Sportin' Life is the thirteenth studio album by American jazz fusion band Weather Report which was released in June 1985 through Columbia Records. Although featuring many more vocal performances than any of their previous studio albums, words are rare and most vocals are chants from guest musicians such as Bobby McFerrin or Carl Anderson. The album is named after a character from Porgy and Bess. Sportin' Life was to have been the last Weather Report studio album, but due to contractual obligations with Columbia the band had to release a follow-up, This Is This!, in 1986.
Contents
Track listing
All tracks composed by Joe Zawinul, except where indicated.
Side one
"Corner Pocket" – 5:46
"Indiscretions" – 4:05
"Hot Cargo" – 4:41
"Confians" (Mino Cinélu) – 5:07
Side two
"Pearl On the Half Shell" (Wayne Shorter) – 4:06
"What's Going On" (Renaldo Benson, Alfred Cleveland, Marvin Gaye) – 6:29
"Face on the Barroom Floor" (Shorter) – 3:59
"Ice-Pick Willy" – 5:00
Personnel
Weather Report
Joe Zawinul – keyboards
Wayne Shorter – saxophones
Omar Hakim – drums, background vocals (track 4)
Victor Bailey – bass, background vocals (track 4)
Mino Cinélu – percussion, lead vocals and acoustic guitar on (track 4)
Additional musicians
Bobby McFerrin – vocalist (tracks 1, 3, 5, 8)
Carl Anderson – vocalist (tracks 1, 3, 8)
Dee Dee Bellson – vocalist (tracks 1, 3, 8)
Alfie Silas – voice (tracks 1, 3, 8)
Production
Howard Siegel – engineer
Tony Lane, Nancy Donald – art direction
Jerry McDonald – album artwork