Wayne Shorter Quartet live

[tristano's ghost]

Caught Shorter's vaunted quartet (Perez, Pattituci, Blade) in Indpls. the other night and have to say I was somewhat underwhelmed. There was so much talent & experience up there on stage, but the band's chemistry seemed superficial to me. Shorter played a lot of short, repetitive phrases; Perez engaged in a lot of percussive comping; Pattituci and Blade displayed a lot of propulsive, climactic energy that didn't particularly lead anywhere. In fact, the whole performace was marked by a sort of directionless, meditative quality. I didn't feel gypped, just vaguely disappointed. This group has gotten rave reviews for both studio & live performances, but I guess I was expecting a dynamic that never really emerged--or it was too subtle for me to hear (quite possibly the case). Anybody else catch this tour yet?

[yardbird]

There's been a discussion on Shorter's latest tour on allaboutjazz.com for a couple of weeks now - many posters have given thorough concert reviews, opinions differing quite a bit.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Originally posted by tristano's ghost
Caught Shorter's vaunted quartet (Perez, Pattituci, Blade) in Indpls. the other night and have to say I was somewhat underwhelmed. There was so much talent & experience up there on stage, but the band's chemistry seemed superficial to me. Shorter played a lot of short, repetitive phrases; Perez engaged in a lot of percussive comping; Pattituci and Blade displayed a lot of propulsive, climactic energy that didn't particularly lead anywhere. In fact, the whole performace was marked by a sort of directionless, meditative quality. I didn't feel gypped, just vaguely disappointed. This group has gotten rave reviews for both studio & live performances, but I guess I was expecting a dynamic that never really emerged--or it was too subtle for me to hear (quite possibly the case). Anybody else catch this tour yet?

This sounds much like their show that I caught last year. I posted this type of review on the old board and got caught in a bit of a flap over it... I still stand by my feelings which are very close to those listed above. Meditative.... that's about the best term I've heard to describe what I saw. I believe the word I used was that Shorter "noodled" all night. Meditative sounds much better.

Later,
Kevin

[Valerie]

Unfortunately, my "review" of last night's concert in Boston joins in with the "disappointed" ones of this and the other board's for much the same reasons. I'm much happier though listening to Alegria which I love!

[steve(thelil)]

This band was supposed to be his return to not noodling

(I'm not saying it isn't)

[Pete C]

I think it's all going to boil down to taste. My guess is I would have liked the concerts that those above didn't, as I like the Footprints Live album, and loved the 2 performances by the quartet that I saw, last summer and the summer before.

Of course all groups have off nights, but I don't think those negative reactions are for off nights by this group, but for the group's approach itself.

[Valerie]

Originally posted by Pete C
I think it's all going to boil down to taste. My guess is I would have liked the concerts that those above didn't, as I like the Footprints Live album, and loved the 2 performances by the quartet that I saw, last summer and the summer before.

Of course all groups have off nights, but I don't think those negative reactions are for off nights by this group, but for the group's approach itself.

Pete C, as well as others here: Thought you would be interested in this review of the Sunday evening Boston concert. Interesting that the reviewer experienced it much the same as I did but certainly reacted to it quite differently - kind of like the old half-full vs. half-empty glass!

"Shorter Quartet: four brains, one being

By Steve Greenlee

Wayne Shorter, jazz's greatest living composer, for the most part eschewed form for the entirety of his quartet's concert Sunday night at Berklee Performance Center. Instead, the group engaged in a free-flowing exchange of ideas that created a long series of peaks and valleys that only hinted at composition.

It was an enthralling event.

Anyone who expected the saxophonist and his rhythm section -- pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Brian Blade -- to 'play' selections from their new album, 'Alegria,' was in for a shock. Not only does the album revel in the composed form, but half of the compositions don't belong to Shorter, and they aren't jazz tunes, either. Also, the quartet creates only the core of the disc's music; woodwinds, cellos, horns, and percussion round out the sound, which is equal parts jazz, classical, and world music.

