Mysterious Traveller cover

Mysterious Traveller

Released

Weather Report was no more a band than Steely Dan was. The group’s creative nexus was keyboardist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and rhythm sections came and went. On 1974’s Mysterious Traveller, the funk was deep thanks to fretless bassist Alphonso Johnson and drummers Ishmael Wilburn and Skip Hadden (with percussionists Dom Um Romão and Ray Barretto popping in here and there), but Zawinul’s newfound love of the ARP 2600 synth let things get thrillingly weird at times, particularly on the opening “Nubian Sundance,” which is world music from another world entirely.

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
Moon Rappin' cover

Moon Rappin'

Jack McDuff
Agharta cover

Agharta

Miles Davis
4 to Go! cover

4 to Go!

Shelly Manne, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, André Previn
Last Chance Disco cover

Last Chance Disco

Acoustic Ladyland
The Third Decade cover

The Third Decade

Art Ensemble of Chicago
Ours cover

Ours

Thumbscrew
Turning Point cover

Turning Point

Lonnie Smith
Mint Jam cover

Mint Jam

Yellowjackets
Sextant cover

Sextant

Herbie Hancock
Emergency Exit cover

Emergency Exit

Throttle Elevator Music
Come on In cover

Come on In

Vital Information, Steve Smith