Album of the week: Wayne Shorter - The All Seeing

[AfricaBrass]

As discussed in a previous thread: Album of the week thread, we have launched the Organissimo Forums Album of the Week. Hopefull we can all spend the next week digesting this record and we can write reviews of it.

The person who picks the cd for this week will nominate the person who will pick the cd for next week. Jazzmoose picked this week's title and nominated Peter Johnson to pick the album for next week.

The album of the week for March 30 - April 5 as picked by Jazzmoose is:

Wayne Shorter - The All Seeing Eye (click to buy)

___________________________________

Past albums of the week:

March 23-29: Donald Byrd - Byrd in Hand

Edited March 30, 2006 by Jim Alfredson

[Clunky]

Must listen again to this one. From memory it wasnt nearly as outside as some BNBB posters suggested. A bit like Evolution in that respect.

[tonym]

Fantastic album, light years ahead of its time (despite many forward thinking releases at that time).

That dark insistant rhythm going on throughout Mephistopheles draws me in every time i hear it.

Superb band, great compositions, wacky liner notes and it's on BN as we used to know it.

What more could you want.

[Rooster_Ties]

I often think that All Seeing Eye is my favorite Wayne Shorter album - something about it being a slightly larger group, with a three-horn front line - and how the tunes seem more organic, almost 'orchestral' in their building of tension and release.

I will definitely give this one a spin this week, and will gladly report back my findings.

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Damn, I just looked up the line-up (which I had kind of forgotten the details of), and I had totally forgotten that All Seeing Eye has a four-horn front line, not three: Hubbard, Moncur, and Spaulding - plus Wayne, and Herbie, Ron Carter, and Joe Chambers - shit, what a *GREAT* band.

Great choice for album of the week!!!

[Rooster_Ties]

I was just looking at the AMG, to see if anyone else had ever covered any of the tunes from All Seeing Eye (not at all likely, I know), but I did find one curiosity - a various artists disc (the soundtrack to some broadway production?) that appears to have the Shorter tune Face of the Deep on it (and I'm assuming it's probably the same recording as on the original All Seeing Eye). The album was this...

Link: Topdog/Underdog: Music From the Original Broadway

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Back to my original search - does anyone know of any remakes of any of the tunes off All Seeing Eye. 99% chance there aren't any, but it never hurts to ask.

Edited March 30, 2003 by Rooster_Ties

[J Larsen]

I always thought this record would have been a lot better if Wayne had gone with a smaller ensemble. I think it could have been a great quartet or quintet record. With seven musicians, I find that the focus and direction often gets confused. I know I'm definately going strongly against the grain here, but I have never considered this to be one his better BN sessions. As a person with "out" leanings, I guess that really puts me in the minority!

[J Larsen]

Rooster, you're right about Topdog/Underdog. They used the track from All Seeing Eye on the soundtrack. The play was a quite successful (but short-lived) Mos Def vehicle on Broadway. Mos had the starring role. He's a decent but not outstanding actor.

(For those wondering, Mos Def is an underground rap star.)

Edited March 30, 2003 by J Larsen

[Big Al]

I've tried to like this album; Lord knows I've tried.

I find that I enjoy moments on this album more than the album itself. I like the ensembles of "The All-Seeing Eye" more than the solos. I'ev never been able to sit through all of "Genesis" without getting bored. "Chaos" lives up to its title. "Face of the Deep" and "Mephistopheles" are my two favorite tracks, the former because it's a solo ballad for Wayne, the latter with its insistent rhythm and beautiful interplay between brothers Wayne and Alan.

This is also the album that almost permanently turned me off of James Spaulding. Hub Cap has since changed my opinion. But good gracious, some of the squeals he makes on this album make me hit the "next" button quickly!

Letter grade? Solid "B" (an average of "A" for effort and "C" for execution)

[JohnS]

I've lived with the vinyl for years but it was always overshadowed by Juju, Night Dreamer and Speak No Evil. The RVG edition was an opportunity to reappraise it. I rather like the larger ensemble and the added colours the arrangemnets provide. I feel though that the feel and the flow of the record is disrupted by Genesis and Face of the Deep. To me the players are uncomffortable with the free parts of Genesis. Shorter sounds less melodically disciplined than on the previously mentioned records.

Lots of good things though, Chambers' drumming throughout but especially on the title track and the channce to hear an original and fragile solo from Alan Shorter.

A good record then but not up the standard of the three classics I've already mentioned

[Clunky]

On re listenening to this I was really struck by the drumming. I wasn't familiar with the line up and assumed that it was Tony Williams propelling the title track along. Joe Chambers sustains much of the groove of that piece.

I would have thought that "Soothsayer" was BN title closest in feel if not structure to this one.

[John Tapscott]

I hadn't heard the album (which is what I have - an old Blue Note vinyl) for a while, but I think it's just terrific in every respect. I love the inside/outiside feel of the music - structure and focus in the compostions, but more freedom and openess for the solos - a great combination. There's just so much going on in every piece - the shfiting moods and rhythms, the ebb and flow, the ensembles and the solos, but to me it all hangs together so well. When it goes out, it's always with a certain sense of restraint (not a bad thing). But when it swings, it's with a sense of urgency that never settles into an easy groove. Yet this is not really an unsettling recording in any way, not even to me, whose ears seem more attuned to the straight-ahead. I hear a great sense of adventure in the music which I find very compelling.

Hancock is outstanding in his solos and comping (especially on Genesis) and Chambers shines throughout, helped by a very good recording quality. Hubbard leads the ensemble parts with power and solos beautifully. Moncur is very effective in his solo spots and I for one enjoy Sapudling's alto solo. Shorter's solos are unpredictable, yet to me are always logical and satisfying.

