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Straight No Chaser - A Jazz Show


Welcome to Straight No Chaser, the Award-winning Podcast hosted by Jeffrey Siegel

Jan 15, 2014

“Weather Report is the closest thing that jazz had to the Beatles. The fans are still worldwide and hungry for the band's legacy." – Peter Erskine.

Seminal jazz group Weather Report rises again with the Weather Report Legacy Project and crowd-funding initiative. The new project will support the creation of a feature documentary, "Calm Before the Storm,"  which tells the story of the fabled group from its beginnings in 1970, through their 16 year/17 album career, anchored by legendary founders and jazz legends Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter.

The Weather Report Legacy Project was created by Tony Zawinul, son of the late Joe Zawinul and head of the Zawinul Estate, as well as Weather Report co-founder Wayne Shorter. Tony will direct the upcoming documentary and brings unequaled access to the life and mind of his father Joe. Others involved in the project include former Weather Report members Peter Erskine, Alphonso Johnson, and Robert Thomas Jr.

Tony Zawinul noted, "We've seen phenomenal fan support from every corner of the world. Weather Report had millions of fans over the years and it's a joy to see their reactions to this landmark initiative."  Shorter added, "Taking myself out of it, this is a chance to find out something that happened because of a group of people who have gone down a trail less tread upon in the music world. I give the project a thumbs-up."
 
The crowd-funding project is nearing the end of a very successful push. Visit
http://www.indiegogo.com/at/weatherreport if you are interested in pledging financial support and in return receive rare incentives including a "Heavy Weather" Platinum Record, Jaco Pastorius tour memorabilia, VIP tickets to the 2014 Weather Report Legacy Tour, unreleased recordings from Joe Zawinul's personal collection of tapes, dinner with Wayne Shorter and Peter Erskine, and even a chance to be interviewed for the documentary.

Podcast 404 is my conversation with Tony Zawinul, as he reminisces about his late father, growing up surrounded by legendary musicians and what he hopes to accomplish with not only “Calm Before the Storm”, but his passion film project “Joe Zawinul: An American Dream.” Weather Report tracks - all featuring the inimitable sound of Joe Zawinul -  are featured on the podcast, including:

“Milky Way” from Weather Report.

“Directions” from I Sing the Body Electric.

"A Remark You Made" - Previously Unreleased  performance from the Boston Opera House, July 11, 1981

“The Juggler” from Heavy Weather.