Wayne Shorter...

[tonym]

We all know how good he is. Luckily my discovery of Wayne wasn't that long after my initiation into the music, but still I find myself amazed at his skills, musicianship, feeling and, most importantly (IMO) for a tenor player, sound.

There's that track from Tale Spinnin', 'Gibraltar' I think, where he's all honking and vibrant. Then the whole of Speak No Evil. Obviously.

Hundreds of moments to choose from with Miles; 'Footprints', 'Country Son' and then taking the soprano into new territory with IASW. All great solos.

The recent live stuff too, is great.

Then he goes and wows me again. Last night I was listening to the Plugged Nickel set. Now I've heard various methods suggested as to how to listen to this set; let's face it, it is overwhelming being confronted by so much music of a potentially jaw-dropping standard, so I've just been picking out little selsctions for the last two months. I decided to dive in and listen in earnest. I heard this one chorus on 'My Funny Valentine' from the second set, I just had to listen to over and over. There are many more moments like this.

I know this has probably been covered to death, but I had to share it with you all.

Is there anybody who doesn't like him?

[JSngry]

Last night I was listening to the Plugged Nickel set....I heard this one chorus on 'My Funny Valentine' from the second set, I just had to listen to over and over.

From a gig overflowing with Incredible Wayne Moments, my personal favorite is his solo on "YEsterdays", from the last set/disc.

There are people who don't like him, as well as people who only like certain portions of his work, but count me as neither. That's not to say that I like all of his work equally, or that there haven't been the occasional moments when his work, by his own standards, fell a little (or more) short of the mark. But I'll take a chance on anything that Wayne Shorter is involved in, from any period of his career. He's "one of those guys" for me.

[A Lark Ascending]

Cricket?

[Bright Moments]

i love wayne, but IMHO, this one is the contractual obligation album!

[sidewinder]

Cricket?

I bet he bowls googlies !

[A Lark Ascending]

He can certainly play Mah Jong.

[Bright Moments]

his current group with brian blade, john patitucci and danilo perez, WOW!!!

[brownie]

Not very often mentioned is Wayne Shorter's contribution to the 'Identity' session by Airto on Arista. An oustanding album. Shorter does not play much on it but his soprano solo on 'Wake Up Song' is a little gem!

[GregK]

he's what, now, in his 70s? And Footprints Live is one of the his best releases. Amazing to be so creative for so long

[Alon Marcus]

Wayne is one of my favorite musicians of all styles and eras. Every record he produced in the 60s till he went to Weather Report is a gem.

I know that many people don't like what he started to do from mid seventies and onwards. Especially his 80s output and things like his album "High Life". I can understand why but I don't feel that way about this stuff. It is very interesting for me cause he kept developing his compositional skills and those records contain many intriguing arrangements. They are more scientific and less natural than the Blue Note's but nevertheless I find his playing and compositions fascinating.

He has a distinctive soprano sound, powerful and penetrating. One of my favorite solos ever is the one he played on the album "Power of Three" with Petrucciani and Hall.

[Kari S]

Even the solo on Steely Dan's "Aja" is pure bliss. And the story goes that he just walked in the studio, saw the chords, listened a bit of the "mood" of the song and then just nailed it in one take. I'm a fan of him from the early Blakey stuff all the way to "Footprints Live". Well maybe not "Atlantis" or "High Life". I'm not feeling that album with Milton Nascimento, either. I guess he's in a way a lot like my man H.H. there - hasn't really played a bad solo, ever.

The greatest way to appreciate him is to hear/see him play live IMHO. The guy's over 70 y.o. and sounds better than ever. And the way he shows restraint in picking just the right time (and the notes) to play his horn during a tune is totally wonderful.

[tonym]

Cricket?

I can just see him weilding his soprano around in a big arc, but he wouldn't send the ball for six; it'd do some gracefully circuitous route through the bowler's legs and up around their ears.

It would, needless to say, land on an intended spot.

Great to hear everyone's appreciation of him.

Keep it going.

[Guy Berger]

We had an interesting discussion about Wayne's playing last year.

Guy

[GregK]

Even the solo on Steely Dan's "Aja" is pure bliss. And the story goes that he just walked in the studio, saw the chords, listened a bit of the "mood" of the song and then just nailed it in one take.

I've read a completely different version of this song's recording: he did 15 different takes and they spliced together the best of them

[nemo7]

His work on Motto Grosso Feio, I feel, stands still.

[tonym]

We had an interesting discussion about Wayne's playing last year.

Guy

I avoided the 'search' function Guy, knowing I would be bombarded with past posts, but thanks, I'll check that out.

I really wanted to say, and I don't think I actually did, that it's been a while since I was as chuffed at hearing something really amazing.

Thanks all.

[Cali]

Looking back through Wayne's discography, my opinion of his music is much like an old family friend's description of his fondness for pork; "I like the pig from the rooter to the tooter"!

[Guest che]

For me the greatest living jazz composer.

Che.

[keberobeats88]

WHEEE WAYNE SHORTER:

Db13, Db13, Ab13, C#13, 13 13 13 13 13 13......7..... 13