Music Notes: Forecast: Tomorrow

 If you like Weather Report, this is good stuff. If you love Weather Report, you probably have already heard (and own) most of it. Still, it is a nice collection (the only box set) of the one of greatest of the jazz fusion groups.
I enjoyed it mostly, but it is marred in that it is missing two of my favorite WR tunes: "A Remark You Made" and "Boogie Woogie Waltz."  (The former is found on the DVD, but missing the latter is, unconscionable.)

Still, the collection, as whole, shines nicely. There are some tunes I had not heard before, at least not in live versions. And I liked the solos, particularly Wayne Shorter’s. I was also intrigued by Joe Zawinul’s tasty playing on the mellower tunes.
The DJ Logic remix of “125th Street Congress” was irritating at first (probably due to my aversion to rap), but a couple listens and I was hooked. The biggest WR hit, “Birdland,” comes off a bit flat. However, I’ve now heard that song so many times, and there are so many good live versions of it, that I may be a bit harsh.
What may be the biggest draw of the set are the older tunes, those originally on the first three Weather Report albums. The band had not really hit its stride, and these more developed and energetic versions are really enjoyable.
As a whole, Forecast: Tomorrow is a fine listening experience, particularly for the fan who has appreciated Weather Report from afar and not really given themselves a chance to get into them. Whether that person is willing to shell out this kind of money for the set remains to be seen.