Procession [Import]

Weather Report | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 20, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Columbia Europe
• ASIN: B000025Z3G
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,529 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Japanese limited edition issue of the album classic in a deluxe, miniaturized LP sleeve replica of the original vinyl album artwork. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars outstanding album, February 6, 2003

By 

A. Rodkin "art rodkin" (Fremont, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Procession (Audio CD)

I stayed away from the 80's weather report albums for quite a while - had all their 70's material short of the 1st album and mr.gone. Not sure what prompted me to pick up the rest of their stuff just recently. Procession was an extremely pleasant surprise and definitely stood out among Night passage, WR and sportin' life.
I thought all cuts are very strong in terms of song-writing and playing. In my book this album is right up there with MT, Sweetnighter and Tail Spinning, but it has a different sound - it is not a repetition of their old material. I think Bailey and Hakim are very creative musicians and their arrival didn't slow down Weather Report at all.

Honestly, I am still to grasp the impact of Jaco pastorius on weather report. I've read somewhere that some call their Night Passage and WR their finest period, so I am not discounting those albums completely, but at this point to me they sound a little more boring than some of their earlier stuff.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't miss this one, June 13, 2001

By 

THX1138b (NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Procession (Audio CD)

Maybe the best of the post-Jaco, late phase of WR's output. Drummer Omar Hakim (later with Scofield) does real justice. Great tunes. This one has the sprit of Sweatnighter and the polish of a mature band.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars NEW 2007 JAPAN REMASTER(S) AVAILABLE, September 30, 2007

By 

BOB (LOS ANGELES, CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Procession (Audio CD)

In 2007, the main 16 Weather Report Columbia titles were re-released in Japan with new DSD remastering in mini-sleeve format. From an audio quality standpoint, the DSD versions now supercede all the earlier standard-CD-audio U.S. releases (some of the WR catalog are available as SACD's).

Additionally, the Japan editions feature a welcome 2CD restoration of "8:30" to the original 13-track double-LP album configuration, with the proper inclusion of "Scarlet Woman", which had been edited off all domestic editions to allow for a cheaper, single-disc release.

So far, the WR DSD catalog is only available in mini-sleeve format, and all `sleeves are limited edition. If it is your desire to own the latest/greatest audio, then don't delay in picking these up, although it is always possible that Sony Japan will release them again as less expensive jewel case editions somewhere down the road. However, for the true WR fan and vinyl nut, it's great to have the wonderful mini-LP replicas of the original LP covers!

I wanted to provide links for each 2007 `sleeve edition, but unfortunately, Amazon only allows 10 per review. But, by linking to the 2007 DSD remaster of the first Weather Report album, you should be able to use the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" tool to locate the rest of the 2007 DSD titles (just make sure you verify the release date and Product Description).

Also, of note: In this same release were updated DSD remasters of the following WR-member solo albums, also as mini-sleeves:

Jaco Pastorius (1st album)
Wayne Shorter "Native Dancer"
Joe Zawinul "Di-a-lects"

And, the two Havana Jam albums, both where WR appeared live, also as `sleeves:

Havana Jam 1
Havana Jam 2

And, FINALLY: 2007 witnessed John McLaughlin finally relenting to release the full Trio Of Doom studio & live recordings, the awesome line-up of McLaughlin, Pastorius and Tony Williams, which could only be found previously on the Havana Jam albums, albeit in edited form.

WHAT IS A JAPAN "MINI-LP-SLEEVE" CD?

Have you ever lamented the loss of one of the 20th Century's great art forms, the 12" vinyl LP jacket? Then "mini-LP-sleeve" CD's may be for you.

Mini-sleeve CDs are manufactured in Japan under license. The disc is packaged inside a 135MM X 135MM cardboard precision-miniature replica of the original classic vinyl-LP album. Also, anything contained in the original LP, such as gatefolds, booklets, lyric sheets, posters, printed LP sleeves, stickers, embosses, special LP cover paper/inks/textures and/or die cuts, are precisely replicated and included. An English-language lyric sheet is always included, even if the original LP did not have printed lyrics.

Then, there's the sonic quality: Often (but not always), mini-sleeves have dedicated remastering (20-Bit, 24-Bit, DSD, K2/K2HD, and/or HDCD), and can often (but not always) be superior to the audio on the same title anywhere else in the world. There also may be bonus tracks unavailable elsewhere.

Each Japan mini-sleeve has an "obi" ("oh-bee"), a removable Japan-language promotional strip. The obi lists the Japan street date of that particular release, the catalog number, the mastering info, and often the original album's release date. Bonus tracks are only listed on the obi, maintaining the integrity of the original LP artwork. The obi's are collectable, and should not be discarded.

All mini-sleeve releases are limited edition, but re-pressings/re-issues are becoming more common (again, not always). The enthusiasm of mini-sleeve collecting must be tempered, however, with avoiding fake mini-sleeves manufactured in Russia and distributed throughout the world, primarily on eBay. They are inferior in quality, worthless in collectable value, a total waste of money, and should be avoided at all costs.