Wayne Shorter Quartet Comes to SF Jazz

In a legendary career spanning more than half a century, saxophonist Wayne Shorter just keeps getting better and bolder. Indeed, his longevity as a creative force isn’t as astounding as the fact that he’s spent the past decade leading his most prodigious and consequential band. At 80, Shorter often appears as the calm center of a roiling maelstrom, a mystical presence exulting in the improvisational lightning strikes emanating from pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Brian Blade, all virtuosos and bandleaders in their own right. Of course, the quartet is fueled by music from jazz’s most influential composer after Thelonious Monk, still keen to venture into uncharted territory. Shorter’s new Blue Note album, Without a Net, is his first for the label in over four decades and is an astounding document of an artist reaching and exploring, still very much at the peak of his powers. The session netted Shorter 2013 DownBeat magazine Critics Poll wins for Jazz Album, Jazz Group, Soprano Saxophone and Jazz Artist of the Year, as well as a GRAMMY for Best Improvised Solo on "Orbits."Shorter and his quartet return to the Bay Area tonight for several sold out shows.

Shorter's website noted that he'll will be entering his 81st year in 2014—first recorded for Blue Note in 1959 as the precocious 26-year-old tenor saxophonist (and prolific composer) in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, which brought him to the attention of label founder Alfred Lion who eventually signed him to his own recording deal. Shorter went on to make a spectacular run of classic albums for Blue Note between 1964-1970 including Night Dreamer, Juju, Speak No Evil, Adam’s Apple, Schizophrenia, and Super Nova during a period of time that also paralleled Shorter’s years with Miles Davis, first as a member of the trumpeter’s trailblazing quintet, and later as a part of Davis’ early fusion masterpieces.

“Wayne Shorter is one of the greatest musicians and composers of our time,” said Don Was, President of Blue Note Records. “At age 80, we witness him at the height of his powers and performing with one of the most incredible bands he's ever assembled. Although welcoming him back to Blue Note Records after 43 years is a romantic notion, Wayne's enduring appeal is rooted in his steadfast refusal to trade in such nostalgia. In fact, it is Mr. Shorter's determination to constantly move forward that makes his new album, Without A Net, such an essential listening experience.”

Reflecting upon his perpetual path of musical discovery, Shorter expounded that The challenge we as artists face today is to create a ‘singularity’ or an ‘event horizon’ so that as human beings we will break the cycle of ego dominated actions which through repetition keep us bound to stagnation which denies us entrance to the Portal of Life's Ultimate Adventure!

Without A Net is a 9-track musical thrill ride that consists of live recordings from the Wayne Shorter Quartet’s European tour in late 2011, the one exception being the 23-minute tone poem “Pegasus” which features the quartet with The Imani Winds recorded at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The album features six new Shorter compositions, as well as new versions of his tunes “Orbits” (from Miles Davis’ Miles Smiles album) and “Plaza Real” (from the Weather Report album Procession). The quartet also reinvents the title song from the 1933 musical film Flying Down To Rio, which film buffs (such as Shorter) know as the first on-screen pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers."

Wayne Shorter Quartet at SF Jazz Center, March 27-30; (sold out, however turnback tickets may be available)
Wayne Shorter tenor and soprano saxophones
Danilo Perez piano
John Patitucci bass
Brian Blade drums

Simon Phillips Comes to SF Jazz and Yoshi's

One of the world's best percussionists is the Englishman Simon Phillips; an ambidextrous drummer who follows in the footsteps of jazz greats Billy Cobham and Lenny White who helped to popularize that musical approach. Phillip's first came to this writer's attention via his work with Brian Eno and Phil Mazenera's group "801", and later, Peter Townsend and the Who. Phillips has continued to perform and record with a who's who of the musical world; he makes his return to the Bay area later this month, supporting Hiromi and Anthony Jackson in a sold out show at the SF Jazz Center of Franklin, before returning to Yoshi's in Oakland on April 1st with his own group, "Protocol II"- a sequel to his first solo group of the same name.

Readers of my previous column will recall Hiromi's spectacular show at the newly minted SF Jazz Center last year; her return on March with Jackson and Phillips shouldn't disappoint fans either. Fourteen years ago, Phillips released the first Protocol album, and he deemed it was the "right time to record something new..." 

"I had been writing and recording some material over the last few years but was not excited enough with the outcome. I wanted to do something very live and organic so as the NAMM show was coming up in January I was hoping that perhaps Andy Timmons would be attending. I called him and put my idea to him and he was way up for it and changed his plans to stay in LA a few more days. My next call was to Steve Weingart as, having worked with him on his last two solo CDs, I had formed a wonderful working relationship with him. He was also very excited by the project. Next was the question of who should take the seat of holding down those low notes. I had heard a lot about Ernest Tibbs and had spoken to him a few years earlier about some live shows, which he could not make. I gave him a call and he was also way up for it. So I booked time at Phantom Recordings – a week after the NAMM show – to see what we could do..."


"I had a bunch of demos ranging from ideas to complete compositions that I was not totally sure they were the direction I wanted to go in so I compiled those and sent MP3s to Andy, Steve and Ernest. My concept was that we would write in the studio and if any parts of these tunes worked we could use them. I was curious and eager to get playing to see how the chemistry of the four of us would work. The first tune we recorded was “Moments of Fortune” and I knew immediately this was a great band – great chemistry – a deep pocket and a relentless supply of musicality..."

"As it turned out most of the compositions were usable and only a few sections were omitted. We arranged the tunes on the fly and everyone contributed and it made for some very organic and vibe-y music. The days were long and tiring but the energy and creativity were amazing. We played live and only a few repairs, punches and overdubs were done.

As we were recording this felt to me as though the Protocol concept was coming full circle and it was also 25 years since I released my first solo effort so it seemed perfect to be titled Protocol II. This project was a joy to work on and I want to thank Andy, Steve and Ernest for their wonderful energy, groove and improvisation captured on this recording...."


Here are two clips of Phillips with Hiromi and Protocol II...