Wayne Shorter – A Legend Lost 

Wayne Shorter, is an NEA Jazz Master, a 2018 Kennedy Center Honor recipient and 13 times GRAMMY Winner most famous for “Footprints,” and “Nefertiti,” pass at the age of 89 in March 2023.

Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet, and then co-founded the jazz fusion band Weather Report.

Still active at 89, Wayne win his last GRAMMY a few weeks ago in February for the category of “Improvised jazz solo” for “Endangered Species” — Wayne Shorter & Leo Genovese, soloist; Track from: Live At The Detroit Jazz Festival (Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington, Leo Genovese & Esperanza Spalding.

In 2020, and the 2018 release of his GRAMMY-winning triple album and graphic novel EMANON.

Shorter was surrounded by his loving family in Los Angeles at the time of his transition and is survived by his devoted wife Carolina, daughters Miyako and Mariana, and newly-born grandson Max.

Herbie Hancock, Shorter’s closest friend and collaborator for more than six decades, said “Wayne Shorter, my best friend, left us with courage in his heart, love and compassion for all, and a seeking spirit for the eternal future. He was ready for his rebirth. As it is with every human being, he is irreplaceable and was able to reach the pinnacle of excellence as a saxophonist, composer, orchestrator, and recently, composer of the masterful opera …Iphigenia. I miss being around him and his special Wayne-isms but I carry his spirit within my heart always.”

“Maestro Wayne Shorter was our hero, guru, and beautiful friend,” said Blue Note President Don Was. “His music possessed a spirit that came from somewhere way, way beyond and made this world a much better place. Likewise, his warmth and wisdom enriched the lives of everyone who knew him. Thankfully, the work he left behind will stay with us forever. Our hearts go out to Carolina and all who loved him.”

Born August 25, 1933 in Newark, New Jersey, Shorter has left an indelible mark on the development of music for more than 60 years. A precocious 26-year-old tenor saxophonist who transformed modern jazz with his inventive improvisations and brilliant.

Smooth Jazz Magazine will always remember seeing Mr. Shorter kicking off Grammy week one year and relishing in seeing the legend perform on that memorable evening.