Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for,

Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...

Jazz Messengers The Jazz Messengers were a jazz combo that existed for over thirty-five years beginning in the early 1950s as a collective, and ending when long-time leader and founding drummer Art Blakey died in 1990. Blakey led or co-led the group from the o ...

. In the 1960s, he joined

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

's Second Great Quintet, and then co-founded the

jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...

band

Weather Report Weather Report was an American jazz fusion band active from 1970 to 1986. The band was founded in 1970 by Austrian virtuoso keyboardist Joe Zawinul, American saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš, American drummer and voca ...

. He has recorded over 20 albums as a bandleader. Many Shorter compositions have become jazz standards, and his music has earned worldwide recognition, critical praise and commendation. Shorter has won 11

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

. He is acclaimed for his mastery of the

soprano saxophone The soprano saxophone is a higher-register variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument invented in the 1840s. The soprano is the third-smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists (from smallest to largest) of the soprillo, sop ...

since switching his focus from the

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

in the late 1960s and beginning an extended reign in 1970 as ''

Down Beat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...

''s annual poll-winner on that instrument, winning the critics' poll for 10 consecutive years and the readers' for 18. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

Ben Ratliff Ben Ratliff (born 1968 in New York City) is an American journalist, music critic and author. Ratliff is the son of an English mother and an American father, growing up in London and in Rockland County, New York. From 1996 to 2016, he wrote a ...

described Shorter in 2008 as "probably jazz's greatest living small-group composer and a contender for greatest living improviser".Ratliff, Ben
"Music Review: A Birthday Bash With a Harmonious Mix of Guests"
''

''. December 3, 2008. Retrieved 2013-06-04. In 2017, he was awarded the

Polar Music Prize The Polar Music Prize is a Swedish international award founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, best known as the manager of the Swedish band ABBA, with a donation to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. The award is annually given to one contemporary ...

Early life and education

Wayne Shorter was born in

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

, New Jersey, and attended

Newark Arts High School Newark Arts High School is a four-year magnet public high school, serving students in Ninth through twelfth grades in Newark, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Newark Public Schools. The school is located in ...

, from which he graduated in 1952. He loved music, being encouraged by his father to take up the clarinet as a teenager; his older brother

Alan Alan may refer to: People *Alan (surname), an English and Turkish surname * Alan (given name), an English given name **List of people with given name Alan ''Following are people commonly referred to solely by "Alan" or by a homonymous name.'' *A ...

played

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...

before switching to the

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

in college. While in high school Wayne also performed with the Nat Phipps Band in Newark. After graduating from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

with a degree in

music education Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a research area in which scholars do origina ...

in 1956, Shorter spent two years in the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

, during which time he played briefly with

Horace Silver Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silver (September 2, 1928 – June 18, 2014) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, particularly in the hard bop style that he helped pioneer in the 1950s. After playing tenor saxophone and piano at sc ...

. After his discharge, he played with Maynard Ferguson. In his youth Shorter had acquired the nickname "Mr. Gone", which later became an album title for Weather Report.

Career

His early influences include Sonny Rollins,

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of br ...

and

Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...

. In 1959, Shorter joined

's Jazz Messengers where he stayed for four years, eventually becoming

musical director A music(al) director or director of music is the person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert band, the ...

and composing pieces for the band. Together they toured the US, Japan, and Europe, recording several albums. During this time Shorter "established himself as one of the most gifted of the young saxophonists" and received international acknowledgment.

With Miles Davis (1964–70)

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...

said of Shorter's tenure in

's Second Great Quintet: "The master writer to me, in that group, was Wayne Shorter. He still is a master. Wayne was one of the few people who brought music to Miles that didn't get changed." Davis said, "Wayne is a real composer. He writes scores, writes the parts for everybody just as he wants them to sound. ... Wayne also brought in a kind of curiosity about working with musical rules. If they didn't work, then he broke them, but with musical sense; he understood that freedom in music was the ability to know the rules in order to bend them to your own satisfaction and taste."

Ian Carr Ian Carr (21 April 1933 – 25 February 2009) was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator. Carr performed and recorded with the Rendell-Carr quintet and jazz-fusion band Nucleus, and was an associate professor at the Guildhall ...

