Miroslav Vitous Archives

Miroslav Vitous. A legendary musician. A true innovator of the bass. Those are facts. Vitous attended the Prague Conservatory (where he played with Jan Hammer long before either of them were stars), which led him to Berklee College of Music. In the mid sixties Miroslav moved to New York, and found himself in the middle of one of the most...

Weather Report founding bassist Miroslav Vitous is revisiting his old band’s work on his latest album, Music of Weather Report. Czech bassist Vitous assembled a sextet to play the music of the famed fusion band, which he left in 1973. (His replacement was Alfonso Johnson, who was in turn, replaced by Jaco Pastorius). The result is a set shimmering with...

Weather Report’s 1973 album, Sweetnighter, has been released in a 180-gram vinyl audiophile limited edition. The record, the legendary jazz fusion group’s fourth, features two bassists — founding bassist Miroslav Vitous (who handles both acoustic and electric bass here, on what would be his last album as the group’s principal bassist) and multi-instrumentalist Andrew White on electric bass. The vinyl...

The record that set the bar higher for orchestral jazz, Gary Burton’s has been reissued after being mastered from the original analog recordings. Originally released in 1973, the record featured vibraharp player Burton, with jazz bassist extraordinaire Steve Swallow, guitarist Michael Goodrick, drummer Ted Seibs, and the NDR-Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Gibbs, who also composed the music inspired by...

Columbia Records “Complete” box set series rolls on this summer with the introduction of another Weather Report-focused release. Weather Report: The Complete Columbia Albums 1971-1975 kicks off with the legendary group’s original line up, anchored by bassist Miroslav Vitous, and ends up the group’s second incarnation, with bassist Alphonso Johnson. The set packages together remastered versions of Weather Report’s first...

Weather Report emerged thanks in large part to the late-60’s music of Miles Davis, particularly Bitches Brew. It was on that session (and In A Silent Way) that the band’s cofounders – Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter – first collaborated. Soon after, the first iteration of Weather Report came together, anchored by bassist Miroslav Vitous. Here’s the band in 1971,...

Continuing in their celebration of the 40th anniversary of the 1971 founding of Weather Report, the estate of Joe Zawinul is releasing their second of three new releases this year. Weather Report: Live in Cologne 1983 is now out in the U.S. on DVD and double CD. Live in Cologne features the group’s final line up, including Victor Bailey on...

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of Weather Report, by Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter. To help celebrate, the Zawinul estate is releasing Weather Report: Live in Berlin 1975, a comprehensive box set featuring the group’s performance at 1975 Jazzstage Berlin. The CD/DVD set features Weather Report’s 1975 line-up, with Alphonso Johnson on bass, drummer Chester Thompson...

During the 1993 Jazz Gipfel Stuttgart festival, bassist Miroslav Vitous, drummer Peter Erskine and saxophonist Jan Garbarek joined forces to perform the event. Here’s a short clip of their performance, starting with a tasty bass solo by Vitous, followed by a drum solo by Erskine. The group recorded one album together, , back in 1991.

A 1971 performance of Weather Report, originally broadcast on the German TV show “Beat Club” has made its way to DVD. Released this week, Weather Report: Live in Hamburg 1971 features the early line-up of the group including bassist Miroslav Vitous, co-founding members Joe Zawinul (keyboards) and Wayne Shorter (sax), with Alphonse Mouzon on drums an Dom Um Romao on...

Yesterday, we featured a video from Joe Zawinul’s later years. Today, we go back 38+ years, to a Weather Report video shot in 1971. This performance took place at the NDR Jazz Workshop, with Zawinul on keys, Miroslav Vitous on bass, Wayne Shorter on sax, Alphonse Mouzon on drums, Dom Um Romao on percussion, Eje Thelin on trombone, John Surman...

Here’s a nice video of Miroslav Vitous performing a solo piece, “My Foolish Heart”, in Vienna in 2005.