(World Fusion / Modern Composition) Absolute Ensemble - Absolute Zawinul - 2009, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The Absolute Zawinul Project was conceived in 2004. Filled with only the greatest admiration, I approached Joe at Birdland, his Jazz club in Vienna, in the hope of talking him into a collaboration. It was clear that Joe needed some convincing; at 72 years old he wanted to commit to only a few very special projects. Over the next few months I met with Joe at the Hilton (where he resided in Vienna) several times to discuss the possibility.
Joe’s wish was that the Absolute Zawinul project be about the musician he had become, not the musician he was thirty-something years before. He was adamant that he did not want to hear more Birdland arrangements and Weather Report tunes.
The collaboration was to explore some of the seven hundred-odd works Zawinul had composed but not yet realized. Joe did want to hear some of his favorite old tunes but in an entirely new way. Absolute arranger Gene Pritsker worked painstakingly to notate the complex and incomparably subtle improvisations Joe had laid down over the years. After over a year of work, we began to play alongside Joe in what was to become one of the most deeply moving and powerful experiences of our lives, certainly for Absolute Ensemble and for all of the people involved in this process. Joe became our lifeline to the spirit that lies somewhere within. He was exhausting to be around, yet one never tired of him. Joe wished for the project to be arranged so that it could be played with or without him. Gene Pritsker did this so well that at one rehearsal Joe yelled out “You stole all of my solos, what am I gonna play now?” Some of the most extraordinary music Joe Zawinul ever played were his introductions and after-thoughts laid down in the Absolute Zawinul recording. In retrospect, they were Joe’s gift to us.
The music that Joe selected for the recording gives just a glimpse into a spectacularly colorful life. He was not a man of many words, but when asked about some tunes-take Ice Pick Willy for example- his eyes danced about with a devilish humor that assured you there was a story there. He would only tell that Ice Pick was a gangster friend whose affinity for ice picks eventually landed him in jail permanently. Great Empire was Joe’s tribute to Japan, a country and culture he loved, as was Sultan a tribute to the Ottoman Empire. Good Day celebrated “the vibe” of a gospel mass. I fondly remember Joe sitting at the piano at his home in Malibu playing Ballad for Two Musicians to my wife and I the day before we flew to Australia to get married. He dedicated it to love and happiness.
Joe Zawinul wanted the Absolute Zawinul Project to be his legacy. He was immensely proud of it and talked about the near-finished recording right up until the day he died. He was busy giving me instructions on September 9th and had just composed a new tune which he wanted to sing on the record.
Joe refused to give up and despite his illness declared the show must go on.
Joe Zawinul died on September 11, 2007. There is a void in our hearts and an empty seat on stage. ~ Kristjan Järvi

The musical legacy of Austrian-born composer/keyboardist Joe Zawinul extends further than his illustrious tenure with Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis (1960s-1970s) or as co-leader of the fusion super-group Weather Report (1970s-1980s) with fellow icon musicians Wayne Shorter and Jaco Pastorius. In his later days, although with less notoriety, he continued to gain momentum by recording and performing with his newfound ensembles Weather Update and Zawinul Syndicate, which produced an eclectic and vibrant body of music.
The posthumous Absolute Zawinul is Zawinul's last studio recording before his passing on September 11, 2007. In collaboration with Estonian-born conductor/composer Kristjan Järvi and the large group powerhouse Absolute Ensemble, that has been described as "musical omnivores" whose previous projects have covered music from John Sebastian Bach to Frank Zappa. This heartfelt project embodies the essence of Zawinul's brilliance as a composer, musician, and as a global citizen who embraced people around the world.
Conceived in 2004, the meticulous and painstaking project emphatically focuses on Zawinul's post-Weather Report music. From the exotic tribalism in "Bimoya" first recorded on My People (Escapade Music, 1996) to the energetic live performance of "Ice Pick Willy" with elements of soul jazz and fire-baptized gospel (inspired by a one time gangster friend who had an affinity for ice picks), the recording is a microcosm of life.
Järvi conducts his Absolute Ensemble through inspired performances with verdant strings, ethnic voices, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Zawinul, a true master keyboardist, was equally impressive whether providing an ethereal solo intro on the touching "Ballad For Two Musicians" or showing his signature vocoder skills on "Sultan" a thrilling tribute to the late Ottoman Empire and "Great Empire" dedicated to Japan.
Insightful liner notes, written by Järvi reveal poignant insights into the project. A video is also included with live coverage and behind the scenes footage. In the words of his son Erich, "Joseph Eric Zawinul was born in Earth time 7 July 1932 and was born in Eternity time 11 September 2007." His music will live on as well. ~ Mark F. Turner, AAJ

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Absolute Ensemble / Absolute Zawinul
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