Joe Zawinul facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Zawinul
|
|
|---|---|
Zawinul in 2007
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Josef Erich Zawinul |
| Born | 7 July 1932 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | 11 September 2007 (aged 75) Vienna, Austria |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, world |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Keyboards |
| Years active | 1949–2007 |
| Labels | Columbia, ESC |
| Associated acts | Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley, Miles Davis, Weather Report, The Zawinul Syndicate |
Josef Erich Zawinul (born July 7, 1932 – died September 11, 2007) was an amazing Austrian musician. He played keyboards and wrote music. Joe Zawinul became famous for his jazz music. He was one of the people who helped create a new type of music called jazz fusion. This style mixes jazz with rock music.
He also started two important bands: Weather Report and The Zawinul Syndicate. Joe Zawinul was a pioneer in using electric piano and synthesizer in jazz. He was even named "Best Electric Keyboardist" 28 times by DownBeat magazine!
Contents
About Joe Zawinul
His Early Life and Music Journey
Joe Zawinul grew up in Vienna, Austria. His first instrument was the accordion. When he was six or seven, he started learning clarinet, violin, and piano at the Vienna Conservatory. In the 1950s, he worked as a pianist for Polydor Records. He also played jazz with other musicians like Hans Koller.
In 1959, Joe moved to the United States to study music. But soon after, he got a job offer from a famous bandleader, Maynard Ferguson. So, he left school and went on tour. He then played with singer Dinah Washington. For most of the 1960s, he played with the Cannonball Adderley band. During this time, he wrote popular songs like "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy". He also started using the electric piano.
Later, he recorded music with the legendary Miles Davis. This was when Miles Davis was creating jazz fusion, which blends jazz with rock music. Joe Zawinul was a big part of this new sound.
Creating Weather Report
In 1970, Joe Zawinul started a band called Weather Report with Wayne Shorter. At first, their music was very free and improvised, like Miles Davis's rock-influenced jazz. But Joe Zawinul began to change their sound.
With their third album, Sweetnighter, they started adding funk music elements. They used bass guitar and a wah-wah pedal. By their fourth album, Mysterious Traveller, their songs were more structured, like classical music. This mix of jazz and 1970s groove made the band very popular.
Their biggest hit was Joe Zawinul's song "Birdland" from the 1977 album Heavy Weather. This song became one of the most famous jazz pieces of the 1970s. Many other artists, like The Manhattan Transfer and Quincy Jones, recorded it. "Birdland" helped Joe Zawinul win three Grammys.
Weather Report continued playing until the mid-1980s. Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter were the only members who stayed in the band the whole time. After many successful years, they recorded their final album, This Is This!.
In 1991, Joe Zawinul received an honorary music degree from Berklee College of Music.
The Zawinul Syndicate
In 1988, Joe Zawinul formed a new jazz fusion band called The Zawinul Syndicate. This band grew out of his work with Weather Report.
Their music was known for its unique rhythms and grooves. They also borrowed sounds and ideas from many different music cultures around the world. Joe Zawinul said he named it "The Syndicate" because it felt more like a family than just a band.
After Joe Zawinul passed away in 2007, some members of The Zawinul Syndicate continued to play his music. They called themselves "The Syndicate."
Some of the talented musicians who played in The Zawinul Syndicate over the years include Scott Henderson, Richard Bona, and Victor Bailey.
Stories of the Danube
Joe Zawinul also wrote a symphony called Stories of the Danube. A symphony is a long piece of music for an orchestra. This symphony was first performed in 1993 in Linz, Austria.
The symphony has seven parts. It tells the story of the Danube River, following its path from its start in Germany through different countries until it reaches the Black Sea. It was recorded in 1995 by the Czech State Philharmonic Orchestra.
His Passing
Joe Zawinul became ill in 2007 after a five-week music tour in Europe. He was taken to a hospital in Vienna, Austria. He passed away a little over a month later, on September 11, 2007. He died from a rare type of skin cancer. His ashes were buried in the Vienna Central Cemetery.
See also
In Spanish: Joe Zawinul para niños