, musician and

Rough Guide Rough Guides Ltd is a British travel guide book and reference publisher, which has been owned by APA Publications since November 2017. In addition to publishing guidebooks, the company also provides a tailor-made trips service based on customer ...

author, states that with Davis, Shorter found his own voice as a player and composer. "Blakey's hard-driving, straight-ahead rhythms had brought out the muscularity in Shorter's tenor playing, but the greater freedom of the Davis rhythm-section allowed him to explore new emotional and technical dimensions." Shorter remained in Davis's band after the breakup of the quintet in 1968, playing on early

recordings including ''

In a Silent Way ''In a Silent Way'' is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Miles Davis, released on July 30, 1969, on Columbia Records. Produced by Teo Macero, the album was recorded in one session date on February 18, 1969, at CBS ...

'' and '' Bitches Brew'' (both 1969). His last live dates and studio recordings with Davis were in 1970. Until 1968, he played

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...

exclusively. The final album on which he played tenor in the regular sequence of Davis albums was '' Filles de Kilimanjaro''. In 1969, he played the

on the Davis album ''

'' and on his own ''

Super Nova A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last stellar evolution, evolutionary stages of a mass ...

'' (recorded with then-current Davis sidemen

Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz composer, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", " 500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and ...

and

John McLaughlin John or Jon McLaughlin may refer to: Arts and entertainment * John McLaughlin (musician) (born 1942), English jazz fusion guitarist, member of Mahavishnu Orchestra * Jon McLaughlin (musician) (born 1982), American singer-songwriter * John McLaug ...

). When performing live with Davis, and on recordings from summer 1969 to early spring 1970, he played both soprano and tenor saxophones; by the early 1970s, however, he chiefly played soprano.

Solo Blue Note recordings

Simultaneous with his time in the Davis quintet, Shorter recorded several albums for

Blue Note Records Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derived its name from the blue notes of jazz and the blues. Or ...

, featuring almost exclusively his own compositions, with a variety of line-ups, quartets and larger groups, including Blue Note favourites such as trumpeter

Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...

. His first Blue Note album (of 11 in total recorded from 1964 to 1970) was ''

Night Dreamer ''Night Dreamer'' is the fourth album by American jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter. It was released in November 1964 by Blue Note Records. With a quintet of trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Elvin Jones ...

'', recorded at

Rudy Van Gelder Rudolph Van Gelder (November 2, 1924 – August 25, 2016) was an American recording engineer who specialized in jazz. Over more than half a century, he recorded several thousand sessions, with musicians including John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Theloni ...

's studio in 1964 with

Lee Morgan Edward Lee Morgan (July 10, 1938 – February 19, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. One of the key hard bop musicians of the 1960s, Morgan came to prominence in his late teens, recording on John Coltrane's '' Blue Train'' (1 ...

(trumpet),

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Master and five-time Gram ...

(piano),

Reggie Workman Reginald "Reggie" Workman (born June 26, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey. Career Early in his career, Workman wo ...

(bass) and

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such widely celebrate ...

(drums). Two more albums were recorded in 1964, '' JuJu'' and ''

Speak No Evil ''Speak No Evil'' is the sixth album by Wayne Shorter. It was released in June 1966 by Blue Note Records. The music combines elements of hard bop and modal jazz, and features Shorter on tenor saxophone, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, pianist Herbi ...

''. Of the three Blue Note albums Shorter recorded in 1965, ''

The All Seeing Eye ''The All Seeing Eye'' is the ninth jazz album by saxophonist Wayne Shorter, recorded on October 15, 1965, and released on the Blue Note label as BLP 4219 and BST 84219 in 1966. The album features performances by Shorter with trumpeter Freddie ...

'' (rec. 1965, rel. 1966) was a workout with a larger group, while '' Adam's Apple'' (rec. 1966, rel. 1967) was back to carefully constructed melodies by Shorter leading a quartet. Then a sextet again in the following year for ''

Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdra ...

'' (rec. 1967, rel. 1969) with Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, trombonist

Curtis Fuller Curtis DuBois Fuller (December 15, 1932May 8, 2021) was an American jazz trombonist. He was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and contributed to many classic jazz recordings. Early life Fuller was born in Detroit on December 15, 1932. ...

