So says the New York Times about sax player, composer and bandleader Wayne Shorter. Shorter is one of the last living jazz giants, one of the mythical circle of players from the 60’s and 70’s that totally shaped and reshaped America’s ideas on not just Jazz but on music in general-what it should sound and feel like, how we should think about and move to it.
Throughout his 40 plus year career Shorter has lent his mix of cool jazz, free jazz, bebop and latin grooves to nearly 100 albums with every jazz great around and provided sax sounds to some of the most important albums in the genre. From exploring the edges of jazz and fusion with Miles Davis on album like Bitches Brew and In A Silent Way to Weather Report’s jazz/rock forays to sides with Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Joni Mitchell and fellow living legend Ron Carter, it’s no understatement to say that Shorter’s been a part of some of the most significant musical movements in the last half century. Most important living compose-yeah, we’ll grant him that.
From tonight through Sunday Shorter and his quartet (an accomplished group of players in their own right-Brian Blade on drums, John Patitucci on bass and Danilo Perez on piano) will be laying down the jazz law at Yoshi’s in Oakland. Check him out for a trip though music history.-Kwan Read the rest of this entry »
