Black Music Sunday: Sizzle into summer with Weather Report

As we settle into the month of July, a look at the All About Jazz birthday calendar tells us that July 7 is the birthday of Joe Zawinul, founder (with Wayne Shorter) of one of my all-time favorite groups: Weather Report.

For those into labels, Weather Report is categorized within the “jazz fusion” genre. However, that label tends to obfuscate the range of music the band played over its 16-year lifetime. The albums Weather Report produced continue to garner new fans of not only their music, but of jazz writ large.

”Black Music Sunday” is a weekly series highlighting all things Black music, with nearly 220 stories covering performers, genres, history, and more, each featuring its own vibrant soundtrack. I hope you’ll find some familiar tunes and perhaps an introduction to something new.