Mysterious Traveller

Artist: Weather Report
Label: Sony
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Original recording reissued
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 074646511220
EAN: 0074646511220
ASIN: B000066T3L

Release Date: 2002-06-04

Related Categories:

General

| Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion

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Tracks:

Nubian Sundance
American Tango
Cucumber Slumber
Mysterious Traveller
Blackthorn Rose
Scarlet Woman
Jungle Book

Similar Items:

Black Market
Heavy Weather
Sweetnighter
Weather Report
Mr. Gone

Customer Reviews:

Lives up to expectations on all fronts.......2006-03-11

When this album was released in 1974, Weather Report finally received critical acclaim for really nailing it. The first three albums were praised for their experimentation but never considered masterpieces; the unifying concept was never strong enough and thus the music was a little schizophrenic. But with this album, even Downbeat acknowledged that Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul had something and knew what to do with it. They had long been hailed as two of jazz's greatest geniuses, and finally they had found a mode of expression which allowed their genius to come out. Thus the critics' expectations were fulfilled.

I came to Weather Report through classic jazz via Wayne Shorter, but the first album I bought was "Heavy Weather," which came as quite a shock at first because it was so unlike traditional jazz, at least on the surface. I actually didn't like it, but then I picked it up again after a year and really listened. Thus I was able to appreciate its brilliant use of color and the integration of so many different styles of music into a whole. I decided then to start at the beginning of Weather Report's discography and work my way back up to "Heavy Weather," since it is quite far into the sequence. The first two albums, the self titled debut and "I Sing The Body Electric" were quite different than the classic Weather Report sound, but I found them to be extremely interesting experiments that my inner post-bop snob was able to appreciate. But I was disappointed in "Sweetnighter," the third album, which integrated more rock and funk elements and was supposed to be the album to define the Weather Report classic sound. "Sweetnighter" was a transitional album, due in large part to the old band not being able to cope with the new approach, especially acoustic bassist Miroslav Vitous. This led to his dismissal from the band in favor of electric bassist Alphonso Johnson, who really fit the new direction well. This album, the one to follow "Sweetnighter," is truly the first to define the Weather Report sound that would become famous. Thus, for me, this is the point in the lineage where the band stops being a "Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul" album and begins to be a "Weather Report" album. It was everything I expected in terms of the sound and yet still held surprises and it sounds fresh every time I listen to it. Thus my expectations were also met after worrying through the first three albums.

Many people come to earlier Weather Report in search of something that sounds like "Heavy Weather" or at least in that vein. They are often disappointed by the rough, experimental early albums, but this one is the first fully realized album. So for those who have come in through the most famous album in the discography, "Heavy Weather," this is the best place to go when looking at the earlier music, as the albums before this may be something of a turnoff (though I enjoy them).

As for the music, the aforementioned unifying concept or theme is probably stronger here than on any other Weather Report album. The album cover, a shooting star, is the first indicator of the cosmic sounds contained within. "Nubian Sundance" is an energetic yet enigmatic tune whose synthesizers make it sound like it's from another planet, yet it's grounded enough to be accessible. "Cucumber Slumber" and the title track are funky, though not as overtly as, say, Herbie Hancock. Instead, they achieve their funk through quirky rhythmic figures and sonic textures, and thus are very creative and interesting in addition to being funky. "Scarlet Woman" and "Jungle Book" are more atmospheric, with sound effects used in provocative ways supplementing simple but strong melodies. The highlight of this album for me, though, is "Blackthorn Rose," a duet between Shorter on soprano saxophone and Zawinul on synthesizers but mainly acoustic piano. In all ways, melodically, harmonically, and rhythmically, this piece is just so beautiful in unexpected and untried ways. The only detraction for me is the use of synthesizer colors interjected among the more sparse piano punctuations. They are interesting, but to hear them through the filter of today's "ambient" music makes the sounds a little dated, even if they weren't when this was recorded. Not Weather Report's fault. The only complaints I have about the program come from "American Tango," a quirky but fairly uninteresting sketch by Miroslav Vitous, who appears as a holdover on this one tune. Also, the drumming here is weaker than on other albums; the two drummers seem along for the ride instead of in the rhythmic driver's seat.

All in all, this album is fairly accessible and wouldn't be overtly offensive to any listener. Fans of classic Weather Report really come on board here and so if you liked "Black Market" and "Heavy Weather," this is the album that started that sound and is every bit as good as those two. This is not, however, a great bridge from rock to jazz, as it is more atmospheric and less funky.

2nd best.......2006-01-24

I liked this album back in the day, and I still like it now. Although it points the way toward the Zawinul-dominated band Weather Report would become, at least Zawinul still had interesting ideas at this point. Mysterious Traveler is their break away from their Miles Davis-influenced sound, and it would eventually yield mixed results. Here, though, it all sounds pretty fresh. Sure, there are lots of synthesizers and electronics, and if that bothers you, stay away. I tend to like it. Their previous album, Sweetnighter, was their best, but I like this one almost as much.

