The Zawinul Syndicate — Black Water/ Lost Tribes
The two discs are presented in a clear jewel case, which comes in BGO’s house style slip sleeve. We get a glossy twenty four-page booklet- this features fifteen-page write-up about the two albums & the band themselves. Along with full liner notes & lyrics too.
The Zawinul Syndicate started life in 1988, some two years after the end of weather Report- with a shifting line-up of around thirty musicians & vocalists. Over their career the band put out three studio albums and two live albums- they wound after Zawinul away in 2007.
First up on disc one we have 1989’s Black Water- this was originally released on CBS, and takes in nine tracks- there are no bonus track here. The albums runs spot on the forty-minute mark, and is often very densely layered in both it’s instrumental layers, blending of genres, and different world music traits- so it’s certainly a record that often takes a risk, which at times work, but at others feel a bit too busy/ crowded for their own good. We move from the afro ethnic jazz, meets gospel and cruising ‘n’ jiving Latin blues-rock/ soul-pop of the title track. Onto the haphazard though enjoyable Cajun funk R'n'B guitar tipped swing of “Medicine Man”. Through to soaring delta blues meet heavy synthetic afro-jazz of “They Had A Dream” which features both African male & slurred vocoder vocals. So as an album Black Water is certainly sonically globe-trotting, which at points does get a little over zeal/ heavy-handed in its blending's
Moving onto disc two, and we have 1992’s Lost Tribes, this was released on Columbia, took in ten tracks & playtime of spot on fifty minutes. Instead of the more formally lyrical edged track of the previous album, we largely get an instrumental affair( save for chants/ choirs)- though once again the sound is decidedly densely layered in both in instrument & general traits. We go from tight afro-eastern electro-funk of "Lost Tribes", with it’s locked ethnic scat vocal loop & darting Synclavier textures. Onto smooth jazz tipped pop-rock meets awkward/ choppy synthetic horn programming of “Night Clock”. Through to clip-clapping Spanish guitar meets Africain percussion of “San Sabastian”. Onto the bonding/ sleek bass-meets-jazz horn and piano playfulness, and latter chiming blues country guitar & gospel choir swoon of “In A While, In a While”. On the whole, I found as an album Lost Tribes more successful than it’s predecessor in it’s even mixing & blend genre. Sure it has a very 90’s production & use of synthetic instrumentation is very much of its time, but I don’t mind that too much, finding it kind of clankingly charming.
In conclusion, it’s great to these two albums get the classy & loving reissue from the folks at BGO. Sure they may not be an iconic & respected as his Weather Report work, but there is most certainly worth in both albums. And if you enjoy fusion where genres & world elements blend/ collided you’ll be wanting to put this two-CD set in your collection.