What they played Sunday may not have technically fit the definition of free jazz, but it came as close as you can without crossing that line. The quartet seemed less a collection of personnel than a large organism with four brains. One musician introduced an idea, another picked up the thread, and all converted over it, until someone decided how to alter it.

Shorter's ideas were clearly there, though it would be wrong to say that any one of the five pieces the group played was a 'song.' Snippets of composition served as only the barest of frames for improvisation. Shorter wanted the audience to know right from the beginning that something was up. It wasn't immediately clear whether Perez and Patitucci were warming up their fingers, adjusting their instruments, or actually starting to play -- until Blade started striking the rims of his drums with his sticks, and then Shorter furtively blew a few notes. Aha, this is the first tune.

Shorter hadn't led an acoustic band in three decades before he assembled Perez, Patitucci, and Blade a couple of years ago. Not only is he making better music than ever, but at 69 years old he's one of the most relevant, exciting artists around."

++++++++++++

P.S. Even though I felt the concert was disappointing, Wayne still "walks on water" as far as I'm concerned!!

[Pete C]

Originally posted by Valerie
The quartet seemed less a collection of personnel than a large organism with four brains. One musician introduced an idea, another picked up the thread, and all converted over it, until someone decided how to alter it.

I don't think that's particularly eloquent, but it gets at what excites me about the band. I'm not sure what "all converted over it" means, unless it's a typo of "converged."

[Valerie]

Originally posted by Pete C
I don't think that's particularly eloquent, but it gets at what excites me about the band. I'm not sure what "all converted over it" means, unless it's a typo of "converged."

Oh, Pete, I'm so sorry. And I'm the one who can't stand typos!! It should be "all conversed over it..." Apologies.

[hkimprov]

I think Wayne is great in the sense that at the age of 69 he's still trying to cross the boundary. Maybe that's not much he needs to care about now. Wayne's not sitting comfortably in his own closet but showing people that he's still a whale of a composer/performer. When a jazz musician ( maybe it can be applied to some other kind of music as well with probably classical music as an exception) try to move forward (again, in the case of Wayne) and cross the border, shifting things around it should deserved the highest respect and applause from the people.

Anyone got any comments on his CD 'Alegria'?

[Valerie]

Originally posted by hkimprov
Anyone got any comments on his CD 'Alegria'?

There were lots of posts re: Alegria but unfortunately I can't tell you where they are. Maybe someone else can.

[mke]

They're probably in the archives now.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by hkimprov
I think Wayne is great in the sense that at the age of 69 he's still trying to cross the boundary. Maybe that's not much he needs to care about now. Wayne's not sitting comfortably in his own closet but showing people that he's still a whale of a composer/performer. When a jazz musician ( maybe it can be applied to some other kind of music as well with probably classical music as an exception) try to move forward (again, in the case of Wayne) and cross the border, shifting things around it should deserved the highest respect and applause from the people.

Anyone got any comments on his CD 'Alegria'?

That's what I felt - I saw the quartet in my home town of Brighton, England and felt incredibly privileged to be there watching a true Jazz legend who is still up there doing it - after decades at the top level, with Blakey, Miles, Weather Report etc.

I loved the concert - Patitucci's playing and tone impressed em particularly and I see him as the real driving force in the band - always fresh and inventive.

But as people have mentioned - feelings were very mixed - so every Jazz fan I know was at the concert and many were diappointed - but it was half and half. So some people, including Jazz pros loved it and others didn't - one Jazz pianist/educator I know was very scathing!

I also bought Alegria - but this couldn't be more different from the recent live concerts - tunes, arrangements - almost orchestral and very much a crossover that stands alone - true contemporary music.

The Guardian newspaper, in the UK which is fairly strong on Arts made it CD of the week - not "Jazz CD of the week" - but best out of all the CDs released - Pop, Orchetral etc. The only Jazz Cd I've seen on the front of their review section!

Alegria is certainly one of the best CDs I've bought this year and I wouldn't be suprised to see it winning awards, everywhere !!

[Jazzooo]

I agree, Bruce. And add me to the list of the blown away at a recent WS Quartet concert, here in Escondido. Perhaps one of the two best jazz concerts of my life.