I came to Wayne's music in the '80s, first with Weather Report, then his solo album "Atlantis" - which i love even if many critics don't - then back to "Native Dancer" and then finally to the Miles and solo stuff from the 60s. He is a very challenging composer. Not everything is immediately lovable, but all of it is built to last. Sometimes you have to come back to something decades later to realize how amazing it is, and i find it's that with the Blue Note material (I latched onto Herbie Hancock's solo stuff far more easily.) A great life lived and a musical legacy that will last forever.
I'd be interested in your take on his 80's music. I love the writing, if not always the production, of that era. It's quite complex, often contrapuntal, and to me gets too little ink. Atlantis and Endangered Species.
Thank you, Mr. Gioia. As a player of this music, this list is impeccable, though I imagine, if I were in your position, it would be tough to pick just ten. Good thing you created a three-hour playlist.
What an extraordinary voice and brilliant mind and vision Wayne had. So many of his compositions are just haunting, brooding, brutal, and beautiful, sometimes all simultaneously, yet filled with so much life and color, shapes of sounds that pierce deeply.
Wayne Shorter is, was, and will always be, one of the greatest American composers.
The essay and yesterday's are gems, deserving of multiple reads. Thank you for treating this music with such love and reverence.
I played Nefertiti and Children of the Night on my radio show yesterday as my own personal tribute. Nice to see them turn up today in your insightful piece.
It's a beautiful thing to read a well-written article about music by a writer who has a practical and aesthetic understanding of PLAYING/COMPOSING music.
Thank you Ted, great selection! I agree Infant eyes is most probably one of the most beautiful balads ever and with a very unusual structure and very personal chord changes. I can improvise on Infant eyes during hours. Like time remembered by Bill Evans, or prism by Keith Jarrett; these tunes are so inspiring.
Speaking of Wayne Shorter and Stan Getz... I've been hoping forever that the rise of digital media, reissues etc (this shows I mean it when I say "forever") would bring us an "extended" (or whatever they call it these days) version of the Getz Columbia album "Presents Jimmie Rowles - The Peacocks", which has a version of Shorter's "The Chess Players" (from the Blakey days) with a Getz solo with voices overdubbed on top in Lambert Hendricks and Ross style... i.e., that on my dream "extended" version we would get the cut without the voices. I have always loved that performance and that solo, but have wanted to hear it without the intrusive voices. Well, I long ago realized I'll never hear the original version in my lifetime...
So glad you included Nefertiti in this list - a composition I consider to be a masterpiece. That melody is indeed unsettling and I’m certain requires no other improv than that loose, time stretched repetition. Thanks also for the others which are a wonderfully representative list of Mr. Shorter’s genius.
I came to Wayne's music in the '80s, first with Weather Report, then his solo album "Atlantis" - which i love even if many critics don't - then back to "Native Dancer" and then finally to the Miles and solo stuff from the 60s. He is a very challenging composer. Not everything is immediately lovable, but all of it is built to last. Sometimes you have to come back to something decades later to realize how amazing it is, and i find it's that with the Blue Note material (I latched onto Herbie Hancock's solo stuff far more easily.) A great life lived and a musical legacy that will last forever.
I'd be interested in your take on his 80's music. I love the writing, if not always the production, of that era. It's quite complex, often contrapuntal, and to me gets too little ink. Atlantis and Endangered Species.
Thank you, Mr. Gioia. As a player of this music, this list is impeccable, though I imagine, if I were in your position, it would be tough to pick just ten. Good thing you created a three-hour playlist.
What an extraordinary voice and brilliant mind and vision Wayne had. So many of his compositions are just haunting, brooding, brutal, and beautiful, sometimes all simultaneously, yet filled with so much life and color, shapes of sounds that pierce deeply.
Wayne Shorter is, was, and will always be, one of the greatest American composers.
The essay and yesterday's are gems, deserving of multiple reads. Thank you for treating this music with such love and reverence.
I have been waiting for you to write this article since I subscribed. I’m sorry it took his death to make it happen. Thank you, Ted. 🙏
Wonderful piece. I had heard that "Albert" was for Bud Powell, but never knew why.
I played Nefertiti and Children of the Night on my radio show yesterday as my own personal tribute. Nice to see them turn up today in your insightful piece.
It's a beautiful thing to read a well-written article about music by a writer who has a practical and aesthetic understanding of PLAYING/COMPOSING music.
Thanks, again.
Thanks, Ted. This piece and yesterday's are keepers, to reread over time, especially the Open Letter from Wayne and Herbie.
One peevish remark: Qobox is not available in Canada, where I reside! However, I've made a PDF of your playlist so I can follow up on other platforms.
I saw Wayne at the Tower Theater with Al Dimeola and Chick Corea. What a show.
Thank you Ted, great selection! I agree Infant eyes is most probably one of the most beautiful balads ever and with a very unusual structure and very personal chord changes. I can improvise on Infant eyes during hours. Like time remembered by Bill Evans, or prism by Keith Jarrett; these tunes are so inspiring.
Speaking of Wayne Shorter and Stan Getz... I've been hoping forever that the rise of digital media, reissues etc (this shows I mean it when I say "forever") would bring us an "extended" (or whatever they call it these days) version of the Getz Columbia album "Presents Jimmie Rowles - The Peacocks", which has a version of Shorter's "The Chess Players" (from the Blakey days) with a Getz solo with voices overdubbed on top in Lambert Hendricks and Ross style... i.e., that on my dream "extended" version we would get the cut without the voices. I have always loved that performance and that solo, but have wanted to hear it without the intrusive voices. Well, I long ago realized I'll never hear the original version in my lifetime...
Thanks for this!
https://www.lionsroar.com/wayne-shorter-rogue-philosopher/
So glad you included Nefertiti in this list - a composition I consider to be a masterpiece. That melody is indeed unsettling and I’m certain requires no other improv than that loose, time stretched repetition. Thanks also for the others which are a wonderfully representative list of Mr. Shorter’s genius.
I thought This is For Albert was named after Tootie Heath.. Who knows..
What a wonderful journey for my ears. And how fortunate they are to have you as their tour guide, Ted.