Vienna (dpa) - Austrian jazz legend Joe Zawinul died on Tuesday a few months after his 75th birthday in Vienna, his son confirmed to the Austrian media.

The keyboarder who revolutionized jazz along with the likes of Miles Davis and wrote hits like Birdland or Mercy, Mercy, Mercy had been in and out of hospital since August.


http://www.youtube.com/wa...qashW66D7o

http://www.youtube.com/wa...tRRRwaB2bA


http://www.zawinulmusic.com/

WHOA!!!!! REST IN PEACE MR. ZAWINUL.....

Music journalism defines him a "Legend".

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.

Among his prizes and awards, Zawinul has won the "best keyboardist" in Down Beat 28 times. Weather Report was a perennial winner in the "Best Band" category in Down Beat, Swing Journal and other magazines around the world. He has honorary doctorates from Berklee School of Music, and is the official Austrian goodwill ambassador to 17 African nations. In January, 2002, Zawinul has received the first International Jazz Award, co-presented by the International Jazz Festival Organization and the International Association of Jazz Educators.

Joe Zawinul is deservedly renowned for his pioneering role in the Jazz world combining the elements of world music rock and jazz. In fact, many of the worldbeat sounds we take for granted today, simply wouldn't exist without his revolutionary compositions and performances with Miles Davis in the late 60s, Weather Report in the 70 - 80s, and The Zawinul Syndicate in the 90s evolving into the year 2004.

well that's that....

now let's talk about modern music and all mover over to the Brintey performance and underwear threads

Dancelot said:

I was thinking about starting a thread about it myself, but then I saw yours .

Serious said:

When it's time to go it's time to go.

Joe Zawinul's musical legacy certainly proves that his existence on Planet Earth influenced huge amounts of people and didn't go unnoticed.

RIP soulbrother..

Wow....another one gone.

He will be forever remembered for not only his work with Miles Davis, but also for Weather Report.

Thanks for the second post with further background information, some of of which I was unaware. He was quite prolific and well rounded as an artist - what a loss.

sad to hear it. Worse still is how many people will have no idea who he is and what he contributed to contemporary music. Hope he's stirring it up somewhere out there.

Rest in peace, Josef

A memorial repost of a show I saw last year.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The Zawinul Syndicate @ Catalina Jazz Club

Another gig that restores my faith in "Music".




The Players:

Joe Zawinul - keyboards

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.

Joe Zawinul is deservedly renowned for his pioneering role in the Jazz world combining the elements of world music rock and jazz. In fact, many of the worldbeat sounds we take for granted today, simply wouldn't exist without his revolutionary compositions and performances with Miles Davis in the late 60s, Weather Report in the 70 - 80s, and The Zawinul Syndicate in the 90s evolving into the year 2004.

At age *73, Joe Zawinul is still leading the way and has something fresh to say.

http://www.zawinulmusic.com/

*(He's now 74)

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Linley Marthe (Republic of Mauritius) - bass

master of electric and upright bass as well as piano, Linley's sound and style have made him one of the most sought-after sidemen in the world. He's a composer and arranger for many artists on his native Maurice Island. When he's not busy performing with Joe Zawinul, he can be found giving clinics and playing live with a wide variety of artists. He has performed with the HeùPaco Séry Group, Antoine Hervé, Michel Portal, François Jeanneau Quartet, Francis Lassus Nguyen Lê, Louis Winsberg, Karim Ziad, Touré Touré, Cheb Mami, Mino Cinelu and Richard Galliano.

http://yaplog.jp/linleymarthe

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Roger Biwandu - drums

Truly one of the top French drummer for Jazz, African, Soul/Rn'b, Jazz/Fusion, and Pop/Rock music, Roger Biwandu (born december 25th 1972 in a taxi in Bordeaux/FRANCE !!!) started his international carreer at early age (18 years old) with jazz great such as John Stubblefield (RIP), James Williams (RIP), Mark Turner and Biréli Lagrène. His incredible skills have led him to perform with a wide range of artists ; among them : Joe Zawinul Syndicate, Womack & Womack, Tribal Jam, Jeff Beck, Jacques Higelin, Andy Narell, John Beasley, Steve Stevens, Bobby McFerrin, The Hansons, Chris De Burgh, I Muvrini, Jennifer Batten, session drummer at Miles Copeland's Castle in France.

http://www.drummerworld.c...wandu.html

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Alegre Corrêa (Brazil) - guitar

