Best Album by Wayne Shorter

[fsaxwas9]

Not sure why Mr. Shorter isn't mentioned here more frequently. I'm a big fan of his playing, and as Kurt Elling put it he's probably one of the three greatest jazz composers along with Thelonius Monk and Duke Ellington. He was really a contemporary of Coltrane, he had his own sound together pretty much at the same time. Very personal or individual style, I don't think Waybe sounds like anyone else.

My favorite solo albums of his would be Speak No Evil, Night Dreamer, and Native Dancer. But then Ju Ju and Adams Apple are pretty darn good too. Agree with Percussive Alto on the recordings with Miles. Those were the ones that really made me a big Wayne Shorter fan... ESP, Miles Smiles, Sorcerer, Nefertiti, Live at Plugged Nickel, In a Silent Way....and Files De Kilimajaro also. All the Miles stuff is stellar.

The Weather Report stuff is quite good also. 8:30 was one of the early jazz albums in my collection, and I like a lot of the Weather Report music from the first album, I Sing the Body Electric, Black Market through the ones with Jaco.

There's just such a body of work, it's really hard to single out individual albums. I have to respectfully disagree with the last poster though, I don't find his solo albums to be an acquired taste at all. Speak No Evil was one of the very first jazz CDs I purchased when I started changing my collection over from vinyl to digital.

[sonnymobleytrane]

Speak no Evil and Ju Ju

[Matt Otto]

I love all Waynes writting, my favorite improvising of his in from the the Miles Davis box set - Live at The Plugged Nickle...

[Jazzmanic]

Well, like so many, I too am a huge fan...not only as a saxophonist, but as a composer. If I HAD to name one guy as my favorite, it would be him!! For me, either ju-ju, speak no evil, or footprints live. But its very hard to narrow it down.

[Rennie]

I guess my favourite album still remains Nefertiti. Great writing, and Wayne's solos are gems. Not like the stretching out on the 'Plugged Nickel' - but it was this record that made me turn my head and prick my ears, after discovering Coltrane, Dolphy, Ornette.

[Rennie]

Sorry, Tapatalk threw me for a loop: double post.

[guido]

Art Blakey: Caravan

[fsaxwas9]

Have to agree w Matt Otto on Plugged Nickel.

Great thing about those Plugged Nickel dates is enjoying how much elasticity that group had live. It seems so spontaneous, and when Wayne could really stretch out it's exhilerating...those guys had great ears and really used them!

Another cool album (and video) was that Power of Three live with Pettruciani, and Jim Hall.