Procession

Weather Report could have easily disbanded after the departure of Peter Erskine and Jaco Pastorius, but Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had survived more lineup changes than any duo in history, and they weren’t about to let one more stop their group. Thus, in 1982 they recruited drummer Omar Hakim and bassist Victor Bailey from the New York club circuit and recorded Procession, which marked yet another new start for Weather Report. At 23 and 24, Hakim and Bailey brought a youthful energy to Procession, which also looked to world music for inspiration. With Erskine and Pastorius, Weather Report could often end up sounding like a band of dueling soloists. Bailey and Hakim, on the other hand, were eager to serve the collective. For all their virtuosity, “Procession” and “Molasses Run” are swift and cohesive, without the sense of macho antagonism that fired some of the Jaco-era recordings. The centerpiece is undoubtedly “Where the Moon Goes,” a Brazilian- and Japanese-influenced chant featuring The Manhattan Transfer. Like most of Zawinul’s best compositions, it's hypnotic and pretty but also deceptively tricky—just try clapping along to it.