js 'Concerto Retitled' is a collection of music that Joe Zawinul recorded between 1965 and 1970 that was released by Atlantic in 1976 in an apparent attempt to cash in on the rising popularity of his fusion group, Weather Report. What we have on this hurriedly slapped together mess is one horn driven hard bop tune, two third stream compositions, three piano dominated numbers in a variety of older styles from swing to bop, and two 70s psychedelic fusion numbers. Most of these songs are good, but the way they are sequenced on this album makes no sense at all. If they had put the swing and hard bop on one side with the third stream and fusion numbers on another they would have had a coherent album, instead songs are thrown together with little regard for flow or coherence. This collection does give us a decent overview of the three albums that these songs are pulled from; 'Money in the Pocket', 'Rise and Fall of the Third Stream' and 'Zawinul'. 'Money in the Pocket' is a mix of swing and hard bop. Depending on the song, Zawinul's piano playing on this one can sound like Art Tatum, Bud Powell or Duke Ellington. 'Rise and Fall of the Third Stream' presents the style of music claimed in it's title with Zawinul's acoustic piano joined by a string section with compositions that fall in between Ellington styled jazz and Gershwin styled classical.

For my money though, I think the album I am going to have to get someday is 'Zawinul', the album which provides the two outstanding psychedelic fusion numbers that close this compilation. These two songs sound like the bridge between Miles' 'Big Fun' and Weather Report's first two albums, three albums on which Joe provided a lot of direction and creativity.

On the back of 'Concerto Retitled' the A&R dude at Atlantic claims he was inspired to re-release this material when he saw Zawinul play a well received acoustic piano set at a Weather Report concert. I think what really happened is that when he saw Weather Report's young fans enjoying some of Joe's older music his eyes went $$!!!

snobb Joe Zawinul's third solo album, coming still from his pre-Miles/Weather Report period. Austrian born musician lived in States from 1961 and learned plenty from American jazz musicians.

This his album is very eclectic and transitional. Without big relation with "third stream", mentioned in the album's name, music there is hard bop and fusion mostly. OK, there are some some strings section's arrangements, but they sound mostly always out of place - European classical elements added without relation with musical material.

It's interesting to hear how Zawinul himself splits time between piano and electric keyboards: it very often looks like his roots are still in soul jazz and cool jazz of his previous works, but he's in seeking of something dramatically new. As a result there are melodic piano-based soulful compositions and early fusion keyboards passages (and they sound really revolutionary for 1968!).

In all, album sounds too much eclectic for my ear, more as collection of not too much successful experiments with some old and new (for the moment when this album was recorded) sounds and instruments. This album came a year before his work on Miles Davis ‘In a Silent Way’ and it is really interesting to hear how and when he found his electric keyboards' sound and techniques.One of really interesting Zawinul solo albums for his fans, but possibly not so attractive (even if far not bad at all) for others.

snobb Last Joe Zawinul album recorded before he passed away in 2007. Musically all release is based in Zawinul's post-Weather Report music,played with Absolute Ensemble, conducted by Estonian director Kristjan Järvi.It's interesting, that two members of one of most current Zawinul band's (Zawinul Syndicate) are participated on recordings as well (Congolese vocalist Sabine Kabongo and the Mauritius-born bassist Linley Marthe).

One familiar with Joe Zawinul post Weather Report music knows for many years he concentrated on world music (particularly with his Weather Update and Zawinul Syndicate). From other hand, Absolute Ensemble is known by his orchestrated reworks on many known classic composers and modern jazz and rock musicians. Combination of two gives us easy accessible but very well played and arranged orchestrated versions of Zawinul compositions with Joe himself playing keyboards (and vocoder) and big ensemble, supporting him with strings, African/Asian percussion some oriental vocals and plenty of strings and brass.

Zawinul's composed material is really melodic and quite catchy, and even under orchestral arrangements it sounds still jazzy (thanks to tasteful and not over-arranged orchestral musicianship). As main target for critics could be mentioned that Afro-Asian rhythms and tunes are used as just exotic component for quite traditional Central European orchestral music without saving their authentic potential, what really is a lost.

In all - pleasant and accessible listening with light jazzy flavor and some world scent in it.