I agree! Maestro Shorter was one of the greatest composers and improvisers in the history of recorded music. And so many of his compositions are iconic. But for my money, I would call this piece his “masterpiece.” The singular beauty of the piece, it’s harmonic construction and his trademark economy in the arc of the melody are all so well placed. And for all it’s complexity it sounds so natural and simple. What a genius. And these musicians are wonderful.
OMG no one does it better! I remember years ago, Terri Lyne Carrington and Jim Beard joined Wayne at a performance at the Beacon Theater on NYC West Side. it was magical.
If some folks don't like this it's their bad luck for not being able to feel it. I bought the original album on vinyl in the 80s. This is full of colour changes and takes me on a real long journey. It's genious - it is complex not for the sake of being complex but because it says something deep.
Theme and development that is almost Beethoven-like, organic evolution of melodic ideas, superb execution. A full plate of gourmet musical delicacies. This is about as good as it gets.
I couldn’t agree more. Like Beethoven, Shorter could take a melodic phrase and squeeze everything out of it. And yet he simultaneously creates a harmonic complexity which sounds so simple and so natural. I think your observation about Beethoven and Shorter working a phrase is so on point. Excellent.
Beautiful band. Jim Beard and Rodney Holmes are exceptional on this. Beard is such a great accompanist and Rodney Holmes is virtuosic in his ability to use space and .still make the kit percolate. Such a great drummer. I think the dynamics of this version is so impressive.
Most amazing seeing Rodney Holmes jamming in Central Park thinking he was 13 , probably was 18, playing his ass off not knowing he would be eventually playing with the cats!
The only Sax player that could fill in for Trane when he was to geeked up to play.........that oughta tell you something...........THIS CAT IS SOOOOOOO BEASTY! and @FaaarLeft .... INDEED!!!!!
this show was broadcasted live on swiss radio and tv... i taped (MC) almost the whole show....and like 5 songs on VHS...btw a part of the guitar solo was spliced out here...a pity this was the climax....i still treasure these recordings...since then digitilize
@FaaarLeft most definitely! People sleep on it...but it's impossible not to hear the genius in Shorter's compositions. Dude is from another musical planet.
This is so classy! Performancs like this, should be the norm, unfortunately today, they are the exception. Trash is the rule of the day, as artists are proclaimed to be "supertars", before they ever release a recording! Smooth. Thanks for the post!
Atlantis, Joy Ryder and Phantom Navigator are all underrated albums, probably because of the synths and production value. Not to mention that they are out of print also. The compositions are phenomenal though. I love his playing and arrangements that you can see on some of the youtube videos of his 80s songs performed live with his new acoustic quartet. I want to see "Condition Red" get the new treatment, and I'd really like to hear "Three Marias" here but without synth and guitar. WS=amazing
Ahh - I love youtube! Who are the other players. What I'd like to know is how Wayne puts a song like this together - how much he writes out, what kinds of things he asks the other players.
@edcerc this is soooo far above anything the smooth jazz world could attempt. Don't confuse instrumentation with composition. It sounds like it's from 1985 because it IS from 1985. Listeners and fans who can approach a listening experience with an open mind can hear the genius in ALL of Shorter's music. His work transcends genre, time, and the opinions of underexposed youtube know-it-alls. Perhaps you haven't stopped talking long enough to hear the music for what it is.
@edcerc Smooth jazz? No. I didn't notice. The way the harmony is moving and that unmistakable melody, I wish smooth jazz players can even approach this! You've been listening to too much Kenny G and Dave Koz dude. Open your ears. Bebop and post bop which I love is not the only legit music out there.
@Rhuthmos Wayne Shorter( soprano saxophone) Jim Beard THE ONE AND ONLY Alphonso Johnson(b) David Gilmore(g) Rodney Holmes(ds) check out this band playing endangered species at montreux 1996 on here
@edcerc and, amazingly, you further discredit yourself. I'M sentimental? You're the one citing The Hot Five to argue your point about music sounding "dated". Style and feel are EXACTLY why I love Shorter. It's his prowess as a composer who has developed his own language...not his chops that I appreciate.
@edcerc you discredit yourself by making silly claims. Could you have used a worse example??? The Hot Five sounds like music from the 20's! BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT IS. But that has no sway on our appreciation of it or recognition of its genius, right? This tune sounds like the time in which it was written...why is that bad? And I think you're short-sighted about trendiness. I'd be most people who hear Weather Report today dig the shit out of it....despite it being dated, trendy, and electric.
Couldn't possibly disagree more. I've been going back and listening to earlier versions (including the original Atlantis version), and none of them hold a candle to the Emanon version... Agree to disagree?
@pzcato it may sound like its from the 20s but it doesn't sound corny or dated. Ps I don't like weather report I don't even really like miles from that period.
@pzcato yeah cause I don't like what you like. You are obviously sentimental about this lame fusion shit and stuck in that period. Miles was trying to sound more like the acid rock of hendrix and gain a wider and younger audience. They felt like if you can't beat em join em and started assimilating the popular music which is never a good idea for the long term. You just judge music by chops and complexity not realizing that the style and feel are just as important.
@pzcato If you knew how much I know about jazz you would see that your just trying to discredit me somehow without knowing who I am. The two minutes it took me to post here didn't effect the 6:55 i sat patiently listening to this lame shit. just cause it's complex doesn't mean it's not dated. Most of the jazz fusion from the 70s that people thought was new and hip sounds cheesy today. Trendiness isn't conducive to longevity. Go listen to the hot five and tell me that sounds dated.
