Wayne Shorter compositions

[shadowhillway]

I am starting this thread because I have a need to state the following.

I believe Wayne Shorter is a genius.

I am absolutely sick and tired of his composition "Footprints". If I never hear it again in my life, I will die happy. It is by far Wayne's least interesting composition. There are so many other Wayne compositions that are far more interesting than that one. I wish people would shut the hell up about "Footprints", leave it in the past where it belongs, and not attract more attention to it by naming their Wayne biographies after it. People need to focus on the important things in life, like Atlantis, Phantom Navigator, Joy Ryder, and High Life. Covering Footprints should be a crime punishable by death, in my humble opinion, because it shows absolute no imagination and understanding of Wayne's body of work. I would like to leave my own footprints on the dead horse that is "Footprints" by beating it with "The Three Marias" and "Virgo Rising".

Thank you.

[mrjazzman]

don't care for w.m., started out artistic, ended up commercial. w.m's type of hard bop jazz tries to get people who are on the fence to like jazz. either you like this shit or you dont.................

[7/4]

But Footprints is so easy to play.

[Rooster_Ties]

Masqualero!!

[ep1str0phy]

I wish people would shut the hell up about "Footprints", leave it in the past where it belongs, and not attract more attention to it by naming their Wayne biographies after it. People need to focus on the important things in life, like Atlantis, Phantom Navigator, Joy Ryder, and High Life. Covering Footprints should be a crime punishable by death, in my humble opinion, because it shows absolute no imagination and understanding of Wayne's body of work. I would like to leave my own footprints on the dead horse that is "Footprints" by beating it with "The Three Marias" and "Virgo Rising".

I have a feeling that you're going to love it here.

[bertrand]

Ironically, the paperback edition (due in February) of the aforementioned biography will contain an inventory of Wayne's compositions that Michelle and I put together. I make no claims that it is complete (even Wayne himself could not make a complete list) but there are many surprises.

Bertrand.

Edited December 19, 2006 by bertrand

[bertrand]

I've just been listening to a 'private recording' of a show from the Phantom Navigator tour. There is a stunning version of 'Plaza Real' that is totally different from Weather Report's. I love the way Wayne transforms his pieces until they are nearly unrecognizable (e.g. 'Orbits'). No sticking safely to the record for him.

His quote about a composition never being finished makes total sense in this context.

Bertrand.

[Soul Stream]

I'm kind of tired the modern day jazz crew only digging Wayne compositions. They're playing "Penelope" before they can play a blues or ballad worth hearing. And by the way, Footprints is a great song that has been butchered for years. Put on the version on Adam's Apple to remind yourself what a great composition it is and what can be don with it.

[GregK]

I've never tired of Footprints. Great tune

[JSngry]

Great tune, but I agree it's become a cliche. Too much of a good thing, etc...

I still get the hardon for "Elegant People".

[sal]

Masqualero!!

Yes! And Deluge.

[Joe G]

don't care for w.m., started out artistic, ended up commercial. w.m's type of hard bop jazz tries to get people who are on the fence to like jazz. either you like this shit or you dont.................

Was this meant for the Wynton thread?

[clifford_thornton]

I have no problem with "Footprints," but maybe I've heard it less often than some folks. Or I'm just naive.

[BruceH]

don't care for w.m., started out artistic, ended up commercial. w.m's type of hard bop jazz tries to get people who are on the fence to like jazz. either you like this shit or you dont.................

Did you mean "w.s."? The thread is about Wayne Shorter.

[jazzbo]

Last couple of years my mind has been sort of bored or just not interested in Wayne Shorter compositions and in a large part performances.

Just a phase. I've come to crave more and more down and dirty earthiness and less and less serpentine abstractness. Will probably change in a year or so and I'll be on a big Wayne kick.

[Guy Berger]

I have no problem with "Footprints," but maybe I've heard it less often than some folks. Or I'm just naive.

Same here. But I also haven't encountered many versions that didn't feature Wayne.

Guy

[clifford_thornton]

Strangely, it's taken me until fairly recently to appreciate Wayne's book, especially the earlier part of it. I'm not really going to comment on the Weather Report era or after, since that's not really music I've spent much time with. But I can say his work in the '60s outside of Miles has been knocking me out more and more, as has a good chunk of the Miles material. I always thought it was "nice," but he's been eclipsing that adjective recently.

[BruceH]

Last couple of years my mind has been sort of bored or just not interested in Wayne Shorter compositions and in a large part performances.

Just a phase. I've come to crave more and more down and dirty earthiness and less and less serpentine abstractness. Will probably change in a year or so and I'll be on a big Wayne kick.

I know what you mean! Often, when I cool off on someone, later on I get back into them in a bigger way than ever.

[shadowhillway]

They're playing "Penelope" before they can play a blues or ballad worth hearing.

Would you prefer that they start with "El Gaucho" instead?

[Guy Berger]

They're playing "Penelope" before they can play a blues or ballad worth hearing.

So what?

Guy

[Big Al]

Last couple of years my mind has been sort of bored or just not interested in Wayne Shorter compositions and in a large part performances.

Just a phase. I've come to crave more and more down and dirty earthiness and less and less serpentine abstractness. Will probably change in a year or so and I'll be on a big Wayne kick.

Same here!

[Elissa]

Once I met Wayne, at the Montreal fest a few years back. I mentioned that each of his compositions was like a different room in the Wayne mansion in my mind & Danilo Perez, who's a friend, told me that he and Wayne stayed up late talking about that, eating ribs.

Did I mention? I love Wayne's compositions.

[shadowhillway]

Once I met Wayne, at the Montreal fest a few years back. I mentioned that each of his compositions was like a different room in the Wayne mansion in my mind & Danilo Perez, who's a friend, told me that he and Wayne stayed up late talking about that, eating ribs.

That's not surprising. He probably loved the metaphor. It's like something he would say!

[Michael Weiss]

I'm a big fan of Wayne and his influence on my composing has been tremendous. I know Atlantis, Phantom Navigator, Joy Ryder and High Life inside out. I'm as big a cheerleader of post-WeatherReport Wayne as anyone, but that's no reason to knock any of his older tunes, Footprints included. It's a beautiful tune and will always be one. And if it's become enormously popular, that's something to celebrate and not bemoan. For a great version of Footprints:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXczdXC1HZM

Dig the introduction!

If any of you are tired of this tune, it's YOUR fault. Wayne is writing new music all the time, and if on occasion he reaches into his older repertoire, the piece is always reinvented. Check out "Children of the Night" on High Life or "Orbits" from Alegria. Don't blame the (Jazz) Messenger.

Edited January 7, 2007 by Michael Weiss

[shadowhillway]

I'm as big a cheerleader of post-WeatherReport Wayne as anyone, but that's no reason to knock any of his older tunes, Footprints included. It's a beautiful tune and will always be one. (...) If any of you are tired of this tune, it's YOUR fault.

Hey Michael,

Don't mind me and my trolling.

I'll listen to Wayne play anything he damn well pleases all day long!