Procession - Weather Report

Dec

15

Procession - Weather Report

≡ Category: 1980s, Don't Bother, Fusion, Reviews |
≅ Written by: Michael Kydonieus

DON’T BOTHER

Rating:

Procession marks the debut of a new lineup of Weather Report, with Victor Bailey on bass, Omar Hakim on drums, and Jose Rossy on percussion. As always, keyboardist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter are the constants. The previous group had recorded the classic Weather Report dates Night Passage and Weather Report (1982), so the new group had a lot to live up to.

Sadly, the result is one of the weakest Weather Report dates in their catalog, but at the same time, it is one of co-founder Joe Zawinul’s favorites. How can this be?

Easy. Procession is essentially a Joe Zawinul solo record. Departed bassist Jaco Pastorius, whatever his other merits might have been, contributed mightily to the overall sound and conception of Weather Report during his tenure. His absence is keenly felt. Co-founder Wayne Shorter largely fades into the background on Procession, content to support Zawinul’s vision. Without a strong second compositional and/or arranging voice to challenge Zawinul, Procession becomes a deadly dull affair.

Mind you, I’m a big admirer of Joe Zawinul. He can be a beautiful composer and keyboardist, but these qualities are best brought out in the company of equals, as in the first iteration of Weather Report or the one anchored by Jaco Pastorius, for that matter.

On Procession, what we get is Joe Zawinul’s patented third world grooves and precious little else. It’s pretty enough background music, but if you try to listen to it seriously, your eyes will glaze over.

Wayne Shorter’s occasional solo spots show him to be as solid and innovative as ever, but it’s not enough to relieve the tedium, not by a long shot. Zawinul indulges in riffs and stylistic tics that he’s already worked to death in the past. It almost sounds like self parody at this point.

I would say that somebody should have told Joe that the tunes on Procession were a waste of tape, but Joe is such an egotist, he would never entertain the thought that a critical voice might be correct.

The sad thing is, the swill on Procession is just the kind of third world groove wanking that Joe Zawinul likes best. Don’t believe me? Listen to the Weather Report compilation Live & Unreleased – Joe’s choice of tunes tells the tale. Or listen to Joe’s solo work, like Faces & Places.

On the basis of Procession, you would think Weather Report was finished as a viable jazz unit at that point, but they had one last great album left in them, the underrated Domino Theory, from the same group. The reason? Wayne Shorter came roaring back, contributing biting solos and ingenious tunes, sounding more committed than he had since, well, Night Passage. The competition put Zawinul back on his game.

My advice is, unless you’re a Weather Report completist like me, skip Procession and pick up Domino Effect instead.