In Conversation with Joe Zawinul - The lost Interview (part 1)

All those that know me – know Joe Zawinul is my music man and my band was Weather report, then the Zawinul Syndicate.

Around 2002 Joe released the Faces and places album - I arranged what was my very first interview and it was with Joe Zawinul my music idol, using a mini disc recorder to record a phone call to Joe’s home in the USA.

For about an hour Joe took me through the Faces & Places album explaining track by track to me (see the lost interview Joe Zawinul 17th September) as we finished Joe asked me if there was anything else I wanted to talk about.

Not often do I get that said to me, so I took full advantage of Joe's offer, we finished talking 2 hours later and many mini disc’s, as Joe took me on his music journey from Cannonball Adderley to the Zawinul Syndicate, then we went onto discuss the change of the dynamics of bringing in new musicians or having less to get the sound he wanted, It was an amazing conversation and the start of our association.

After the interview, I transferred the recording to a CD, 2 weeks later I moved house and the CD disappeared!! - I searched everywhere, no CD.

Fast forward 19 years, I'm in the process of digitizing all of my music and I open a CD case and I find Joe, you would not believe the emotions I felt.

This presentation is the abridged version of my conversation with Joe, and I have mixed in his music to accompany Joe’s journey,

Tracklisting - Joe takes you from:-

Joe's (Mercy, Mercy, Mercy) with Cannonball Adderley

Miles Davis - Silent Way

Joe talking about Miles, and the silent way meeting with Herbie Hancock , John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Tony Williams and Wayne Shorter.

Then we go straight into.

Weather Report - Black Market – Live.

Joe Zawinul talking about Weather Report and the best lineup they had.

Weather Report – Birdland.

Weather Report - Teen Town.

Salif Keita – Lony.

Joe Zawinul Talking About Salif Keita and the impact of the African musicians that took Joe’s music to the next level.

Salif Keita – Nyanafin.

Joe Zawinul - Waraya

Joe Zawinul - Orient Express

Joe Zawinul - Bimoya

Compare the first track, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, to the last 3 tracks, Waraya, Orient Express and Bimoya, you will hear the musical journey that Joe made.

RIP Joe

7th July 1932 - 11th September 2007

https://www.zawinulonline.org/joe-zawinul-a-short-biography/