THE BEST WEATHER REPORT ALBUM.......2006-01-04

BACK IN THE 70'S I USED TO LISTEN TO WEATHER REPORT A LOT, THEY WERE ONE OF MY FAVORITE BANDS. I SAW THEM PERFORM QUITE A FEW TIMES IN CONCERT. THIS IS THE ALBUM THAT TURNED ME ON TO THEM. AND IT'S STILL MY FAVORITE ONE. EVERY SONG IS A MUSICAL MASTERPIECE. AND THE ADDITION OF ALPHONSO JOHNSON ON BASS MAKES THEM EVEN BETTER. THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM PLAY THE "STICK BASS" I WAS BLOWN AWAY. AND AIRTO MOREIRA IS ALSO GREAT. I USED TO LISTEN TO A LOT OF HIS SOLO STUFF ALSO (WITH HIS WIFE FLORA PURIM). WAYNE SHORTER DOES SOME GREAT SOLO STUFF AND JOE ZAWINUL IS FANTASTIC AS USUAL (AT THIS POINT HE WAS REALLY EXPERIMENTING WITH A LOT OF DEFFERENT KEYBOARD SOUNDS). IF I COULD ONLY HAVE ONE WEATHER REPORT ALBUM THIS WOULD BE THE ONE. I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS ALBUM FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS AND IT'S STILL ONE OF THE BEST.

Mysterious Traveller.......2005-08-16

I think it is weird how Weather Report dropped the unstructured all most free-jazz sound after I Sing the Body Electric to a cleaner world-funk jazz feel. Mysterious Traveller is a remarkable following the Sweetnighter. We open with the propelling rhythms of the two drummers and Alphonso Johnson on bass with a crowd cheering on Nubian Sundance. The song has some an African like feel with the back-up vocals and actually featuring some good scat vocals by Zawinul. I can't say much for American Tango it comforting but kind of annoying the synth really gets to my head. But Cucumber Slumber makes up for it, with a groovin bass line and mellow percussion and the usual sax solo from Shortner. Mysterious Traveller opens with a synth drone and some off piano by Shortner the sound is spookish but the song does pick up with crawlish keyboards and a little sax in it. Blackthorn Rose is a sax piano duet and a beautiful one at that but the piano comping by Zawinul can get difficult to follow. Scarlet Women has got a urgent rift with a lot of keyboard buildup in it but the song doesn't sound that full like the pervious ones. The soft Jungle Book features Zawinul playing almost every insterment like guitar,organ,vocals,percussion usual piano and he makes the song sound very professional. You might want to listen to that song again because it is different and good. A must have album for anyone.

A Visual Journey.......2005-06-29

Other reviewers have called this Weather Report's first (or second) effort to merge some fusion sensibilities into their music. I rather see it as their last, greatest effort before tipping too far into the pop/jazz/fusion idiom with the likes of Heavy Weather and Black Market. With Traveler, WR managed to add some funk/fusion sensibilities without losing their delightful quirkiness (especially when it comes to the great Wayne Shorter's unique improvised lines). With later tunes like the ubiquitous "Birdland," their jazz roots were almost (Mr.) gone, but Traveler is not only full of brilliant musical ideas (whether you call it jazz, funk, fusion or whatever), it plays as a cohesive burst of creativity even decades later, despite some dated-sounding synth sounds.

The most obvious characteristic of this recording however, and what most other reviewers fail to note, is how VISUAL this music is. Each track conjures up distinct visual images, attesting to the mystical and cerebral qualities of these seven compositions.

Nubian Sundance is a celebration. Visions of a well-populated, open-air, African plain, peppered with occasional dark visions and building to a triumphant climax.

American Tango is more of a mood than a specific vision. It begins with an air of uncertainty which is abruptly broken by a burst of joy. This is followed by, again, edges of darkness, and concludes with a hint of the happiness shouted earlier.

Cucumber Slumber - Despite brilliant bass work, this track would nowadays read as your basic bland funk groove were it not salvaged by Shorter's inimitable lines.

Mysterious Traveler is an eerie journey through darkened hallways with occasional forays past ominously-clouded skies and through anonymous crowds of hooded strangers.

Blackthorn Rose - There is a strange and unique beauty hiding in this terse musical dialog between Zawinul's piano and Shorter's sax. Unless you are already a fan of Zawinul, WR, and especially Wayne Shorter, you will find the sparseness of this track (okay, and this collection in general) to be an acquired taste. My advice? Acquire it. You won't be sorry.

Scarlet Woman - The most visual of this group of very graphic sound-images, and the eeriest of a collection tinged with strangeness, this track places you firmly into a dark alley with long shadows, a faint howling breeze, and a shadowy figure occasionally darting by menacingly.

Jungle Book takes you back to where your journey began, somewhere on the African continent, but this time, with only a few young boys leaping over bushes joyously, showing off for you on a bright Saharan afternoon. The dreamlike eeriness that pervades the entire album is still here, but the sense of joy that occasionally surfaces is also obvious through the end of the track.

No doubt other listeners see different images. The point is, the depth of this recording stimulates the intellect as well as the soul. If you are a fan of WR's later funk work, take note. As with any music that is deeper than your basic catchy melody, this music may take many listenings to appreciate. It's worth it.

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