United States: Wayne Shorter, one of the best jazz saxophonists, passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 89. Shorter was a well-known player on the jazz scene in the late 1950s and is recognised for influencing much of jazz music in the 20th century.

Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, and Herbie Hancock were just a few of the legends the 12-time Grammy winner performed with. Shorter’s spokesperson stated that he passed away on 2nd March 2023 with his family by his side.

Wayne Shorter performing “Nefertiti” with pianist Mitch Forman. pic.twitter.com/qfrxqepNDH

— The Jazz Estate (@thejazzestate) March 2, 2023

A consistent theme emerged in the flood of social media tributes that is ‘gone, but not forgotten’. Shorter performed with the Jazz Messengers in the 1950s with Blakey, Lee Morgan, and Freddie Hubbard before rising to the position of musical director for the group. Yet after repeated failed attempts by jazz great Miles Davis to include him in Davis’ First Great Quintet, he was plucked away in 1964.

The saxophonist performed there with the renowned pianist Hancock. Beginning in 1959, Shorter also put out solo recordings, among them the highly regarded Speak No Evil, Night Dreamer, and JuJu.  The legend had more creative flexibility when he was recording solo records. He started combining jazz with rock and Latin music, creating the sounds that his next band, Weather Report, would later popularise.

1977 saw the platinum certification and top 30 US charts for Shorter’s Heavy Weather album, which had funk and R&B sounds. For the Rolling Stones’ album Brides to Babylon that year, he also performed with them. After Davis’ passing, he reconnected with Davis, Hubbard, and Hancock to form the Second Great Quartet, and they later collaborated on the Grammy-winning album A Tribute to Miles.

Rest in peace to longtime Joni friend and collaborator Wayne Shorter. A visionary musician and composer, his contributions to the world of music will always be remembered.

Photo by Lester Cohen pic.twitter.com/zHXuXayTWp

— Joni Mitchell (@jonimitchell) March 2, 2023

Wayne Shorter began playing the clarinet at the age of 15 and was born in 1933 in Newark, New Jersey. Soon after, he switched from alto to soprano on the saxophone and pursued music studies at a university before serving in the US Army for two years. In addition to his dozen Grammy triumphs, Shorter was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

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