Wayne Shorter’s Birthday

Last night we were lucky enough to be in the audience for the big ‘do at Symphony Hall in honor of Wayne Shorter’s 80th birthday. It was quite the lineup.

First up, was ACS, a trio formed by three of our favorites (Allen, Carrington, & Spalding). They did a rocking set of Shorter classics and seemed to be having a blast. We appeared to be sitting directly behind Terri Lyne’s family and friends because she kept peeking out from backstage to wave to them during the breaks.

Next up was Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas’ quintet, Sound Prints. They played some of their own tunes and a pair of new ones which Shorter wrote for them as a commission for Monterey this year. I really loved the one called Sail Beyond the Sunset. The rhythm section of Linda Oh and Joey Baron was particularly good on this one.

After the intermission, it was time for the master to take the stage. His quartet is really something. I don’t think they spoke a word during the entire set, but after 10 or 15 years, they seem to be reading each other’s minds. During other players’ solos, Wayne would be sitting on his stool, fiddling with his sax, and then suddenly drop the perfect little riff into the middle of the structure the other member of the quartet was building. The made it look so easy that at times they didn’t really seem to be working very hard. Well, not until the encore. Once they got the crowd up cheering they really let loose.

It’s hard to believe the way in which Wayne Shorter has been living at the cutting edge of music since the year I was born, and he’s still at it.