Vienna Nights

Joe Zawinul | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 23, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Bhm Productions
• ASIN: B000A8AWWI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #203,352 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #67 in Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > Austria

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Y'elena

2. Tow Lines

3. Do You Want Some Tea, Grandpa?

4. Chabiba

5. Blue Sound/Note 3

6. Rooftops of Vienna

7. Louange

8. East 12th Street Band

Disc: 2

1. Cafe Andalusia

2. Borges Buenos Aires

3. Tower of Silence

4. Intro to a Mighty Theme

5. Come Sunday

6. Three Postcards

7. Badia

8. Boogie Woogie Waltz

Editorial Reviews

Recorded over two weeks at Zawinul's own club 'Birdland', this album captures his band in typically blistering form & features a host of great names. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still Smokin' at 73, October 22, 2005

By 

Brian Whistler (Forestville, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vienna Nights (Audio CD)

I have been a fan of Zawinul ever since I walked into the Whiskey a GoGo in 1972 and was knocked out by Weather Report for the first time. In the next 30 odd years Zawinul strived to create a world-jazz hybrid that would break down cultural differences, while preserving the distinct flavors of the individual cultures he is indebted to. This current incarnation of the Syndicate may very well be the most refined distillation yet of that ideal.

The new album actually has two different bands recorded at Zawinul's Birdland on separate dates, although bass player Linley Marthe and singer Sabine Kabongo appear in both settings. The material is mostly culled from Zawinul's last few releases. However, there are a few surprises as well.

One such surprise is the addition of the very talented drummer Karim Ziad. A morrocan born percussionist who was a collaborator with Nguyen Le on the the ground breaking world-jazz cd, 'Maghreb and Friends' (among others,)Ziad is a remarkable composer as well as drummer. His two offerings are standouts.(Check out the definitive version of 'Louange' on Magrehb-it's awesome!)He also possesses a killer singing voice.

In fact, the thing that makes this incarnation of the Syndicate stand out is the addition of all those voices. With this lineup, the group can easily take the listener on a travelogue that includes stops in north Africa,the Middle East, Spain, India and the Balkans. Not to mention Europe and the USA.

Sabine Kabongo alone can span continents with her unique vocal stylings. The album kicks off with a great version of Salif Keita's infectious afro-pop tune, 'Y'elena' (off of the Zawinul produced disc, "Amen"-a worthy addition any Zawinul collection.) Special mention must be made of her standout interpretation of "Duke Ellington's Come Sunday".

The addition of all these voices takes much of the vocal duties away from Zawinul, which, in this listener's opinion, is a good thing. He's still up to his old vocoder tricks here, but they're less prevalent than before, being more integrated into the vocal mix.

The other surprise is the re-visiting of two Weather Report tunes, Boogie Woogie Waltz and Badia. I feel that serving up Badia at a breakneck tempo did not do the tune justice, which had a more ambient and mysterious quality at it's original tempo. Boogie Woogie Waltz is very abbreviated here, and is more a nod to the tune than a full exploration.

While forging a universal music has always been the underlying principle in Zawinul's music, the addition of an imternational ensemble who can sing in their native tongue lends the material an authenticity never before achievable. Never before has Zawinul been able to realize his grand dream of making a universal music more onvincingly, a music that brings people of all cultures together, each singing together in their own unique voice.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Impressive World Music, August 23, 2005

By 

Jazz Analyst "Easy E" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vienna Nights (Audio CD)

This is a hard-driving, highly musical effort from one of the icons of fusion. I guess he is 'Joe' Zawinul again. I have to admit I was a big fan of the early Weather Report (Pre-Jaco Pastorius). In those days it was just 'Zawinul'. But this is twenty five years later. You must keep in mind that this is a seventy-something musician we are talking about here. The tunes sound fresh and lively. This is well-recorded live album. The music on Vienna Nights to me is similar to the music on the Weather Report records Mr. Gone and Heavy Weather, with more vocals. There is definitely an African flavor to the newer songs. The standout selections are 'Y'Lena', 'East 12Th Street Band', 'Borges Buenos Aires', and 'Come Sunday'. On the 'Buenos Aires' cut, there is a spoken Spanish vocal. I would assume that is Manolo Badrena, one of the Weather Report members from the old days who is on board for these sets. And, for you old fans, he includes covers of 'Boogie Woogie Waltz' and 'Badia'. This album will please Zawinul's old fans and also the 'New Jazz' fans. I did not give the album five stars because of the overabundance of vocals.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vienna Nights, October 7, 2005

By 

Horace W. Bulger - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vienna Nights (Audio CD)

I was curious about the direction The Zawinul Syndicate was headed, and since I didn't get a chance to see them live at the Chicago Jazz show this past summer, I was eager to hear the group. I was not disappointed. I would recommend this CD to Zawinul's fans.