Weather Report was one of the most influential jazz-fusion groups of their era, and outlasted many of its contemporaries such as Herbie Hancock's Headhunters and The Mahavishnu Orchestra. Despite many personnel changes over its 16 year lifespan, they continued to create groundbreaking music under the guidance of Joe Zawinul.

Bandmembers Zawinul, Shorter and Moreira all played the bands of Miles Davis and at first Weather Report was a direct extension of Miles' In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew period.

But when bassist Jaco Pastorius became a bandmember in 1976, Weather Report entered their most popular phase including the release of Black Market. This sixth album is influenced greatly by African music. Combined with jazz we could describe this genre as 'world fusion'.