Joe Zawinul, born Josef Erich Zawinul on July 7, 1932, in Vienna, Austria, was a visionary jazz keyboardist and composer whose influential career spanned several decades. He garnered worldwide acclaim for his innovative approach to jazz, which skillfully blended it with other genres such as rock, world music, and electronic music. Zawinul gained initial recognition as a member of the Cannonball Adderley Quintet during the 1960s, where he penned the soul-jazz anthem "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy."

However, Zawinul's most notable contribution to music came with his co-founding of the pioneering jazz fusion band Weather Report in 1970, alongside saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Weather Report pushed musical boundaries and delivered albums that shaped the future of jazz fusion. After Weather Report disbanded in the mid-1980s, Zawinul continued to explore the intersections of various musical cultures with his Zawinul Syndicate band. Throughout his later years, he remained an influential figure in the genre, with releases like "75" (Live), commemorating his 75th birthday with a dynamic live performance, and "Brown Street" (Live) which featured big band arrangements of Weather Report classics. He explored his classical side with works like "Zawinul: Stories of the Danube," further demonstrating his wide-ranging musical adaptability. Zawinul's contribution to the evolution of jazz remains significant, and he is remembered as one of the genre's most innovative keyboardists and composers until his passing in September 2007.

Genres

Contemporary Post-bop

Ecm-style Jazz

Jazz

Jazz Fusion

Jazz Piano

Latest Release

75 (Live)

Joe Zawinul

Album - 12 Tracks - Released September 24, 2008