Gerry Gibbs & Thrasher People – Weather Or Not (2017) [HDTracks FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

This unique double album is the product of the fertile mind of veteran American jazz drummer Gerry Gibbs. The first disc is a tribute to Weather Report, but rather than merely offer lukewarm cover versions, Gibbs reimagines the Weather Report material from the perspective of an acoustic piano-led trio. Gibbs cranks up the creative juices on the second disc, a set of originals ranging from flamenco to pulse-quickening funk, calypso, gospel, Latin jazz, R&B and plenty of all-out swing. Weather or Not is the most audacious and fully-realized project from Gibbs to date, an early crowning achievement from a restless spirit and a triumphant, indefatigable artist.

It is unique and kind of madcap, the sign of a fertile artist plowing through all the ideas swirling around his brain. “Instead of creating one musical concept, I wanted it to sound like 16 trios, so that’s why the music was so eclectic.” Gerry Gibbs is the artist, and his new, two-disc set – one disc devoted to the blazing Weather Report, the second to his own diverse material – leads listeners through a fun house of styles. Disc One is devoted to Weather Report tribute, but it’s not nearly the lukewarm cover collection by aspiring fusioneers you might expect. (Because, perhaps, they might beat Zawinul and company at their own game) Instead, Gibbs opts to re-imagine the material from the POV of an acoustic piano-led trio, the featured instrument played by luminous new talent Alex Collins, with brilliant Austrian-born Hans Glawischnig on bass. The sparks sure do fly on familiar melodies: “Palladium,” “Teen Town,” “Birdland,” naturally, and “Black Market.” There’s lots to dig into here, and you certainly don’t have to be a Weather Report fan to dig it. Disc Two features Gibbs cranking up the creative juices on a set of originals, traversing from flamenco to pulse-quickening funk, calypso, gospel Latin jazz, R&B and plenty of all-out swing. While Gibbs has tackled myriad projects in the past, from 2006‘s Thrasher Big Band project Live at Luna’s to 2010‘s The Electric Thrasher Orchestra Plays The Music of Miles Davis (’67-’75) and 2013‘s Grammy-nominated Thrasher Dream Trio, his 11th release as a bandleader, is his most audacious and fully-realized project to date, an early crowning achievement from a restless spirit and a triumphant, indefatigable artist.

Tracklist:
01 – Teen Town
02 – Palladium
03 – Mr. Gone
04 – Young and Fine
05 – A Remark You Made
06 – Black Market
07 – Sightseeing
08 – Punk Jazz
09 – Scarlet Woman – Boogie Woogie Waltz
10 – Elegant People
11 – Birdland
12 – Directions
13 – Maestro Ron
14 – Just Glad to Be Anywhere
15 – Kojak
16 – Road Trip
17 – Joaquin and Pinky
18 – We Are So Free
19 – The 70’s Song, Patrice Rushen
20 – Only in Dreams
21 – Paul and Sid’s Blues
22 – I’m Simply Waiting
23 – When I Close My Eyes (Part 1)
24 – St. Marteen
25 – The Caribbean Song
26 – Her Last Words (R.I.P)
27 – It’s a Good Day
28 – When I Close My Eyes and Go to a Place I Have Never Been Before (Part 2)