, alto saxophonist/flautist

James Spaulding James Ralph Spaulding Jr. (born July 30, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist and flutist. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, United states, Spaulding attended the Chicago Cosmopolitan School of Music. Between 1957 and 1961, he was a member of Sun ...

and strong rhythms by drummer

Joe Chambers Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971 * ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...

. Shorter also recorded occasionally as a sideman (again, mainly for Blue Note) with trumpeter

Donald Byrd Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter and vocalist. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd was one of the few hard bop m ...

, McCoy Tyner, trombonist

Grachan Moncur III Grachan Moncur III (June 3, 1937 – June 3, 2022) was an American jazz trombonist. He was the son of jazz bassist Grachan Moncur II and the nephew of jazz saxophonist Al Cooper. Biography Born in New York City, United States, (his paternal gran ...

, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, and bandmates Herbie Hancock and drummer Tony Williams.

Weather Report (1971–1986)

Following the release of ''

Odyssey of Iska ''Odyssey of Iska'' is the fourteenth album by American jazz composer and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, released on Blue Note Records in 1971. Musicians include guitarist Gene Bertoncini, bassists Ron Carter and Cecil McBee and drummer Billy Har ...

'' in 1970, Shorter formed the fusion group

with Davis veteran keyboardist Joe Zawinul and bassist

Miroslav Vitous Miroslav may refer to: * Miroslav (given name), a Slavic masculine given name * ''Young America'' (clipper) or ''Miroslav'', an Austrian clipper ship in the Transatlantic case oil trade * Miroslav (Znojmo District), a town in the Czech Republic S ...

. The other original members were percussionist

Airto Moreira Airto Guimorvan Moreira (born August 5, 1941) is a Brazilian jazz drummer and percussionist. He is married to jazz singer Flora Purim, and their daughter Diana Moreira is also a singer. Coming to prominence in the late 1960s as a member of the ...

, and drummer

Alphonse Mouzon Alphonse Lee Mouzon (November 21, 1948 – December 25, 2016) was an American jazz fusion drummer and the owner of Tenacious Records, a label that primarily released Mouzon's recordings. He was a composer, arranger, producer, and actor. He ga ...

. After Vitous' departure in 1973, Shorter and Zawinul co-led the group until the band's break-up in late 1985. A variety of musicians would make up Weather Report over the years (most notably the revolutionary bassist

Jaco Pastorius John Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III (; December 1, 1951 – September 21, 1987) was an American jazz bassist, composer and producer. He recorded albums as a solo artist and band leader and was a member of Weather Report from 1976 to 1981. ...

) helping the band produce many high quality recordings in diverse styles, with funk,

bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early-to-mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo, complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerous changes of key, instrumen ...

Latin jazz Latin jazz is a genre of jazz with Latin American rhythms. The two main categories are Afro-Cuban jazz, rhythmically based on Cuban popular dance music, with a rhythm section employing ostinato patterns or a clave, and Afro-Brazilian jazz, whic ...

, ethnic music, and

futurism Futurism ( it, Futurismo, link=no) was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy, and to a lesser extent in other countries, in the early 20th century. It emphasized dynamism, speed, technology, youth, violence, and objects such ...

being the most prevalent denominators.

Solo and side projects

Shorter also recorded critically acclaimed albums as a bandleader, notably 1974's '' Native Dancer'', which featured Hancock and Brazilian composer and vocalist

Milton Nascimento Milton Nascimento (; born October 26, 1942), also known as Bituca, is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has toured across the world. Nascimento has won five Grammy Awards, including Best World Music Album for his alb ...

In the late 1970s and the early 1980s, he toured in the V.S.O.P. quintet. This group was a revival of the 1960s Davis quintet, except that Freddie Hubbard filled the trumpet chair. Shorter appeared with the same former Davis bandmates on the

Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of Rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound featured ...

double LP ''

The Swing of Delight ''The Swing of Delight'' is a 1980 double album by Carlos Santana. It was released under his temporary Sanskrit name ''Devadip'' Carlos Santana, given to him by Sri Chinmoy. It peaked at #65 on the charts. On the album, Santana is joined by mu ...

