The tracks were recorded on July 12 and 13, 1980, at The Complex studios in Los Angeles (before a crowd of 250 people who can be heard on a couple of tracks),[1] except for "Madagascar", recorded live at the Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan on June 29 of the same year.

The album introduces a new member to the band, percussionist Robert Thomas Jr. Night Passage dials back the elaborate production of some of Weather Report's earlier releases (most notably 1978's Mr. Gone).

Richard S. Ginell of AllMusic wrote: "All things being relative, this is Weather Report's straight-ahead album, where the elaborate production layers of the late-'70s gave way to sparer textures and more unadorned solo improvisation in the jazz tradition, electric instruments and all.

"[2] Don Heckman of High Fidelity called Night Passage "one of the finest albums Weather Report has ever made".

[7] Night Passage was Grammy-nominated in the category of Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental.