Happy Birthday to Wayne Shorter!
This August 25th would have been Wayne Shorter’s 93rd birthday were he still alive. The legendary jazz saxophonist, composer and bandleader had a career that spanned more than six decades and included 12 Grammy Awards! Shorter was particularly influential and acclaimed globally for his compositional depth, originality and transformative approach to improvisation.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Shorter began taking clarinet lessons at age 16 and then switched to tenor saxophone. He attended New York University and graduated in 1956 with a degree in music education. After two years in the U.S. Army, Shorter began his musical career by playing with Maynard Ferguson. In 1959, he joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, which brought him into mainstream prominence. He quickly became the main composer of the ensemble and helped to define its artistic voice.
Shorter then joined Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet in 1964. In 1970, he co-founded the jazz fusion band Weather Report, which reinterpreted the possibilities of electric jazz and achieved international success. Throughout his career as a bandleader, Shorter recorded over twenty albums, many of which became long-lasting jazz standards. The most notable and trademark traits of his music include philosophical depth, harmonic sophistication and narrative structure. Additionally, his mastery of the soprano saxophone was highly admired.
In honor of Wayne Shorter, we put together a few of his most beloved songs for your listening:
From The Weather Report’s sophomore 1972 album, this jazz-fusion tune opens with a long solo by Ralph Towner that sounds very unique due to its aggressive, unconventionally detuned 12-string acoustic guitar. After the introductory guitar, the band explodes with a rich, pulsating rhythm. Shorter’s signature soprano saxophone pierces through with memorable melodies. Joe Zawinul’s electric piano creates an energetic, swirling energy.
This fast-paced, bebop-influenced song almost feels like a workout with its lively, frenetic energy. The stripped-back sound makes it stand out from the other highly synthesized tracks on the album. Shorter’s tenor saxophone is really showcased. His sharp, complex melody plays over a driving swing rhythm. No wonder this 1979 album, 8:30, won a Grammy for the Best Jazz Fusion Performance!
Wayne Shorter – “On the Milky Way Express”
From Wayne Shorter’s 1995 album High Life, this tune blends a steady, infectious funk groove with cinematic orchestration and Shorter’s trademark soaring sax. This album departed from the jazz-fusion works that Shorter had done after leaving Weather Report. In High Life, synthesized instruments were used more subtly and the compositions were seen to be more complex. The album also featured a thirty-piece orchestral ensemble!’
Can you hear any Shorter-inspired music in our own Night is Alive albums? You can listen on our Youtube page or add music from our various albums to your Spotify playlist. And of course, the very best in jazz is always available on Night is Alive’s albums page.
written by Jacqueline Knirnschild
Photo from Wayne Shorter’s Facebook page.
