Weather Report - Heavy Weather (1977)

I've always been a huge Weather Report fan, and 'Heavy Weather', which features the late Jaco Pastorius's finest contributions to the band, has long been a particular favourite of mine. I remember playing the LP at least once a week at one stage; so familiar did I become with the music that when I was bored and away from home, I'd just let it play in my head — from the first track to the last — and get exhilarated.

This is what fusion should be — an astute amalgamation of jazz, pop, funk and Latin influences that never fails to fascinate on each hearing. While Pastorius's singing fretless bass anchors many of the tunes, including the popular 'Birdland', it's the incredibly precise and tight interaction among the players that makes the whole album such a joy to listen to. The uninitiated should start here.