Heavy Weather, released in 1977, brings Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter together with Jaco Pastorius, Alex Acuña and Manolo Badrena. Zawinul produced and orchestrated, with additional production from Shorter and Pastorius. Its success rests on a strongly defined ensemble language rather than a parade of unrelated showcases.
Weather Report's sixth album, recorded at Devonshire Studios in North Hollywood over the turn of 1975 into 1976, leans into African-derived percussion and Joe Zawinul's synthesizer textures rather than the soloistic fusion of earlier records. Wayne Shorter's Lyricon blurs horn and machine, Alex Acuña's congas anchor two drummers, and Jaco Pastorius makes his first, understated appearance on bass across two tracks.