Wayne Shorter – Biography, Discography & Instruments

Biography

Wayne Shorter was a jazz musician who played saxophone, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone and soprano saxophone. Wayne Shorter was born on 25 August 1933 in Newark and died on 2 March 2023 in Los Angeles. The music is usually filed under jazz, jazz fusion and post-bop. Record labels: Blue Note. The discography here lists 27 albums, from “Introducing Wayne Shorter” (1960) to “Celebration, Volume 1 (Live)” (2024). Honours include Guggenheim Fellowship (2016), NEA Jazz Masters and Doris Duke Performing Artist Award.

Wayne Shorter (August 25, 1933 – March 2, 2023) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader, widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures in the history of jazz. Over a career spanning more than six decades, he received 12 Grammy Awards and the Polar Music Prize, and was acclaimed worldwide for his originality, compositional depth, and transformative approach to musical improvisation. Shorter first rose to mainstream prominence in 1959 after joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, where he quickly became the ensemble's primary composer and one of its defining creative voices. In 1964, he joined Miles Davis's Second Great Quintet, contributing compositions and performances that helped shape one of the most innovative and influential periods in jazz history.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Introducing Wayne Shorter 1960 · Vee-Jay Records Wayning Moments 1962 · Vee-Jay Records Juju 1964 · Blue Note Night Dreamer 1964 · Blue Note Speak No Evil 1965 · Blue Note The All Seeing Eye 1966 · Blue Note Adam’s Apple 1967 · Blue Note Schizophrenia 1969 · Blue Note Super Nova 1970 · Blue Note Odyssey of Iska 1971 · Blue Note Moto Grosso Feio 1974 · Blue Note Native Dancer 1975 · CBS The Soothsayer 1979 · Blue Note Etcetera 1980 · Blue Note Atlantis 1985 · Columbia Phantom Navigator 1987 · Columbia Tribute to John Coltrane: Live Under the Sky 1987 · Live · Columbia Joy Ryder 1988 · Columbia En concert avec Europe 1: Olympia, 13 Mai 1961 1993 · Live · RTE Second Genesis 1993 · Blue Moon High Life 1995 · Verve Portrait 1996 · Columbia Footprints Live! 2002 · Live · Verve Music Group Alegría 2003 · Verve Emanon 2018 · Blue Note Live at the Detroit Jazz Festival 2022 · Live · Candid Celebration, Volume 1 (Live) 2024 · Live · Blue Note

Also plays on

Albums where Wayne Shorter is credited as a sideman

1961	Paris Jam Session — Art Blakey	tenor saxophone
1962	Ready for Freddie — Freddie Hubbard	tenor saxophone
1963	Golden Boy — Art Blakey	tenor saxophone
1963	The Body & The Soul — Freddie Hubbard	tenor saxophone, arranger, conductor
1964	Search for the New Land — Lee Morgan	tenor saxophone
1965	E.S.P. — Miles Davis	tenor saxophone
1965	Just Jazz! — Benny Golson	tenor saxophone
1965	Spring — Anthony Williams	tenor saxophone
1965	Some Other Stuff — Grachan Moncur III	tenor saxophone
1966	Free Form — Donald Byrd	tenor saxophone
1966	Delightfulee — Lee Morgan	tenor saxophone
1966	The Gigolo — Lee Morgan	tenor saxophone
1967	Sorcerer — Miles Davis	tenor saxophone
1967	Standards — Lee Morgan	tenor saxophone
1967	Lush Life — Lou Donaldson	tenor saxophone
1968	Miles in the Sky — Miles Davis	tenor saxophone
1968	Nefertiti — Miles Davis	tenor saxophone
1969	In a Silent Way — Miles Davis	soprano saxophone
1969	Filles de Kilimanjaro — Miles Davis	tenor saxophone
1969	Expansions — McCoy Tyner	reeds
1970	Bitches Brew — Miles Davis	soprano saxophone
1971	Zawinul — Joe Zawinul	soprano saxophone
1971	Weather Report — Weather Report	soprano saxophone, saxophone
1972	Extensions — McCoy Tyner	saxophone
1972	I Sing the Body Electric — Weather Report	reeds
1973	Sweetnighter — Weather Report	saxophone
1974	Big Fun — Miles Davis	tenor saxophone
1974	Mysterious Traveller — Weather Report	soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, piano
1975	Man-Child — Herbie Hancock	soprano saxophone
1975	Tale Spinnin’ — Weather Report	soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone

Standards written by Wayne Shorter

Title	Key	Form	Groove
Footprints	C minor	A · 24	Jazz waltz
Nefertiti	A♭ major	A · 16	Slow swing
Dolores	D♭ major	AABAA · 38	Up-tempo swing
E.S.P.	F major	AA · 32	Up-tempo swing
Fall	E minor	A · 16	Ballad
Infant Eyes	E♭ major	BAA · 27	Ballad
Juju	B major	A · 24	Jazz waltz
Speak No Evil	C minor	AAB · 50	Medium swing
Beauty And The Beast	F major	AAAA · 32	Funk
Virgo	F major	ABC · 29	Ballad
Limbo	C major	A · 17	Jazz waltz
One By One	G minor	AABA · 32	Medium-up swing
Pinocchio	E♭ minor	A · 18	Up-tempo swing
Black Nile	D minor	AABA · 32	Up-tempo swing
Children Of The Night	C minor	A · 28	Medium swing
Ping Pong	C major	AAB · 48	Medium-up swing
Adam's Apple	A♭ major	A · 24	Even eighths
Iris	F minor	A · 16	Jazz waltz
United	F major	AA · 32	Jazz waltz
Witch Hunt	C minor	A · 24	Slow swing
Ana Maria	G major	ABBC · 46	Even eighths
Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum	B♭ major	ABA · 24	Medium swing
House Of Jade	C minor	ABA · 24	Slow swing
Mahjong	F minor	ABCA · 28	Latin
Prince Of Darkness	C minor	A · 24	Medium-up swing
Armageddon	B♭ minor	AA · 36	Medium swing
Dance Cadaverous	C major	AB · 64	Jazz waltz
Miyako	A major	A · 28	Jazz waltz
Night Dreamer	G major	A · 16	Jazz waltz
El Gaucho	F major	A · 18	Bossa nova
Wild Flower	B♭ major	AB · 32	Jazz waltz
Toy Tune	F major	AABA · 28	Medium swing
Yes And No	D major	AAB · 44	Up-tempo swing
Backstage Sally	F minor	A · 16	Medium swing