Wayne Shorter’s compositions, as originally conceived, reflect his singular approach to jazz, even when shaped to fit the aesthetic demands of others; the saxophonist was a major force in the acoustic bands of Art Blakey and Miles Davis and went on to co-found the pioneering 1970s fusion band Weather Report.
With sideman gigs a thing of the past, Shorter now delivers both old themes and new minimalist lines that merely hint at the original work. But played in full by accomplished musicians, classic songs retain their classic form. Shorter Moments: Exploring the World of Wayne collects a dozen such full-blown Shorter covers from the archives of Posi-Tone Records, a specialist label documenting NYC’s modern jazz mainstream. Themes are clearly stated, arrangements tightly delivered and swinging rhythms ensure improvisations flow.
The set opens with drummer David Ashkenazy channelling the fractured swing of late-1960s Blue Note on “Chief Crazy Horse” from his 2008 debut; Ashkenazy’s second album included an upscale version of “Children of the Night”, also present here. Although relatively unknown, his crisp snare and accented beats ensure soloists deliver.
For the most part, the bands featured here steer clear of Shorter’s elliptical approach. Guitarist Ed Cherry’s trio reading of the rarely covered “Edda” is an album highlight, sparked by organist Pat Bianchi’s late-1960s references. “ESP” and “Water Babies” were originally vehicles for the illusive interplay of Miles Davis’s second great quintet, but here the former is rendered as organ-trio jazz and the latter performed by pianist Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band.
The standout track, the ballad “Lady Day”, comes from alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino’s album Firefly, which was released earlier this year. She brilliantly captures the quizzical, behind-the-beat phrasing of the original with the knockout support of a rhythm section that includes the Mingus Big Band’s Boris Kozlov on bass.
A good primer for a specialist label and ample reminder that Shorter did indeed write great tunes.
★★★☆☆
‘Shorter Moments: Exploring the World of Wayne’ is released by Posi-Tone
Posi-Tone pays homage to Wayne Shorter in ‘Shorter Moments’
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