Wayne Shorter - Juju
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.28 You Save: $3.62 (40%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $4.96 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Juju
Free Music Review: One of the Greatest Jazz Composers
Hit: 5 Stars
I knew that Wayne Shorter was a good saxophonist from his work on albums by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and Lee Morgan that I had already heard. But it was only when I purchased "JuJu" and "Speak No Evil" that I realized what a great jazz composer he is. Shorter had written some good tunes on some of the Blakey and Morgan albums, but they didn't necessarily stand out as any better or worse than the other tunes. But hearing the dozen highly original and distinctive compositions on these two great albums from 1964 allowed me to grasp his true talent. Perhaps Shorter had been prevented from reaching his full potential as a composer when he had to write tunes to satisfy someone other than himself.
Every tune on "JuJu" is musically interesting and communicates deep-felt emotion; however, what makes Shorter so great is that these tunes exhibit lots of variety in their melodies, harmonies, and moods. The title track is full of primordial anxiety, evoking primitive mysteries. "Deluge" is also dark, but in a film noire fashion. "House of Jade" is sad and lonely. "Mahjong" suggests fierce determination to win some contest. "Yes or No" alternates hope and hopelessness. Finally, "Twelve More Bars to Go" is wistful but with a sense of humor.
Of course, Shorter and his band mates all play these compositions with great finesse and imagination. The solos of Shorter and pianist McCoy Tyner remain inventive from beginning to end.
Free Music Review: Wayne & the Classic Quartet
Hit: 5 Stars
This followup to the excellent Night Dreamer is one of Wayne Shorter's best albums on Blue Note record. It places him in a challenging context: he's the only horn in front of two members and one alumnus of John Coltrane's rhythm section. Any lesser musician would have been smothered by juggernauts like Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner, but Shorter rises to the challenge. And rather than marking him as a Trane disciple, the backing really highlights differences between the two.The opening track, "Ju Ju", places him in the surging modal groove that this rhythm section had mastered on "My Favorite Things" and "Out of This World"; but Wayne's playing is a bit more quirky and asymmetrical, less dense than that of Elvin and McCoy's boss. "Deluge" and "Mahjong" highlight Shorter's growing ability to convey images or ideas through composition. And his tunes are always completely surprising, taking 90 degree turns where you least expecting them -- the ballad "House of Jade" (beautiful intro by Tyner) is a classic example. "Yes or No" ventures into Coltrane territory in classic Shorter curveball fashion, while "12 More Bars to Go" is a blues with several connotations.
Along with Speak No Evil this is the perfect introduction to Wayne Shorter's solo albums. Great saxophone playing, great sidemen, and great compositions. Who could complain?
Free Music Review: Tearing!
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the real deal. Juju is fiery and yet it's nice. It has some of that same passion that the Coltrane Quartet. Half the members and one alumni contribute much, but that statement wouldn't be true without Wayne Shorter on Tenor. Check out the title track. Shorter doesn't sound, to me, much like Coltrane. His soloing is more of a sound exploration than Coltrane could be. Coltrane would writhe and twist, while Shorter booms in all sorts of colors of sound. And boy, can he tear. Whew! That track cooks.
The album itself (the rest) is great. Some quirky tunes. Some easy going tunes. Some more explosive ones. Elvin, McCoy and Reggie Workman are constantly there. And Wayne is constantly leading. This (like Grant Green's The Matador) is not to be listened to for the sidemen. It's a great album for the leader, backed with superb support. Get it.
Also, I bought this recent RVG remaster, and frankly, I like the original better. In fact, I returned the RVG remaster (which is more $$). That reissue just took away some of the warmth of the original. But, you be the judge ok?
Free Music Review: Four Way Conversation 5 Stars
One of the reasons that make this album so good is its interaction between each of the musicians equally. As the drummer usually keeps time with occasional drum solos, Elvin Jones here, almost practically is giving a drum solo during each of Shorter and Tyner's solos, making him part of the conversation in each songs. The opener, similar to John Coltrane's version of Afro Blue is great. The main theme is repeated a lot, almost making it imbibe in your brain, but the melody is outstanding. The second track, Deluge, is what at first seems to be a slow boring ballad, but turns into a swining blues. The repetition of the melody on this song is also great.House of Jade is similar to Twelve More Bars To Go in the fact that only the melody is the real highlight in the song. Mahjong is great in that the group swings over a beat that is trying to be afro cuban, but has a chinese feel to it. Yes Or No is a bright up tempo piece, with again, a good meoldy phrase. This album is great. It is another classic Blue NOte Album of Shorter's repotoire and jazz!
Free Music Review: WAYNE SHORTER: TENOR CLASSIC!!
Hit: 5 Stars
Along with Shorter's discs Night Dreamer and Adam's Apple, Juju is surely Shorter's best disc. "House of Jade" & "12 More Bars to Go" are classic modern jazz tracks: smooth, sophisticated, soulful, etc.
By the way, Shorter is no Coltrane imitator: if anything, Shorter is better than Coltrane. Shorter is exactly the most recent tenor genius in the line of evolution from Coleman Hawkins, through Ben Webster and Les Young, via Coltrane: Shorter is the man!