Production Update 2023 – Fan participation requested!

Hello Weather Report fans!

We’re happy to announce that we’re currently reinvigorating the This is This Film project. We made a lot of progress recording interviews before the pandemic and we’re happy to be back in the swing of things. We’re in the process of looking for archival materials for the film. If you have any of the following materials that include Weather Report band members/performances, etc., please reach out to us at production@thisisthisfilm.com

  • Videos
  • Photographs
  • Audio recordings
  • Memos
  • Posters
  • Letters
  • Tickets

Thanks very much and we look forward to updating you on the status of the project in the months ahead!

Update on Production 1/11/18

Hello, everyone. Thank you for following this page to keep up with news about our documentary; your support of Weather Report and this project has been so enthusiastic and generous and we wouldn’t have gotten this far without you! Thanks to your contributions, we have been able to fund interviews with Wayne Shorter, Clive Davis, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock and more!

Our most recent interview with Miroslav Vitous in November 2017 was a phenomenal success and just one of many fantastic interviews with musicians that we’ll feature in our film.

As you may know, we had some issues with our 2013/2014 Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign in which some of our contributors did not receive the perks they were promised; we have been working diligently to remedy these issues as they are brought to our attention.

As a few years have passed since the campaign, we have set a deadline for contributors to contact us about missing perks: January 31, 2018 11:59pm PST. Please contact us at deanna.siegel8@gmail.com by that date if you would like an unresolved perk issue to be addressed or if you have any questions about the documentary project.

Thank you and Happy New Year!

Update on Production 9/27/17

A note from the director, Tony Zawinul:

We’d like to take a moment to thank everyone who has contributed to the production of This is This so far; the $60,000 we raised from Indiegogo enabled us to get the project off the ground.  Right now, we’re working on transcribing interviews as well as gathering footage, audio and photos dating from 1930 to 1983.  In order to continue to pursue the production, however, we’re going to need to raise at least $300,000 more to shoot more interviews as well as pay for music rights, editing etc. and we’re currently working on securing that funding.  Once again we’d like to thank all supporters; this production is moving forward and it will be made.

Upcoming Interview – The Manhattan Transfer

Sherry Rayn Barnett photo The Manhattan Transfer, with Janis Siegel, Trist Curless, Cheryl Bentyne and Alan Paul, from left, are to perform on May 31, 2015, at Schultz Cultural Arts Hall at Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto.

We are happy to announce an upcoming interview with legendary vocal group, The Manhattan Transfer (Janis Siegel, Trist Curless, Cheryl Bentyne & Alan Paul), on Saturday, Feburary 11th, which will be featured in our documentary, This is This.  The band will discuss their experiences working with Weather Report and singing the Grammy hit, “Birdland.”

Bruce Botnick Interview

THIS IS THIS Documentary UPDATE! We just interviewed the iconic sound engineer/producer Bruce Botnick who -not everyone remembers, is behind the “Tale Spinnin'” album. Botnick has been influential to shaping rock and pop music since the mid-60s and he is mostly renowned for his collaboration with the Doors. Check it out!

 

An excerpt from the March issue of the Los Angeles Jazz Scene

Read an excerpt from the March issue of the Los Angeles Jazz Scene which talks about the new Weather Report 4-Disc set.

 

JAZZ AROUND TOWN

By Scott Yanow

 

NEW WEATHER REPORT

Weather Report was the longest lasting of the major fusion groups, surviving for 16 years (1970-86). Co-led by keyboardist Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter (soprano and tenor), it started out as an almost avant-garde electric group. Weather Report found its way when Alphonso Johnson was its bassist; he added grooves to the band’s sound. Weather Report was at its height during 1976-81 when Jaco Pastorius was its electric bassist. By 1978, Peter Erskine had become its permanent drummer and the band had a major hit in “Birdland.”

The Legendary Live Tapes 1978-81 is a four-CD set of previously unreleased concert performances. Percussionist Robert Thomas Jr. is with the group on two of the CDs but otherwise it is the classic quartet. To say that this is a major release would be an understatement. These live versions of Weather Report’s repertoire of the era often top the studio renditions by having higher energy, longer solos, and exciting ensembles. Each of the musicians get solo features (Pastorius’ are typically stunning) and there are new and stirring versions of such songs as “Sightseeing,” “Three Views Of A Secret,” “Birdland,” “A Remark You Made,” “Night Passage,” Duke Ellington’s “Rockin’ In Rhythm,” “Black Market,” “Teen Town” and a 21-minute “Gibraltar.” The music is well-recorded, the band was clearly inspired by playing before large audiences, and the attractive booklet has extensive liner notes by Peter Erskine.

This box, available from www.legacyrecordings.com, is a must for anyone interested in Weather Report and classic fusion.

RECEIVE A SIGNED COPY OF WEATHER REPORT, THE LEGENDARY TAPES: 1978-1981

Don’t miss this exceptional chance to support our documentary! The first 20 supporters who contribute $100.00 will receive a copy of the latest CD release “Weather Report, the Legendary Live Tapes: 1978-1981” autographed by Wayne Shorter.

http://www.thisisthisfilm.com/product/supporter-wayne-shorter-signed-copy/

Peter Erskine on KCRW’s Rhythm Planet

Listen to Peter Erskine chat with Tom Schnabel on KCRW’s Rhythm Planet.  Peter talks about the new Weather Report 4 CD set, as well as his time with Weather Report.

 

http://blogs.kcrw.com/rhythmplanet/show-141-weather-report-the-legendary-live-tapes-1978-1981/

Bernie Fromm Interview

That “old road dog,” Bernie Fromm, sat down with the This is This crew for a revealing look at the mechanics of putting on a weather report show. Bernie, an old school sound man, equally adept at building a stage rig, hot wiring a fork lift (when necessary) and manning a 24 track board in a pinch, handled the engineering duties on Domino Theory and ran the house sound on two world tours – 1984/1985. Like a deckhand on the Titanic, he lived to tell the tale

 

Tony Zawinul interview on KPFK with Maggie LePique

Take a listen to Tony Zawinul speaking with Maggie LePique on KPFK about the new Weather Report Box Set.