75th

Mezzoforte, Joe Zawinul | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 24, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Heads Up
• ASIN: B001P9PX20
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,933 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Jazz Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 24-FEB-2009

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenal concert, March 3, 2009

By 

Music maven (Amherst, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 75th (Audio CD)

This is the way I would want to go out, with the hottest band of my career playing at full tilt. What an amazing concert, and what an incredible band. Every player in the band is a whirlwind, and they're all giving it everything they've got (which I would expect with any band that has Paco Sery behind the drums). But even better, they play with an uncanny synchronicity. What a tribute to a man who has produced so much incredible music in his life, to have what may be his best recording ever at the very end. Just buy it.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for any fan of good jazz, February 13, 2009

By 

Art Vandalay "jazzprognosis" (USA) - See all my reviews

This is an outstanding live album by an artist that I have been following for many years. Released posthumously, this concert recorded at the Lugano festival in Switzerland would ultimately become one of his last live performances. And what a show to go out on...

This concert can be seen in its entirety on Youtube, and I've seen it probably a thousand times. If you've seen it, you know that the only bad thing about this otherwise fantastic show is that Joe was having lots of signal problems with his keyboards during the first couple songs in the set. I was happy to hear that a lot of these problems were corrected on this live CD, either by burying them in the mix, editing them out, or boosting the signal level when it was cutting out during the show.

In any case, there's no taking away from the pulsating energy of the 10+ minute Orient Express and the playful and powerful Madagascar, also fine renditions of Zansa II and Cafe Andalusia. The show closes with an absolutely explosive version of the classic Badia/Boogie Woogie Waltz.

But this album really goes to another level when Joe reunities with Wayne Shorter for a 14+ minute version of In a Silent Way. I was convinced that the big band version of this song on Joe's Brown Street live album was the best that this song could sound, but this simple keyboard and tenor sax interpretation is dynamic, moving, and intense.

Needless to say Joe accompanies himself with a dream team of very capable musicians--as he always does--, particularly bass virtuoso Linley Marthe and drummer Paco Sery, both Zawinul Syndicate veterans.

If you care about good experimental jazz/fusion with a heavy tinge of world music influences, this CD comes highly recommended from this listener.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worthy epitaph for musical genius, December 15, 2008

By 

Bodhi Heeren (Copenhagen) - See all my reviews

He played jazz and rythm'n'blues, made classical works, was a seminal voice on Miles Davis' groundbreaking jazzrock records in the 60s. And co-led one of the finest, most daring bands ever: Weather Report.

But the last years of his life was mainly devoted to fruitful explorations into world music and a brimming amalgam of African, South American and European music. Playing, like here, mainly with musicians from 'third world' countries.

An important move in a time where the West seems to isolate itself more and more in agressive self-righteousness. And providing him with the inspiration to continue to develop his musical palette to the very end.

This CD, mostly recorded live in Lugano on his 75th birthday, is clear testimony to the brilliance of his vision. The excellent rythm section of the harddriving yet subtle drumming of Paco Sery and bassvirtuoso Linley Marthe, the last, but in no way least, in the long, illustrious line of formidable Zawinul-bassplayers. Add to that a three-piece percussion-section, whose dense and ferrocious playing reminds of another visionary world music embassador, Carlos Santana. The percussionists, among them the beautiful Sabine Kabongo, also add vocal chants. And on top of that the vocoder vocals and wonderfully weird keyboards of the maestro himself, as far out and adventurous as ever.

However awesome the tracks with Zawinul Syndicate are things move to a higher realm when Zawinul reunites with Wayne Shorter for a completely transcendental "In A Silent Way" (recorded in Budapest). To hear these two musical giants reunited again is just as emotional as the recent Cream and Led Zeppelin reunions, perhaps even more so due to Zawinul leaving his body so shortly after.

This is art born out of the eternal, nor aimed at the marketplace but for the more appreciative humanity in a hopefully not too distant future. Let those who have ears hear.