Europe or indeed anywhere. In fact, it was hearing Skidmore's tenor solo on “Have You Heard?" from John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (Decca, 1966) that encouraged a young Michael Brecker to take up the instrument. Skidmore had also served his apprenticeship with blues singer Alexis Kornerin the sixties and by the end of the decade was equally well-versed in the blues and in the ...

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Radio & Podcasts

The Best Of Fusion From 1968 To 1977

Read "The Best Of Fusion From 1968 To 1977" reviewed by Len Davis


Part 2 continues the nostalgic trip with music from Joe Zawinul, Weather Report, Eddie Henderson, Al Di Meola, Return To Forever, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, David Sancious, Joe Farrell, Lee Ritenour and Pat Metheny. Playlist Joe Zawinul “A Soul of the Village pt 2" from The Rise and fall of the Third Stream (Vortex 00:00Weather Report “Non stop Home" from Sweetnighter (Columbia)06:16 Eddie Henderson “Sunburst" from Sunburst (Blue Note) 12:46 Al Di Meola “Short Tales of the Blackforest" ...

2
Radio & Podcasts

Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, Weather Report and John Scofield

Read "Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, Weather Report and John Scofield" reviewed by Len Davis


Bassists Stanley Clarke, Doug Johns and Chris Buck. Drummers Billy Cobham, Dennis Chambers, Lenny White and Horacio El Negro Hernandez plus Weather Report and Joe Zawinul.Playlist Stanley Clarke “Pop Virgil" from UP (Mack Avenue) 00:00 Doug Johns “Just Play" from Doug's Party Mix (Self Produced) 06:20 Gianfranco Manzella-Eric Marienthal “Blues For Max" from Nothing By Chance (Soundiva) 12:51 Billy Cobham “Fourth Dimension" from Drum N' Voice Vol 5 (Nicolosi Productions) 19:20 Hemispheres “Gravity" from Hemispheres (Self Produced) 25:34 ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Joe Zawinul's birthday today!

It may be a word overused but there isn't truly a more appropriate way to describe keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul. Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky hit “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" which reached the ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Joe Zawinul's birthday today!

It may be a word overused but there isn't truly a more appropriate way to describe keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul. Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky hit “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" which reached the ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Joe Zawinul's birthday today!

It may be a word overused but there isn\'t truly a more appropriate way to describe keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul. Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky hit “Mercy, Mercy... Read more.

Place our ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Joe Zawinul's birthday today!

It may be a word overused but there isn\'t truly a more appropriate way to describe keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul. Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky hit “Mercy, Mercy... Read more.

Place our ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Joe Zawinul's birthday today!

It may be a word overused but there isn\'t truly a more appropriate way to describe keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul. Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky hit “Mercy, Mercy... Read more.

Place our ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Joe Zawinul's birthday today!

It may be a word overused but there isn\'t truly a more appropriate way to describe keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul. Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky hit “Mercy, Mercy... Read more.

Place our ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Joe Zawinul's birthday today! It may be a word overused but there isn\'t truly a more appropriate way to describe keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul. Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky hit “Mercy, Mercy... Read more. Place our ...

2

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Joe Zawinul's birthday today! It may be a word overused but there isn\'t truly a more appropriate way to describe keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul. Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky hit “Mercy, Mercy... Read more. Place our ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Joe Zawinul's birthday today!

It may be a word overused but there isn\'t truly a more appropriate way to describe keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul. Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky hit “Mercy, Mercy... Read more.

Place our ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe Zawinul

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Joe Zawinul's birthday today!

It may be a word overused but there isn\'t truly a more appropriate way to describe keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul. Austrian born, Joe Zawinul emigrated to the US in 1959 where he played with Maynard Ferguson and the great Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist great Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years. With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several important songs, primarily the slow and funky hit “Mercy, Mercy... Read more.

Place our ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Burnin’ in...

Elemental Music
2024

buy

A Supreme Love

Confront Recordings
2023

buy

The Electric Years...

Columbia Records / VMP Anthology
2023

buy

Money In The Pocket

Unknown label
2010

buy

Absolute Zawinul

Intuition
2010

buy

75

Heads Up International
2009

buy

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