I find Chaos much more hard swinging than the title suggests. Genesis is perhaps my favorite piece, and the haunting mood and rhythms make Mephistopheles a really striking piece. (I must confess however, that I find Hubbard a much more effective brass player than Alan Shorter)

I have really enjoyed revisiting this album. Thanks for the suggestion.

In my opinion this is a 5 star recording, certainly one of Wayne's best.

[Peter Johnson]

Well, I haven't picked an album for the week of April 6-12 (although I'm close!), and even more of a mea culpa, I haven't even posted a review of All-Seeing Eye. But! I was perusing another thread, in with CJ Shearns said, "Maybe [Lee Morgan, "Live at the Lighthouse"] should be the album of the week next week." All right, CJ--you're on--you pick for the week of April 13-19!

Edited April 1, 2003 by Peter Johnson

[John Tapscott]

I'd hoped to see some more reviews of this album by now. Hopefully, many members are still listening and waiting until week's end to post their reviews. l I think this "album of the week" is a great idea. Let's not let it die from lack of interest.

[JohnS]

I'd like to see some more posts as I like the idea too. Is there a nominating process and a facilitator?

[Noj]

I'd try, but I don't have the album. I have Juju and Speak No Evil on order--they'll be my first Shorter-led cds.

[AfricaBrass]

I'd like to see some more posts as I like the idea too. Is there a nominating process and a facilitator?

So far, I've been acting as facilitator. Mostly in the sense of keeping the thread going every week, but if anybody wants to lead a discussion, that would be great.

I really want to keep this going too! Where we stand is that Peter Johnson still has to pick an album for next week and he has nominated CJ Shearns to pick the album for the following week. CJ Shearns will then nominate the person to pick the album for the week after his pick.

I'm waiting to review the album, just because there is so much to take in. I have been listening to it all week and really getting into it.

:rsmile:

[Peter Johnson]

John S:

As I understand it, the person who picked the first album nominated Africa Brass to pick the next album and the next person. Africa picked All-Seeing Eye for the album, and me to choose next week's album. I've prematurely chosen CJ to pick the album for the week after next, but I haven't made my album choice public yet! Then CJ will choose...and on it goes. Don't think a moderator per se is necessary....

[Peter Johnson]

Sorry, I'm an employee of the department of redundancy department.

[AfricaBrass]

John S:

As I understand it, the person who picked the first album nominated Africa Brass to pick the next album and the next person.  Africa picked All-Seeing Eye for the album, and me to choose next week's album.  I've prematurely chosen CJ to pick the album for the week after next, but I haven't made my album choice public yet!    Then CJ will choose...and on it goes.  Don't think a moderator per se is necessary....

If it matters.

I started this a couple weeks ago in another thread.

CD of the week thread

I made a post that the next person who posted could pick the first album.

That person was couw, who picked the Donald Byrd and couw nominated Jazzmoose to pick the next album.

Jazzmoose chose the All Seeing Eye and nominated Peter Johnson, etc...

That's how we got here.

I'm just saying this so I can still be nominated in the future. I would love the chance to pick something too.

I have been starting the threads each week, just to help. I'd be happy to continue doing so.

:rsmile:

Edited April 2, 2003 by AfricaBrass

[Parkertown]

Still listening...once all the way through the other day. I want to give at least one more listen first before contributing. But I wanted to say that this one went right over my head when I first picked it up. It has only been in the last 4-5 listens that it is really starting to open up for me. I'm really diggin' it! Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere! B)

[AfricaBrass]

I'm listening to it right now and it occurs to me this album may be a reason why BN created the Connoisseur series in the first place. It truly is uncommericial, but this is a special record. It's taken me a long time to warm up to it, but I find that I'm appreciating it more with each listen. I'm amazed the re-released it as a RVG.

I find that I keep playing the individual tracks over and over again, because I get into different things with each listening. Sometimes a song ends, but I'm not ready for it to end.

:rsmile:

[J.A.W.]

Question to all: what to do if you don't like or even hate "the album of the week",

1. keep one's mouth shut and refrain from posting; or

2. simply post "yuck"; or

3. politely but firmly say "this is not quite my cup of tea" (posh accent not required ).

[pryan]

Question to all: what to do if you don't like or even hate "the album of the week",

1. keep one's mouth shut and refrain from posting; or

2. simply post "yuck"; or

3. politely but firmly say "this is not quite my cup of tea" (posh accent not required ).

Or, you could speak your mind and say why you don't like the album in question. That would be far more interesting and would stimulate further opinions and conversation.

[J.A.W.]

Or, you could speak your mind and say why you don't like the album in question. That would be far more interesting and would stimulate further opinions and conversation.

Sure, that did cross my mind too, of course, but what if you're absolutely negative about an album? I know, it sounds very negative, but there are albums that I absolutely detest and got nothing positive to say about, such as Donald Byrd's I'm Trying to Get Home and A New Perspective, and it's not my intention to hurt anyone.

[pryan]

I don't think you'll "hurt anyone" in being honest with regards to your opinion of a certain album. Although, what's the saying, "sometimes the truth hurts". And another, "if you don't have anything good to say about someone, don't say anything at all".

But, seriously, if you've got something to say that's a constructively negative criticism, I think there's nothing at all wrong with voicing your opinion of dissent. After all, we're not going to all like the same thing, if we did the world would be a pretty damn boring place.

Edited April 2, 2003 by pryan