Alegria - Wayne Shorter

Nov

16

Alegria - Wayne Shorter

≡ Category: 2000s, Music Reviews, Post Bop, Progressive Big Band, World Fusion |
≅ Written by: Michael Kydonieus

JAZZBO NOTES HIGHLY RECOMMENDED RECORDING

Rating:

The general critical consensus on Wayne Shorter is that he has been creatively fallow since his Weather Report days, and is only now beginnning to recapture the glory of his Blue Note years. That’s just nonsense. Critics simply weren’t able to follow Shorter’s innovations and were too lazy to put in the effort to try.

With Alegria however, Shorter is back into recognizable acoustic post bop mode, which has given critics the license to approve of what he’s doing. Besides, he’s got the cream of the young lions behind him, such as Danilo Perez and Brad Mehldau on piano, John Pattitucci on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. Old master Alex Acuna helps out on percussion.

Shorter may be emphasizing small group improvisation a bit more, but his fascination with third world rhythms, closely voiced chords, and a variety of textures is as much in evidence as ever.

Shorter, who was turning 70 when he recorded Alegria (on the Verve label), is in complete command of his craft, as an instrumentalist, composer and arranger.

On the opening cut, Sacajawea, Shorter seizes our attention instantly with a wacked out cadenza on soprano sax. Sacajawea is the only new Shorter composition on Alegria, but it’s a beaut, with a memorable melody and a unique groove that makes you want to shake your booty. The melody is carried by Shorter on tenor and soprano, alternating with unison and creatively harmonized statements. The solos, by Shorter and Danilo Perez on piano, are as cerebral and involving as you would expect.

The rest of the tunes on Alegria are taken from a variety of sources, including classical music, older tunes by Wayne, and even traditional English folk tunes, but they are all so radically reinterpreted that they might as well be original compositions.

Serenata ebbs and flows in unpredictable directions, with intricate woodwind section writing topped by Shorter’s soaring soprano.

Vendiendo Alegria is reportedly an old flamenco piece that Miles Davis gave to Shorter back in the 60s. There are only hints of the origin of the piece in Shorter’s elaborate woodwind and brass orchestration. Even though Shorter is utilizing large instrumental forces, the overall effect is delicate, like a cobweb gently undulating in a breeze. Halfway through the tune, the rhythm section develops a groove, punctuated by stabs from the brass section. Very cool.

Classical composer Hector Villa Lobos’ Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 is the only tune on Alegria not arranged by Wayne Shorter. Robert Sadin, who produced Alegria, takes a rather interesting approach, using a cello ensemble over Alex Acuna’s bongos, with Wayne having a conversation with himself on overdubbed tenor sax. Sadin avoids the cheesiness that can result from mixing classical and jazz genres.

Shorter makes an Afrocuban groove central to his reconception of Angola, a composition he originally played with Miles Davis. It actually sounds a little like a Weather Report tune, with a brass section taking the place of Zawinul’s keyboards. An awesome performance by the band.

Interlude is a completely extemporaneous duet between drummer Brian Blade and Shorter. What’s remarkable about it is the subtlety of the communication between the two men.

I could go on, but you get the idea. Each tune is different than the one before it, but the commonality is the searching, cerebral quality of the arrangements and Wayne’s soloing. This is one of those recordings that can pass by pleasantly enough if you aren’t listening to it, but the real rewards come in close listening with no distractions.