Wow, it was only as I put all the covers together that I really realised how many great Blue Note albums Shorter put out in the 60s (yes I know I am missing some of the earlier ones, but this is surely the classic run); I could pretty much recommend any of those discs to someone and know they were getting some great sessions. Shorter's ability to write evocative ballads, some highly charged things, knotty arrangements...he is one helluva composer for sure. Then you have the bands - just look at the players on some of those..Herbie Hancock, Grachan Moncur, Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, James Spaulding, Reggie Workman, Ron Carter...just packed with amazing players playing close to their peak.
Of course this is just the stuff he made under his own name; at the same time, he was a key player and writer in Miles' second great quartet. Can you imagine that band without him? Without his writing? I can't.
So why don't we talk about him more? Maybe we don't have the back story we get with a lot of these guys. He still tours and occasionally puts new music out. Weather Report may have caused some people to get the wrong idea about him. I dont know, but he does seem kinda undervalued.
So I figured we could work through the albums shown above. I'm going to kick off with 'Night Dreamer' this weekend and we can take it from there. Please join! It's not going to be intellectual stuff! Just some guys posting their thoughts on some great jazz sides!
