It is program work, rooted in an established form. The pieces are long, dynamic interactions—darting and daring, yet graceful. Juxtapositions abound: Dom Um Romao's energetic percussion collection churning against Wayne Shorter's arid soprano sax; Miroslav Vitous' open bass riffs fitted between Eric Gravatt's solid drumming; Joe Zawinul's synthesizer and electric piano bleeding into the acoustic mix.

The musical competitiveness gives the album an underlying sense of aggression, even in quieter numbers like "Will" or "Manolete." But they now rock more, using their electronics to direct the intensity of music, distinguishing it in the process from the style of their previous albums.

Weather Report's true musical peers are groups like the Mahavishnu Orchestra and the Herbie Hancock Sextet. Like them, they fuse rock, jazz and electronics into a descriptive music that is brilliantly innovative and accessible. In this they seem to me the epitome of a significant avant-garde trend. (RS 141)

JUD ROSEBUSH