"8:30" is the second live album by the influential jazz fusion group Weather Report, released in 1979 by ARC/Columbia Records. The title "8:30" refers to the time of the evening when their concerts typically started.
The album was well-received commercially, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart and No. 47 on the Billboard 200 chart, showcasing Weather Report's growing popularity and influence within the jazz fusion genre during the late 1970s.
"8:30" also garnered critical acclaim and won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance. The album captured Weather Report's dynamic live performances, featuring complex compositions, virtuosic improvisation, and a blend of jazz, rock, and electronic elements that characterized their distinctive sound.
Tracks on "8:30" include reworked versions of earlier Weather Report compositions such as "Black Market", "Birdland", and "A Remark You Made", showcasing the band's evolution and creative reinterpretation of their studio recordings in a live setting.
Overall, "8:30" stands as a testament to Weather Report's prowess as both studio musicians and live performers, solidifying their status as one of the foremost bands in jazz fusion history. The album's Grammy win underscored its importance in the genre and its impact on subsequent generations of musicians exploring the boundaries of jazz and fusion music.
