Along with John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, and Return to Forever, Weather Report stands as one of the most influential and groundbreaking fusion groups of the 1970s. Co-led by pianist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Weather Report paved the way for a great deal of the jazz-rock experimentation that would follow. Combining elements of progressive rock and ambient music with heavy doses of '60s-era Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Weather Report's I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC is a stunning amalgamation of musical styles.

The album is made up of both studio tracks and live cuts from a 1972 concert in Tokyo, Japan. This is unabashed, raw, and aggressive music--fusion in the best sense. Featuring the stream-of-consciousness improvisations of Shorter and the wide sonic landscapes of Zawinul, studio tracks "Unknown Soldier" and "The Moors" stand out for their abstract use of musical color. The live tunes "Medley" and "Directions" feature extended jams and conversational solos between Shorter and Zawinul. Zawinul solos on a heavily distorted Rhodes electric piano throughout, mimicking a guitar, and reinforcing Weather Report's reputation for bold, unconventional music.

Rolling Stone (4/27/72, p.55) - "...a beautiful, near-perfect LP...what we have here is a group that has reorganized the role of traditional rhythm section in an unusual way..."

Mojo (Publisher) (p.126) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[F]iercely experimental....This remains a significant milestone in the Weather Report canon."