'' (1980), for which he also composed a number of pieces. From 1977 through 2002, he appeared on 10

Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her sta ...

studio albums, gaining him a wider audience. He played an extended solo on the title track of Steely Dan's 1977 album '' Aja''.

Later career

After leaving Weather Report in 1986, Shorter continued to record and lead groups in

styles, including touring in 1988 with guitarist

, who appeared on '' This is This!'' (1986), the last Weather Report disc. There is a concert video recorded at the

Lugano Lugano (, , ; lmo, label=Ticinese dialect, Ticinese, Lugan ) is a city and municipality in Switzerland, part of the Lugano District in the canton of Ticino. It is the largest city of both Ticino and the Italian-speaking southern Switzerland. Luga ...

Jazz Festival in 1987, with

Jim Beard James Arthur Beard (born August 26, 1960 in Philadelphia) is an American jazz pianist and keyboardist, composer, arranger and producer who has worked with Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Mike Stern, Dennis Chambers ...

(keyboards), Carl James (bass),

Terri Lyne Carrington Terri Lyne Carrington (born August 4, 1965) is an American jazz drummer, composer, producer, and educator. She has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets, and ma ...

(drums), and

Marilyn Mazur Marilyn Mazur (born January 18, 1955) is an American-born Danish percussionist. Since 1975, she has worked as a percussionist with various groups, among them Six Winds with Alex Riel. Mazur is primarily an autodidact, but she has a degree in ...

(percussion). In 1989, he contributed to a hit on the rock charts, playing the sax solo on

Don Henley Donald Hugh Henley (born July 22, 1947) is an American musician and a founding member of the rock band Eagles. He is the drummer and one of the lead singers for the Eagles. Henley sang the lead vocals on Eagles hits such as "Witchy Woman", "Despe ...

's song " The End of the Innocence" and also produced the album ''Pilar'' by the Portuguese singer-songwriter Pilar Homem de Melo. He has also maintained an occasional working relationship with Herbie Hancock, including a tribute album recorded shortly after Miles Davis's death with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Tony Williams and

Wallace Roney Wallace Roney (May 25, 1960 – March 31, 2020) was an American jazz (hard bop and post-bop) trumpeter. He has won 1 Grammy award and has two nominations. Roney took lessons from Clark Terry and Dizzy Gillespie and studied with Miles Davis from ...

. He continued to appear on Mitchell's records in the 1990s and can be heard on the soundtrack of the

Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. His films have grossed more than $5.4billion in North America and more than $9.3billion worldwide, making him the seventh-highest-grossing actor in North America. He is the recipient o ...

film '' The Fugitive'' (1993). In 1995, Shorter released the album '' High Life'', his first solo recording for seven years. It was also his debut as a leader for

Verve Records Verve Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simon ...

. Shorter composed all the compositions on the album and co-produced it with the bassist

Marcus Miller William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. (born June 14, 1959) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work as a bassist. He has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Luther Vandros ...

. ''High Life'' received the

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

for best Contemporary Jazz Album in 1997. Shorter worked with Herbie Hancock once again in 1997, on the much acclaimed and heralded album ''

1+1 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1 ...

''. The song "Aung San Suu Kyi" (named for the Burmese pro-democracy

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

) won both Hancock and Shorter a Grammy Award. In 2009, he was announced as one of the headline acts at the

Gnaoua World Music Festival The Gnaoua World Music Festival is a Gnawa music festival held annually in Essaouira, Morocco. It was founded in 1998 by A3 Groupe, a private event-organizing company located in Casablanca. The festival provides a platform for a meeting point of ...

in Essaouira, Morocco. His 2013 live album '' Without a Net'' (rec. 2010) is his first with Blue Note Records since ''

'' (rec. 1970, rel. 1971).

Quartet

In 2000, Shorter formed the first permanent acoustic group under his name, a quartet with pianist

Danilo Perez Danilo is a given name found in Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Serbian. Notable people with the name Danilo include: Athletes Footballers * Danilo (footballer, born 1979), Brazilian footballer Danilo de Andrade * Danilo (footballer, born 19 ...

