I’m sure that just about everyone that’s a jazz fan has had their “Wayne Shorter Phase;” an attraction to one of the creative periods of the 80 year old composer, band leader, and saxophonist. For myself, I got hooked onto him via Weather Report, delved back in time to his stint with Art Blakey, and got a collection of his own material with the classic Blue Notes. Other fans love his later, more abstract years, but no matter what, you’re going to run across the musings and music of this important artist.
This latest release finds Shorter with his regular working and touring team of Danilo Perez/p, John Patitucci/b and Brian Blade/dr for most of the concert material, except for a long “Pegasus” suite that has him at LA’s Disney Hall with the Imani Winds. The quartet pieces have him bringing back oldies like Miles Davis era “Orbits,” but mostly we’re hearing new compositions, most of which actually all feel and sound like on the spot improvisations and musings. The strongest piece, “SS Golden Mean” has Shorter’s soprano weaving the classic “Manteca” theme in and out like a mouse through a hole in the wall, while “Starry Night” undulates and broods like Rodin’s statue. The 23 minute “Pegasus” from Los Angeles displays some intuitive interplay between Patitucci and Perez as well as some East Asian hints that turn into a cataclysmic thunderstorm, while “Flying Down to Rio” is torn apart like a dog to a rag leaving nothing for Fred and Ginger to dance to. Lots of abstract thoughts that can coalesce like the best of oil paintings, or leave you quizzical like staring at a Jackson Pollock.
Blue Note Records
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