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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Verdict on this newly remastered WP CD, May 9, 2007
This review strictly concerns itself with the quality of the remaster, not the album, which I already reviewed and gave 5 stars to.
I just A B'd the Bob Belden american remaster with this one. I noticed that Mark Wilder was involved in the dsd mastering on both projects, so it shouldn't come as any surprise that the difference between the two is not enormous. In fact, initially the Bob Belden supervised 2002 remaster sounded better, well not exactly better, but louder and more powerful on the bottom. But on closer inspection, I thought I noticed a wider dynamic range in the japanese master as well as more transparency in the cymbals and upper mids to highs in general, without sounding at all harsh.
No question, this IS a quality remaster, but if you already own the 2002 remaster, I don't think this is going to be worth it, except perhaps to collectors who might appreciate the perfect replica of the original sleeve design, including insert.
I am more curious about the WP cds in this set that didn't receive the Belden treatment, such as Mr Gone or the first couple of releases. I will report my findings as I listen to these other releases.
Last thoughts after living with these for a few months. The bass IS weaker. There's simply not enough bass energy in these remasters. I would stay away and wait for Belden to get his hands on those not yet given his musical treatment. These "Wilder" versions are clinically accurate (perhaps,) but lack the excitement in the bottom to make listening to them fun.
Because of the negative votes on my review I have decided to include my actual review of the content of the CD which hopefully, will make this review more helpful to those who are more interested in content than audio quality. As for my opinion of this remaster: I am sticking with my final assessment of this japanese reissue: The 2002 Belden version rocks it. Its simply more musical.
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I don't understand the tepid reviews of this album. It is one of my favorites of all time in any genre. It stands the test of time, sounding vibrant as ever some 30 years down the road. It is as contemporary today as ever, being the bedrock on which virtually all world jazz is built on. And for the most part, (with a few notable exceptions,) they did it more convincingly and with less self consciousness than anything being done today.
When I first bought the vinyl I back in 1975 I was hoping for the same great energy as Mysterious Traveler and was initially disappointed. It took almost a year before I revisited this album. Perhaps I had matured enough to appreciate it by then, but it eventually it became one of my all time favorites, and it still ranks up there with my absolute favorite Weather Report recordings.
This was a transitional period for the band. Miroslav was out and Alfonso Johnson's funkier bass was now driving the bottom, enabling the band to move in a whole other direction. It's a great blend of wild jamming and tight compositions. Starting right out of the gate, The Man with the Green shirt is one of the great Zawinul compositions. It is Joy itself, an unselfconscious ecstatic celebration of Life.
There are no fillers here. Luisitanos, a quintessential Shorter composition exhibits all the classic Shorter touches, angular and emotional yet cooly logical in its phrasing. It features Joe in a (then) rare acoustic piano solo, simultaneously at his most relaxed and most burning. 'Between the Thighs' is a loose, rambling space-funk romp, yet is it also full of complex tutti passages and rhythmic depth .It's got a lot of thorny ensemble writing, yet it unfurls as naturally as a peacock spreads its feathers. It's as though the whole band is hooked up here, interacting and relating as one. It takes the listener on a journey to the swamplands of the Mississippi Delta, the high desert in north africa, and winds up in a party somewhere in the tropics on Mars. I have taken that trip a thousand times, yet every time they play that dreamy part with the tubular bells it takes my breath away. I think Stravinsky (as well as Ellington) would've gotten a kick out of this music.
Badia is an incredibly prescient view into areas musicians would be exploring some thirty years hence, but this was 1975(!), and these gentlemen were already masters of world jazz, a genre yet to be named and in many ways never surpassed. 'Freezing Fire' is another burning Shorter composition, and in it's afterglow, the album winds down with the reflective and intriguing, ''Five Short Stories', another great Zawinul composition.
Because of the joy and affirmation it communicates, I play this CD on special occasions, when I am feeling like I need a boost, or when I feel most alive, and embarassing as it might be to admit it, sometimes I'll put on candles, turn off the lights and dance to it! For this is a CD that embodies the Dance of Life.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE DEFINITIVE AUDIO VERSION, September 29, 2007
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.
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