, bassist

John Patitucci John Patitucci (born December 22, 1959) is an American jazz bassist and composer. Biography John James Patitucci was born in Brooklyn, New York. When he was 12, he bought his first bass and decided on his career. He listened to bass parts in R ...

, and drummer Brian Blade, playing his own compositions, many of them reworkings of tunes going back to the 1960s. Four albums of live recordings have been released: ''

Footprints Live! ''Footprints live!'' is a live album by saxophonist Wayne Shorter released on Verve Records in 2002. It was Shorter's first official live album released under his own name and the first album to feature his 'Footprints Quartet' with pianist Danil ...

'' (rec. live 2001, rel. 2002); ''

Beyond the Sound Barrier ''Beyond the Sound Barrier'' is a live album by saxophonist Wayne Shorter released by Verve Records in 2005. It features Shorter’s ‘Footprints’ Quartet with pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade. Backgrou ...

'' (rec. live 2002–2004, rel. 2005); '' Without a Net'' (rec. live 2010, rel. 2013); and ''

Emanon Emanon is an American musical duo formed in 1995, in Los Angeles, California, composed of rapper and singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc and record producer Exile (producer), Exile. Allmusic history History Emanon released the extended play (EP) ...

'' (2018), with the latter, in addition to live material, including Shorter’s quartet in a studio session with the 34-piece

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (founded 1972) is a classical music chamber orchestra based in New York City. They have won several Grammy Awards. The orchestra is known for its collaborative leadership style in which the musicians, not a cond ...

. The quartet has received great acclaim from fans and critics, especially for the strength of Shorter's tenor saxophone playing. The biography ''Footprints: The Life and Work of Wayne Shorter'' by journalist Michelle Mercer examines the working life of the musicians as well as Shorter's thoughts and Buddhist beliefs. ''Beyond the Sound Barrier'' received the 2006

for Best Instrumental Jazz Album. Shorter's 2003 album '' Alegría'' (his first studio album for 10 years, since ''High Life'') received the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Jazz Album; it features the quartet with a host of other musicians, including pianist

Brad Mehldau Bradford Alexander Mehldau (; born August 23, 1970) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Mehldau studied music at The New School, and toured and recorded while still a student. He was a member of saxophonist Joshua Redman's Qua ...

, drummer Terri Lynn Carrington and former Weather Report percussionist

Alex Acuña Alejandro Neciosup Acuña (born December 12, 1944), known professionally as Alex Acuña, is a Peruvian-American drummer and percussionist. Background Born in Pativilca, Peru, Acuña played in local bands such as La Orquesta de los Hermanos Nec ...

. Shorter's compositions, some new, some reworked from his Miles Davis period, feature the complex Latin rhythms that he specialised in during his Weather Report days.

''Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity''

In 2015, producer/director Dorsay Alavi began filming a documentary about the life of Wayne Shorter called ''Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity''. A number of high-profile musicians, including

Esperanza Spalding Esperanza Emily Spalding (born October 18, 1984) is an American bassist, singer, songwriter, and composer. Her accolades include five Grammy Awards, a Boston Music Award, and a Soul Train Music Award. A native of Portland, Oregon, Spalding be ...

, and

, performed at a donor event to raise funds for the documentary; two of the largest donations came from the Herb Alpert Foundation and

Mega Nova

In 2016, it was announced that Shorter, Carlos Santana, and Herbie Hancock would begin touring under the name Mega Nova. Also included within the supergroup was bassist

and drummer

Cindy Blackman Santana Cindy Blackman Santana (born November 18, 1959), sometimes known as Cindy Blackman, is an American jazz and rock drummer. Blackman has recorded several jazz albums as a bandleader and has performed with Pharoah Sanders, Sonny Simmons, Ron Cart ...

. Their first show together was on August 24, 2016 at the

Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in America by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018. The Hollywood Bowl is known for its distin ...

