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SUPPLEMENT TO THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, APRIL 30, 1986
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FOOD BARN DECLARES
JOE ZAWINFUL
On Joe Zawinful's new solo album, "Dialects," he brings the folk sounds of the world into his jazz.
BY GREG PTACEK
Music fans know Joe Zawinik's music far better than his name. Mention Weather Report, and almost everyone calls them their favorite jazz band. Even those who aren't intimately familiar with their music know the tune of "Birdland," the hit single he wrote for the megalium Hearty Weather (1977). Mention his name, and the response tends to be, "Zawian what?" except from those jazz afficionados who know to rank him with Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck and a handful of other modern jazz masters.
That's ok, with Joe. He would much rather be a musician artist than a musician celebrity. Born in a Slavic town of 58 people in taurus Austria, he never left his roots, emotionally or intellectually. Dialects, his first solo album since co-founded Weather Report with Wayne Shore, reflects his respect for farm and their folk music, whether from Austria, Africa, Asia or Australia.
On a recent sunny California morning, Zawishal sipped coffee poolside at his Pasadena home on a hill overlooking the Rose Bowl. His House reflects his personality, down to earth, more comfortable than hip, pets everywhere.
He shared his thoughts on his album, the impending break up of Weather Report. Sting as a jazz artist, rock 'n' roll, the future of jazz and the recording industry.
CEG Why did you decide to make a solo album now?
JZ. I we've wanted to make this album for 15 years, but my work with Weather Report always precluded it. When you put out an album, sometimes two albums, every year, there just isn't time. Several of the songs, though, I had written many years ago. It only took me two months to put it together. With Wayne [shorter] doing his own album, it finally gave me an opportunity to do mine.
CEG What's the future for Weather Report, now that you and Wayne Shorter are off on your own?
JZ. Weather Report has a new album coming out April 15. The band will probably court between June and November, but we might have to bury the name. Wayne has his own band now and isn't part of Weather Report anymore. Wayne and I share the copyright for the name, so we probably can go under that name. If we can't, then it's very likely we will call the band Weather Update.
CEG How are jazz and folk related?
JZ. Absolutely none. The album is just my impression of the many people and places I have visited. I was not trying to imitate other culture's music. I don't even know any African or Japanese music. If it sounds authentic, it is because I'm a good listener. The music I created was based more on people's speaking patterns than anything else.
CEG What kind of research did you do to capture the international sound you've achieved on *Dialect8*
CG. How are jazz and folk related?
JZ. To me, jazz is simply improvised rhythmic music with a heavy folklore background. Pure jazz is improvisation.
All of *Dialects* is improvised, in fact, two of the tunes, "The Harvest" and "Zee Bop," are total improvisation—composed, played and recorded simultaneously. And all the others were improvised, but the sound of the original improvisation was not good enough, so I recorded them again. There was no master blueprint to the album. That would take the pure soul away. That would be like trying to prepare yourself to tell a girl you love her. How do you practice something like that?
JZ. To be perfectly honest, rock has never had any effect on my music, aesthetically. Certainly, there have been great rock musicians Ishi Hendrex comes immediately to mind. But Weather Report was not influenced by them. We're really a traditional jazz band, in the sense of Ellington and Louis Armstrong, that continues to explore new territory.
CEG. How has rock 'n' roll affected your music?
I grew up as an accordion player, playing with gipsies and playing folk music. Folk music is in my blood and my bones, and therefore I love jazz. Rock 'n' roll used to be great, or at least some of it, but I honestly could not name five rock musicians that I like, that I consider to be excellent. My kids listen to that stuff, and I do like the Talking Heads.
ple on Sting's Dream of the Blue Turtles?
CEG What do you think of the recent synthesis of pop and jazz, say, for exam
put on Sing's Dream of the Butee Tales JJ. He's more of a jazz musician than a rock musician. The Police invented their own brand of music and they've said they are very influenced by Weather Report. In one interview, Sing actually said he is trying to emulate my vision but in a song form with lyrics, etc.
But pop musicians like Sting are so rare. If I were to work with him, I could make him into a superior jazz singer. He's got a great voice, number one. He's got really good rhythm节奏, he's a musician—a good bass player and he's got confidence. All the ingredients are there.
CPG. What's holding jazz back from reaching a wider audience?
I was never a handshake. I'm not interested in power lunches. I rather eat lunch here with my wife and kids. I am a musician. I don't need cocktail parties.
JZ. The powers that control the recording industry don't want i jazz to be great. If jazz becomes great, then what happens to all that other junk that so much time and money has been invested into? If you own a restaurant and you really think you've got a shot at making a lot of money by selling your version of junk food, you re going to ignore someone who tells you to serve really good food so that people know what it's like.
It's the same thing in the record industry. Most people who run the industry are in it because they like to listen to music, and it is an easy job. They have no qualifications. They get a big expense account and can take their favorite stars to lunch. And whoever shakes more bands is the most powerful.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF RICHARD E. AARON/ THUNDER THUMBS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 1986
VOL.1, NO.6 (USPS 650-640)
FOOD BARN FRONT FOR UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN — 4/30 / 86