Editing Weather Report (section)

===1974–1975: Further into groove===
Vitouš' replacement was the Philadelphian electric bass guitarist [[Alphonso Johnson]] (formerly a sideman for the pop-fusion player [[Chuck Mangione]]). Recruited by Shorter, Johnson was a supple player more than capable of providing the funk element which Zawinul desired. He was also an early advocate of the [[Chapman Stick]], which he can be heard playing on some of the live Weather Report recordings of the period.

According to Zawinul, new drummer Ishmael Wilburn apparently "lost heart" on tour (despite performing well in the studio). To shore up the music, the band hired another drummer, Darryl Brown, to play alongside him. At the end of the tour, both Wilburn and Brown left the band (as did Dom Um Romão) and Weather Report was, once again, drummerless.

For the next set of studio sessions, Weather Report added a new Brazilian percussionist (Alyrio Lima) and a new drummer, [[Leon "Ndugu" Chancler]].

The new album, ''[[Tale Spinnin']]'', was released in 1975. It was the first Weather Report album to feature a consistent rhythm section (rather than a varied set of drummers, percussionists, and bass players) since their debut. The album also made further strides in using technological improvements in synthesizers, even making use of the gigantic studio-based [[TONTO]] array.

During the same year, Shorter also recorded ''[[Native Dancer (album)|Native Dancer]]'' under his own name (with the Brazilian composer and vocalist [[Milton Nascimento]]). ''Tale Spinnin{{'}}'' won the ''[[DownBeat]]'' best album award for 1975 (the third Weather Report album to do so) and ''Native Dancer'' was the runner-up.