''(Iphigenia)''

In 2018, Shorter retired from his near 70-year performing career due to health issues. He has continued working as a composer, creating a "new operatic work" titled ''(Iphigenia)'', with

writing the libretto and architect

Frank Gehry Frank Owen Gehry, , FAIA (; ; born ) is a Canadian-born American architect and designer. A number of his buildings, including his private residence in Santa Monica, California, have become world-renowned attractions. His works are considered ...

designing the sets, which premiered on 12 November 2021, at the

Cutler Majestic Theatre The Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, in Boston, Massachusetts, is a 1903 Beaux Arts style theater, designed by the architect John Galen Howard. Originally built for theatre, it was one of three theaters commissioned in Boston by Ebe ...

Honors and recognition

In 1999, Shorter received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

. On September 17, 2013, Shorter received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the

Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is a non-profit music education organization founded in 1986. Before 2019, it was known as the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, but was then renamed after its longtime board chairman, Herbie Hancock. The i ...

. On December 18, 2014, the Recording Academy announced that Shorter was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of his "prolific contributions to our culture and history". In 2016, Shorter was awarded a

Guggenheim Fellowship Guggenheim Fellowships are grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the ar ...

in the field of music composition, the only jazz artist to receive the honor that year. In 2017, Shorter was announced as the joint winner of the

. The award committee stated: "Without the musical explorations of Wayne Shorter, modern music would not have drilled so deep." In 2018, Shorter received the

Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in a gala celebrating five hono ...

Award from the

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

for his lifetime of contributions to the arts.

Awards

, -! scope="row" , Year, , ''Work'', , Category , , Award , , , , Notes , , Citation , - , 1962, , Wayne Shorter, , New Star Saxophonist , , '' DownBeat Readers Poll'', , , , , , , - , , 1972, , '' I Sing The Body Electric'', , Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal Or Instrumental, , Grammy Award, , , , with

, , , - , 1979, , '' 8:30'', , Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal Or Instrumental , ,

, , , , with Weather Report, , , - , , 1981, , '' Night Passage'', , Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal Or Instrumental, , Grammy Award, , , , with Weather Report , , , - , , 1982, , ''

'', , Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal Or Instrumental, , Grammy Award, , , , with Weather Report , , , - , , 1983, , ''

Procession A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner. History Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...

'', , Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal Or Instrumental, , Grammy Award, , , , with Weather Report , , , - , rowspan="2", 1985, , '' Sportin' Life'', , Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal Or Instrumental, , Grammy Award, , , , with Weather Report , , , - , ''

Atlantis Atlantis ( grc, Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, , island of Atlas (mythology), Atlas) is a fictional island mentioned in an allegory on the hubris of nations in Plato's works ''Timaeus (dialogue), Timaeus'' and ''Critias (dialogue), Critias'' ...

'', , Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal Or Instrumental, , Grammy Award, , , , , , , - , 1987, , "Call Sheet Blues", ,

Best Instrumental Composition The Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition (including its previous names) has been awarded since 1960. The award is presented to the composer of an original piece of music (not an adaptation), first released during the eligibility year. I ...

, , Grammy Award, , , , with

, Ron Carter and

Billy Higgins Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop. Biography Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, be ...

from ''

The Other Side of Round Midnight ''The Other Side of Round Midnight'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1985 and released on the Blue Note Records, Blue Note label.

Featuring

Dexter Gordon Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and actor. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gi ...

'', , , - , rowspan="2" , 1994, , '' A Tribute to Miles'', , Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual or Group , , Grammy Award, , , , , , , - , "Pinocchio ", ,

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo The Grammy Award for Best Improvised Jazz Solo has been awarded since 1959. Before 1979 the award title did not specify instrumental performances and was presented for instrumental or vocal performances. The award has had several minor name change ...

, , Grammy Award, , , , from '' A Tribute to Miles'' , , , - , rowspan="4", 1996, , Wayne Shorter, , Lifetime achievement , , Miles Davis Award , , , , The Miles Davis Award is given by the

Montreal International Jazz Festival The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal ( en, Montreal International Jazz Festival) is an annual jazz festival held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Jazz Fest holds the 2004 Guinness World Record as the world's largest jazz fes ...

to "honor a great international jazz musician for the entire body of his or her work and influence in regenerating the jazz idiom." , , , - , '' High Life'', , Best Contemporary Jazz Album , , Grammy Award , , , , , , , - , "Children Of The Night", , Best Instrumental Arrangement , , Grammy Award , , , , from '' High Life'', , , - , "Midnight In Carlotta's Hair", ,