At its core, this "domicile" is without a doubt Brazil(ian), but nevertheless open in all directions. Thus, it makes nof difference, if he pays homage to his home in Porto Alegre, where he started out his musical career, or in Vienna, a metropolis not only of classical music, but also of jazz. At both the "Fampop" (1998) in Sao Paulo and the "Musicanto-Festival" (1992) in Rio Grande do Sul, he was awarded with the first prize in the category "instrumental music".

http://www.alegrecorrea.com

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Jorge Bezerra (Brazil) - percussion & vocals

Also known Jorge "Alabe" a renowned master drummer/percussionist of the Escola de Samba of Brazil. His most recent experience has been with the international touring group Oba Oba, of which he has been a member for the past 15 years. "Oba Oba" is the internationally renowned Brazilian showcase highlighting Brazil's rich cultural heritage through music, songs and dance. He was also the director of the Minas Gerias Samba School in Bela Horizonte, Brazil.

http://www.casasamba.com/...ances2.htm

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Aziz Sahmaoui (Morocco) - percussion & vocals

Aziz Sahmaoui, on the vocals and percussion, grew up in Morocco being nourished on a combination of gnawa Arab-African beat and British-American Pop.

http://www.wmdproductions...lesONB.htm

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...Zawinul making the sounds.




...He wasn't getting the required volume from one of his keyboards.
(look you see is being directed at the mix booth.)




...Introducing the band.




...Incredible playing from bassist Linley Marthe.




...Roger Biwandu. According to Zawinul, has only been with the band 2 weeks.




...At one point in the show, Alegre Corrêa sang/played a song alone.
He was eventually joined by Jorge Bezerra who did some mesmerising dual tambourine work.




...The Work Space.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

There's no way I could accurately describe the musical excursions this set consisted of.
The (truly World) grooves so intense and the musicianship so high, i'll leave it to the following clips that'll give you a direct taste...







...


And then there's the old master himself...



...(excerpt from the introduction he gave Roger Biwandu )


Maybe one day i'll get to Vienna and experience his new club...



...Joe Zawinul's Birdland - http://www.birdland.at/cms/cms.php

Nice panoramic viewing here: http://www.sportin.at/pan...90704.html


For one of the best examples of present day World Jazz Fusion, i'd highly suggest you catch The Zawinul Syndicate the next time they perform anywhere near you.

I definitely enjoyed an evening of being transported into another musical dimension.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=



tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431
[Edited 9/11/07 7:28am]

Hey tA, have you seen Weather Report 'Live At Montreaux (1976)'?

.
[Edited 9/11/07 7:17am]

Awesome tribute to Joe Zawinul, tA.....thanks.

Oh No

Not another one.

I saw him in Detroit in 2005 at our annual jazz festival and he was burning the stage up with the Syndicate.

May God's peace be with his soul.

FuNkeNsteiN said:

Not the complete DVD.
There are a few clips up on YouTube.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

cubic61052 said:

You're welcome.
It was a tremendous show.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

JazzyJ said:

Sounds like a great excuse for a tribute show.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

...


man, this is sad...the weird thing is, I had been listening to Weather Report and Wayne Shorter stuff for the past three days---then I find out about this.....

Rest in peace, Joe.....






...

theAudience said:

Well i do play Weather Report on my show from time to time...and not the songs he/they are known for but the least known stuff. I don't like to look at it as an excuse..BUT I see what u sayin. Sooooo in a few weeks or so I would like to do an hour or dedicate my entire show to his work.
[Edited 9/11/07 8:16am]
[Edited 9/11/07 8:16am]

theAudience said:

If you ever do, let me know .

Sad news. While not a big fan of his music, I certainly respect Joe Zawinul for his contributions to music in general. His 'In a Silent Way' is obviously a peerless classic for starters. And he always had great taste in band members imo and knew his jazz.

theAudience said:

Looks like a classroom, IMHO.....not exactly comfortable looking chairs, however I'm sure the music is phenomenal.

Joe was a real musical innovator and helped bring some of the finest recent Jazz musicians to wioder attention

I saw the Zawinul Syndicate 6 months ago. What really shone through was Joe's strong passion for the music the was playing, his appreciation for his musicians (see 'the audiences' post), and most of all, how much he enjoyed the crowds appreciation of what they were doing.

Though I am sad to hear of his passing, I'm happy that he was able to do what he so obviously loved almost right until the end of his life, and that he bought joy to millions with his music.

Serious said:

Is that where you're from?
I'd really love to visit the country one day (and not just for the club).


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

theAudience said:

Yes I am from Vienna , if you ever come here I can be your guide .

Serious said:

Thanks for the offer.

If I manage to ever get it together, you've got a deal...


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

theAudience said:

Sounds great!