Top Music Videos Collection

WAY back in 1974, my best-friend-in-the-army, Richie, and I were listening to each other’s albums. Knowing that I was not-so-surreptitiously making more money at night as a musician than I was by “playing Army,” Richie told me, “Nah – I don’t think you’d like it” when I asked him to play Weather Report’s first album for me. I DID badger him into playing the etherial track, “Milky Way” for me, and – even though I was – and am – a “rabid Stones’ fan” (like Ian Hunter said about himself & Jaco) – I was captivated. Being a bassist, I had already heard of Miroslav Vitous, and I STILL remember Tony, the drummer of my band, yammering about Alphonse Mouzon and Eric Gravatt – SERIOUS MUSICANS, those three, and I haven’t even mentioned Joe Zawinul (the ONLY person I will EVER trust with a freaking synthesizer), or Wayne Shorter, Saxophonist Extraordinaire. And though my interest kind of…well, “slipped” until the year 1978 – UGH!, all my hippie friends were then bleating about that pithy Chuck Mangione…”thing” that was so prevalent then (“Feels So Good” or something), and I kept screaming at them, “NO! That is bubblegum at its most hideous! Have you heard ‘Heavy Weather’ by Weather Report? You NEED TO!” Well, histrionics aside, all of Weather Report’s music is very well represented here on “Forecast: Tomorrow,” and I’m grateful, because that certainly fills a hole in my CD collection. But I am really – REALLY – most grateful for the inclusion of the DVD with a 1978 performance by the Jaco Pastorius/Peter Erskine incarnation! I (now blushing FURIOUSLY!) purchased that Joni Mitchell/”Shadows And Light” thing a couple of years ago, only – ONLY – because Jaco was featured so prominently thereon. And athough I’m too cheap to relinquish any of my DVDs or CDs, “Shadows” will now be relegated to that vague, indefinite place where I store, say, the Stones’ “Bigger Bang,” that John Phillips’ “Pay Pack And Follow,” or, for THAT matter, anything by the Eagles or such. THANK YOU, Richie!
Rating: 5 / 5

I agree with others who dimiss this critic’s picking-apart of the boxed set. The quality of the DVD is great, and we’ve been dying for an official release. The cover design fits the band’s aura well: a sparsely-clouded blue sky and a child behind a telescopic viewer that mimics a human smile. What’s wrong with that? What don’t you get? Also, if Shorter’s horn was malfunctioning, it would have sounded bad and he would have used another one (They do bring several instruments on tour.). But it sounds great. I have seen Shorter in concert, and the way he inspects and scrutinizes his instrument is a mannerism of his and doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong. This is a typical over-analysis that a critic may often fall into. Remember – they knew what they were doing then, and they did well to finally release it now. If I had listened to the top review, I would not have been nicely enriched by finally seeing the top jazz fusion group in action.
Rating: 5 / 5

A great introduction to the best of all the jazz fusion bands. All albums/CD’s are classics. The DVD is outstanding quality.
Rating: 5 / 5