, , Grammy Award , , , , from '' High Life'' , , , - , 1997, , "Aung San Suu Kyi", , Best Instrumental Composition , , Grammy Award, , , , from Herbie Hancock's''

'' , , , - , 1998, , Wayne Shorter, , Lifetime achievement , , NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship, , , , NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships are awarded by

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

to "musicians who have reached an exceptionally high standard of achievement in this very specialized art form." Each fellowship includes a monetary award., , , - , 1999, , "In Walked Wayne", , Best Jazz Instrumental Solo , , Grammy Award , , , , from J.J. Johnson's ''Heroes'' , , , - , rowspan="2", 2002, , ''Footprints Live!'', , Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group , , Grammy Award, , , , , , , - , Wayne Shorter, , Significant contributions to the evolution of jazz , , Beacons in Jazz Award, , , , bestowed by The New School's Jazz & Contemporary Music Program , , , - , rowspan="2", 2003, , "Sacajawea", ,

, , Grammy Award, , , , from '' Alegría'' , , , - , , '' Alegría, , Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual or Group , , Grammy Award , , , , , , , - , 2005, , ''

'', , Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual or Group , , Grammy Award, , , , , , , - , rowspan="3", 2006, , Wayne Shorter , , Soprano Saxophone Player of the Year , , Downbeat Critics' Poll, , , , , , , - , rowspan="2", Wayne Shorter Quartet , , Jazz Group of the Year , , Downbeat Critics' Poll, , , , , , , - , Small Ensemble Group of the Year , ,

Jazz Journalists Association The Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) is an international organization of all types of media professionals who document, promulgate, or appreciate jazz. As of 2016, it has approximately 250 members, including professional journalists, students, ind ...

Jazz Award, , , , , , , - , , 2008 , , Wayne Shorter, , Soprano Saxophone Player of the Year , , ''DownBeat'' Critics Poll, , , , , , , - , rowspan="5", 2013, , '' Without A Net'', , Jazz Album of the Year , , ''DownBeat'' Critics Poll, , , , with Wayne Shorter Quartet, , , - , rowspan="2", Wayne Shorter, , Artist of the Year , , ''DownBeat'' Critics Poll, , , , , , , - , Soprano Saxophone Player of the Year , , ''DownBeat'' Critics Poll, , , , , , , - , rowspan="2", Wayne Shorter Quartet, , rowspan="2", Jazz Group , , ''DownBeat'' Critics Poll, , , , , , , - , ''DownBeat'' Readers Poll, , , , , , , - , rowspan="3", 2014, , "Orbits", , Best Jazz Instrumental Solo , , Grammy Award, , , , from '' Without a Net'' , , , - , Wayne Shorter, , Achiever , , Golden Plate Award, , , , bestowed by

American Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a non-profit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest achieving individuals in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet o ...

; presented by Awards Council member Willie L. Brown Jr. , , , - , Wayne Shorter Quartet, , Jazz Group , , ''DownBeat'' Critics Poll, , , , , , , - , , 2015 , , Wayne Shorter, , Soprano Saxophone Player of the Year , , ''DownBeat'' Critics Poll, , , , , , , - , rowspan="2", 2016, , rowspan="2", Wayne Shorter, , rowspan="2" , Soprano Saxophone Player of the Year , , ''DownBeat'' Critics Poll, , , , , , , - , ''DownBeat'' Readers Poll, , , , , , , - , rowspan="3", 2017, , rowspan="3", Wayne Shorter, , Soprano Saxophone Player of the Year , , ''DownBeat'' Critics Poll, , , , , , , - , Exceptional achievement , ,

, , , , , , , - , Musical Arts , ,

Rolf Schock Prizes The Rolf Schock Prizes were established and endowed by bequest of philosopher and artist Rolf Schock (1933–1986). The prizes were first awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1993 and, since 2005, are awarded every three years. Each recipient currentl ...

