From the early to mid-1970s saw some of the most adventurous and satisfying work of Weather Report's entire lifespan. It's these recordings - Weather Report, "I Sing the Body Electric", "Live In Tokyo", "Sweetnighter", "Mysterious Traveller" and "Tale Spinnin'" - that established Weather Report as one of the seminal fusion ensembles of the era, alongside such brethren bands as the Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Headhunters, and Return To Forever. The brainchild of the keyboardist and composer Joe Zawinul and the saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter, Weather Report, in it's early incarnations, also featured two brilliant bassists - first, Miroslav Vitous, followed by Alphonso Johnson - and a host of top-notch drummers and percussionists.

Blending free form improvisation within a heady atmosphere that balanced lyrical flights of fancy with the bite of rock-textured sonics, the early albums announced the emergence of a daring band to be reckoned with. "Live In Tokyo", heard here in it's entirety, gave notice that Weather Report wasn't afraid to turn up the juice and rock an audience, while the critically acclaimed triumvirate of "Sweetnighter", "Mysterious Traveller" and "Tale Spinnin'", with new bassist Johnson onboard, introduced funk and R&B to the mix and solidified the bands reputation as possibly the most creative of contemporary fusion units. With remastered sound and authoritative liner notes by Bill Milkowski, Weather Report: The Columbia Albums 1971-1975, is also noteworthy for the inclusion of the complete "Live In Tokyo", which captures the band at a peak performance in 1972.