Wayne Shorter Alegria CD

ALEGRIA won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album. "Sacajawea" won for Best Instrumental Composition.

ALEGRIA is a truly remarkable return to form for Wayne Shorter. Despite a number of missteps in the years since his acclaimed early-'60s releases JUJU and SPEAK NO EVIL, the revered tenor saxman and composer enjoyed a renaissance with 2002's well-received FOOTPRINTS LIVE and this collection of meticulously executed tunes. ALEGRIA recalls the Shorter of yore with its brainy, challenging arrangements and dexterous inside/outside musicianship. The opener "Sacajawea," for example, with its boogie rhythm and free-form solo explorations, gives ample evidence that Shorter and company mean business.

As one would expect, the musicians here are superb, with bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade holding and pushing the rhythm. Young pianist Brad Mehldau, with his delicate, classical sensibility, replaces regular keyboardist Danilo Perez on "Serenata" and a radical reworking of the Miles Davis Quintet's "Orbits." Textures continue to shift and expand as Shorter employs cello, tuba, flute, oboe, and bassoon on cuts like the spectral "Vendiendo Alegria" and the puzzle-piece "12th Century Carol," while "She Moves Through the Fair" and "Capricorn II" prove he is adept as ever with small group telepathy. Superior playing, support and--most notably--writing and arranging mark this excellent disc by one of jazz's great post-'50s figures.

Lew Soloff, Chris Gekker (trumpet); Bruce Eidem, Michael Boschen, Jim Pugh, Steve Davis (trombone); Marcus Rojas (tuba); John Clark, Stewart Rose (horns); Paul Dunkel (flute); Allen Blustine (clarinet, bass clarinet); Stephen Taylor (oboe, English horn); Frank Morelli (bassoon); David Garrett, Barry Gold, Gloria Lum, Daniel Rothmuller, Brent Samuel, Cecilia Tsan, Charles Curtis (cello); Danilo Perez, Brad Mehldau (piano); John Patitucci (bass); Brian Blade, Terri Lynne Carrington (drums); Alex Acuna (percussion).

New All-Acoustic Studio Album

Personnel: Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Brent Samuel, Gloria Lum, Barry Gold, David Garrett, Charles Curtis, Daniel Rothmuller, Cecilia Tsan (cello); Paul Dunkel (flute); Allen Blustine (clarinet, bass clarinet); Stephen Taylor (oboe, English horn); Frank Morelli (bassoon); Chris Gekker, Jeremy Pelt, Lew Soloff (trumpet); Jim Pugh, Papo Vasquez, Steve Davis, Bruce Eidem (trombone); Marcus Rojas (tuba); Stewart Rose (horns); Danilo Perez, Brad Mehldau (piano); Terri Lyne Carrington, Brian Blade (drums); Alex Acuña (percussion).

Audio Mixers: Clark Germain; Dave Darlington; Todd Whitelock; Robert Sadin.

Recording information: Avatar Studios, New York, NY; Burning Kite Studio; Cello Studios; Clinton Recording Studios; Sear Sound Studios, New York, NY.

Arranger: Wayne Shorter.

Personnel: Wayne Shorter (arranger, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Robert Sadin (arranger); Chris Potter (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet);

Entertainment Weekly (5/2/03, p.71) - "...Shorter's tenor sax sounds breathtaking, and his soprano horn exudes bittersweet joy..." - Rating: A
JazzTimes (05/03, pp.109-110) - "...ALEGRIA, in the scope of its ambition and the virtuosity of its execution, is a genuine advance upon the widely praised FOOTPRINTS-LIVE...A series of examples of Wayne Shorter's extraordinary facility and cleverness..."
Vibe (4/03, p.177) - 4 discs out of 5 - "...Far-reaching interpretations,...ranging from a popular Spanish song to a traditional Celtic folk tune..."
Mojo (Publisher) (4/03, p.106) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...ALEGRIA continues the welcome return of a jazz giant....His playing and writing still have much to say to us all..."