Presented by Paul Carr
Topic: Thinking About Jazz - Wayne Shorter: Master of Jazz
April 27, 2024, 1-3pm (via Zoom)
Born in Newark, NJ on August 25, 1933, Wayne Shorter was a musical icon whose broad skills left an amazing jazz legacy. He graduated from Newark Arts High School and grew up as a normal kid who love comic books and science fiction. His parents suggested he take clarinet lessons at age 16 which he did before changing to tenor sax right before he entered New York University. He took a degree in music education before starting a two-year stint in the Army during which time he played with Horace Silver. His early influences included Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. In 1959 he joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers for whom he became musical director and composed many pieces. In 1964 he joined Miles Davis’s second great quintet with Herbie Hancock who always spoke glowingly of his composing skills. And during those years he did several albums with Blue Note primarily using his own compositions, working with some Blue Note stalwarts such as Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman and Elvin Jones. In 1970 he formed the fusion group, Weather Report, with Joe Zawinul and Miroslav Vitous and remained involved with it until the band broke up in 1985. This was a very eclectic period of his career when he was playing a wide range of styles and genres. He continued to perform and record with other fusion groups after that era including the likes of Carlos Santana. In all, Shorter won 12 Grammy Awards. Many of his compositions have become jazz standards while these compositions have earned him world-wide praise and commendation. On March 2, 2023, Shorter died in Los Angeles.
Zoom link will be distributed the week right before the event. Call the Church office on 202-484-7700 or Rev. Brian 202-641-8220 for further information.
Wayne Shorter (8/25/1933-3/2/2023) was a leading sax player, born in Newark, NJ, who revolutionized jazz history. He began playing clarinet at 16 but switched to tenor sax before picking up the soprano sax. He was a master composer and many of his pieces have become jazz standards. Paul Carr will off this presentati
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