Wayne Shorter Adam's Apple CD

Personnel: Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone); Herbie Hancock (piano); Reggie Workman (bass); Joe Chambers (drums).
Producer: Alfred Lion.
Recorded on February 3 & 24, 1966. Includes liner notes by Don Heckman and Michael Cuscuna.
Personnel: Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone); Herbie Hancock (piano); Joe Chambers (drums).
Audio Remasterer: Rudy Van Gelder.
Liner Note Authors: Don Heckman; Bob Blumenthal.
Recording information: Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (02/24/1966).
Photographer: Francis Wolff.
With the possible exception of its song, "Footprints," which would become a jazz standard, Adam's Apple received quite a bit less attention upon its release than some of the preceding albums in Wayne Shorter's catalog. That is a shame because it really does rank with the best of his output from this incredibly fertile period. From the first moments when Shorter's sax soars out in the eponymous opening track, with its warmth and roundness and power, it is hard not to like this album. It might not be turning as sharp of a corner stylistically as some of his earlier works, like Speak No Evil, but its impact is only dulled by the fact that Shorter has already arrived at the peak of his powers. Taken in isolation, this is one of the great works of mid-'60s jazz, but when Shorter has already achieved a unique performance style, compositional excellence, and a perfectly balanced relationship with his sidemen, it is hard to be impressed by the fact that he manages to continue to do these things album after album. But Shorter does shine here, while allowing strong players like Herbie Hancock to also have their place in the sun. Especially hypnotic are two very different songs, the ballad "Teru" and Shorter's tribute to John Coltrane, "Chief Crazy Horse," both of which also allow Hancock a chance to show what he could do. ~ Stacia Proefrock
For ADAM'S APPLE Wayne Shorter returned to the simple quartet format for the last time in his solo career. This date from 1966 shows the saxophonist firmly between his modal style of the early '60s and his more experimental avant-garde period that was to come with albums like SCHIZOPHRENIA and SUPER NOVA. The effect of Shorter's membership in Miles Davis' legendary group is evident, as his improvisations here are more adventurous and his rhythmic drive more pointed and angular than previous efforts. Above all, this session gives us one last look at Shorter at his most unveiled.
The soulful opening title track is a direct precursor to the jazz-rock style that would dominate the jazz world in the late '60s and '70s. A more traditional feel is incorporated for the dark "502 Blues (Drinkin' and Drivin')," a beautiful showcase for Shorter's sensitive side. The bossa nova "El Gaucho" is a highlight and one the saxophonist's most overlooked compositions. Of special note, the classic "Footprints" is presented here for the first time, several months before it was recorded by the Davis group. The delicate ballad "Teru," the bouncing "Chief Crazy Horse" and the bonus swinger "The Collector" complete this must-have session.
One often returns to classic recordings with mixed feelings. On one hand, there's the anticipation of hearing great music, and on the other, trepidation that the recording has failed to hold up over time. By 1966 Wayne Shorter had entered one of his most creative periods, both as a solo artist and as a member of Miles Davis' second classic quintet. Besides his skills as a saxophonist, he also proved to be a prolific writer, penning five of Adam's Apple's seven pieces. It didn't hurt Shorter's musical vision to have pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Joe Chambers onboard here, sensitive players who were attentive to the thin lines connecting these post-bop concoctions. Hancock's solo in Jimmy Rowles' "502 Blues (Drinkin' and Drivin')," for instance, skirts gently into another realm, offering a tender counterpoint to Shorter's more aggres