Weather Report's debut album "Weather Report" (1971) caused a sensation in the jazz world on its arrival, due to the various talents of the group's members and their unorthodox approach to their music. The album featured a softer sound than would be the case in later years, predominantly using acoustic bass, with Shorter exclusively playing soprano saxophone. It built on the" avant-garde" experiments which Zawinul and Shorter had pioneered with Miles Davis on "Bitches Brew", including an avoidance of head-and-chorus composition in favor of continuous rhythm and movement. "DownBeat" magazine described the album as "music beyond category".