Day 17: Birdland

The day's forecast calls for a torrential downpour of Jazz. Weather Report was a jazz fusion band in the '70s and '80s. I was first introduced to today's song by my professor in Jazz appreciation. I would give myself an A on this song, because I appreciate the dickens out of it. Early to midway through Weather Report's journey, bassist Jaco Pastorius joined the band bringing along his funkiness. Jaco is revered for his skills on bass, but shining brighter than him is the band as a whole. Simply put, when it comes to Weather Report: This is why it's hot.

Song: Birdland
Artist: Weather Report
Album: Heavy Weather (1977)

A beautiful thing about Birdland is the way that one instrument leads you right into the next in the same way that elements in a painting lead your eye from one to the next. This song is so swingin' man! Really take the time to appreciate each instrument. Each one is played so expertly that I simply cannot praise one musician, or even a few. The whole band presents a unified front. Listen for the vocals sung along with the saxaphone, blending so well that it's hard to decipher the vocals from the instruments. Birdland really is a cohesive slice of funky wholesome goodness that you simply must hear to believe.

Listen here