GA Russell Posted March 14, 2005 Report Posted March 14, 2005 I am thinking of picking up a Weather Report album. Live and Unreleased got good reviews when it came out. I am also thinking about Mysterious Traveller. Does anyone have an opinion of this one? My favorite Weather Report album is Black Market. I also have I Sing the Body Electric, which is more free than I'm looking for; and Heavy Weather, which is OK I guess, but I'm looking for something better. Mysterious Traveller is their first album with Alphonso Johnson. Any thoughts? Quote
Noj Posted March 14, 2005 Report Posted March 14, 2005 Mysterious Traveller's a good one. I say go for it! Quote
Big Al Posted March 14, 2005 Report Posted March 14, 2005 You might also wanna check out this discussion of Black Market, Tale Spinnin, and Mysterious Traveller. If you like Black Market, I think you'll enjoy Mysterious Traveller. You might also wanna check out Tale Spinnin' while you're at it! Quote
nemo7 Posted March 14, 2005 Report Posted March 14, 2005 wow...it's been some long time since i've listened to any wx rept-tonight's agenda, then-mysterious travller came out when i believe comet kehotek (sp?) was making a night sky appearence. enjoy it. Quote
Guy Berger Posted March 14, 2005 Report Posted March 14, 2005 I am thinking of picking up a Weather Report album. Live and Unreleased got good reviews when it came out. I am also thinking about Mysterious Traveller. Does anyone have an opinion of this one? My favorite Weather Report album is Black Market. I also have I Sing the Body Electric, which is more free than I'm looking for; and Heavy Weather, which is OK I guess, but I'm looking for something better. Mysterious Traveller is their first album with Alphonso Johnson. Any thoughts? GA, It's a great album. There are three lengthy jams: "Nubian Sundance", "Cucumber Slumber", and "Mysterious Traveller". (The last two, which appear on the album back to back, showcase the difference between Wayne and Joe as composers as well as any two WR tunes. They share some similarities, but MT is a little weird and spacy while CS is extremely funky with a ridiculously catchy riff.) Two of the tunes remind me a little of the older WR style -- "American Tango" and the enigmatic "Scarlet Woman". And then you have a great Wayne-Joe duet on "Blackthorn Rose". It sits right in the middle of WR's transition from "free-form avant-garde jazz w/electricity" to "funky group specializing in short, catchy tunes". As long as you like the "jamming" portions ofBlack Market, you will definitely enjoy MT. I have to say like its predecessor, Sweetnighter, a little better. As far as the live stuff, I'd skip on the recent live compilation and instead hop over to easytree.org in order to download the dozens of live WR shows that have been seeded there. Guy Quote
jazzbo Posted March 14, 2005 Report Posted March 14, 2005 It's easy to suggest going to easytree. . . it's harder to actually register as they are "full" every time I've tried and won't accept a registry! Quote
tonym Posted March 15, 2005 Report Posted March 15, 2005 FWIW, and it's already been said but MT is a fine album. in fact I'm going to put it on now. Nubian Sundance is a little 'joyous' for my liking but once I'm past that it's a great ride. A good collection of tunes, programmed nicely and of course, the playing is exceptional. Alphonse Johnson is a damn funky player! Quote
bertrand Posted March 15, 2005 Report Posted March 15, 2005 (edited) 'Cucumber Slumber' is, in my opinion, the single greatest track in the entire Weather Report discography, with the entire Live In Tokyo album a close second. Bertrand. Edited March 15, 2005 by bertrand Quote
Free For All Posted March 15, 2005 Report Posted March 15, 2005 This is the one to get if you can find it, IMHO. Mysterious Traveller is a good one to be sure. Quote
Guest akanalog Posted March 15, 2005 Report Posted March 15, 2005 dont think he willl like the live in japan album if he doesn't like the body electric one. actually i know he wont since they duplicate some material. Quote
Free For All Posted March 15, 2005 Report Posted March 15, 2005 dont think he willl like the live in japan album if he doesn't like the body electric one. actually i know he wont since they duplicate some material. You're right, I didn't read carefully enough. Nevermind! Quote
GA Russell Posted March 15, 2005 Author Report Posted March 15, 2005 Thanks guys! Your opinion of this is higher than I thought it would be. I have added it to my YourMusic queue. Quote
JSngry Posted March 15, 2005 Report Posted March 15, 2005 Not my fave by a long shot, but a historically important record for sure, and one that is certainly not without great moments. "Jungle Book", that's the cut that gets me. Fascinating in many different ways. Quote
bertrand Posted March 16, 2005 Report Posted March 16, 2005 Has anyone ever heard the bonus cut 'Miroslav's Tune' that was on a Japanese edition, but that was brilliantly left off the new remastered version? Bertrand. Quote
Guy Berger Posted January 4, 2006 Report Posted January 4, 2006 I was really digging this album just now. I find that the last three tunes on the album have grown on me a lot, I used to overlook them. Guy Quote
Guest akanalog Posted January 4, 2006 Report Posted January 4, 2006 i sometimes think the last track is cheesy and sometimes i think it is a very pretty ending to the album. i guess when i think it is cheesy i sort of imagine joe zawinul wearing one of his silly hats and sitting in front of a 4-track pretending he is in the jungle and making funny noises and shaking little percussion thingies. Quote
Mr. Gone Posted February 25, 2006 Report Posted February 25, 2006 Trivia from Alphonso Johnson's Q&A board. For those of you who didn't know Ray Baretto was the conga player on "Cucumber Slumber". http://www.embamba.com/board/message.php?id=668 Quote
Guest akanalog Posted February 25, 2006 Report Posted February 25, 2006 a lot of people who played drums in weather report post-gravatt and pre-acuna didn't seem to have much of a music career as far as i have seen (herschel dwelingham? daryl brown? off the top of my head). maybe i just look in the wrong places.... Quote
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