Weather Report, the great 1970s/80s fusion band, transformed the relationship between jazz instrumentation and creative electronics, and their vibrant sound and rhythmic audacity are influential still. Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš, a founder member, paid tribute to their spirit but not their famous tunes on the 2009 album Remembering Weather Report. Now he visits the old material with a supple sextet (including elite New York drummers Gerald Cleaver and Nasheet Waits), kindling a searching mix of free jazz and groove playing. Scarlet Woman Variations has the original Joe Zawinul theme bursting sporadically like a flare out of mists of electronic noise and pithily Shorter-like soprano sax figures; Birdland Variations unfolds the classic motifs in slow horn statements and dark bass speculation; Pinocchio is a trance of dry sax asides and rich keyboard colours, and a hypnotic Vitouš blues thread winds between the pieces. The set simmers with sharp responses to unforgettable material, though its improv priorities may meander a little for Weather Report’s more rock-oriented disciples.