, , , , , , , - , rowspan="4", 2019 , , rowspan="2", Wayne Shorter, , Jazz Artist , , rowspan="3", ''DownBeat'' Readers Poll, , , , , , , - , Soprano Saxophone Player of the Year , , , , , , , - , rowspan="2", ''

'', , Jazz Album , , , , , , , - , Best Jazz Instrumental Album , , Grammy Award, , , , , , , - , 2021, , Wayne Shorter , , On-going innovation and impact in the field of jazz , ,

Doris Duke Performing Artist Award The Doris Duke Artist Award is undertaken by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and designed to "empower, invest in and celebrate artists by offering multi-year, unrestricted funding as a response to financial and funding challenges both unique t ...

, , , , sponsored by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, , , - , rowspan="2", 2023 , , "Endangered Species" , , Best Improvised Jazz Solo , , rowspan="2", Grammy Award , , , , with

Leo Genovese Leo Genovese (born 1979) is an Argentine jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer. He has played with The Mars Volta. Life and career Genovese was born in Venado Tuerto, Argentina, in 1979.

, , rowspan="2", , - , ''Live at the Detroit Jazz Festival'' , , Best Jazz Instrumental Album , , , , with

, Leo Genovese, and

Discography

*''

Introducing Wayne Shorter ''Introducing Wayne Shorter'' is the debut album by jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter. It was recorded on November 9 and 10, 1959, at Bell Sound Studios in New York City. It features five Shorter compositions, plus Kurt Weill's "Mack the Knife”, p ...

'' (aka ''Blues a la Carte'',

Vee-Jay Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The label was founded in Gary, Indiana in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a ...

, 1959) *'' Second Genesis'' (Vee-Jay, rec. 1960, rel. 1974) *'' Wayning Moments'' (Vee-Jay, 1962) *''

'' (

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...

, 1964) *'' JuJu'' (Blue Note, 1964) *''

'' (Blue Note, rec. 1964, rel. 1966) *''

The Soothsayer ''The Soothsayer'' is the seventh album by Wayne Shorter, recorded in 1965, but not released on Blue Note until 1979.Et Cetera ''Et Cetera'' ( or (proscribed) , ), abbreviated to ''etc.'', ''etc'', ''et cet.'', ''&c.'' or ''&c'' is a Latin expression that is used in English to mean "and other similar things", or "and so forth". Translated literally from Latin, means 'an ...

'' (Blue Note, rec. 1965, rel. 1980) *''

'' (Blue Note, rec. 1965, rel. 1966) *'' Adam's Apple'' (Blue Note, rec. 1966, rel. 1967) *''

'' (Blue Note, rec. 1967, rel. 1969) *''

'' (Blue Note, 1969) *'' Moto Grosso Feio'' (Blue Note, rec. 1970, rel. 1974) *''

'' (Blue Note, rec. 1970, rel. 1971) *'' Native Dancer'' ( Columbia, rec. 1974, rel. 1975) with

*''

'' (Columbia, 1985) *''

Phantom Navigator ''Phantom Navigator'' is the seventeenth album by jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter, that was released on Columbia in 1986. Reception The Allmusic review by Richard S. Ginell awarded the album 1.5 stars stating "On a sheer technical level, Wayne's s ...

'' (Columbia, rec. 1986, rel. 1987) *''

Joy Ryder ''Joy Ryder'' is the eighteenth album by saxophonist Wayne Shorter, released on Columbia in 1988. Reception The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow stated: "Wayne Shorter's occasional Columbia records of the 1980's are all disappointments. His compo ...

'' (Columbia, 1988) *'' High Life'' (

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

, 1995) *''

'' (Verve, 1997) with

*''

'' (Verve, 2002) *'' Alegría'' (Verve, 2003) *''

'' (Verve, rec. live 2002–2004, rel. 2005) as Wayne Shorter Quartet *''

Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter – Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1988 ''Live at Montreux Jazz Festival'' is a live album by guitarist Carlos Santana and saxophonist Wayne Shorter that was released in 2005. The album is a record of their performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 14, 1988. Background Santan ...

'' (

Image Entertainment RLJ Entertainment (formerly Image Entertainment) is an American film production company and home video distributor, distributing film and television productions in North America, with approximately 3,200 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 34 ...

, 2007) with

*'' Without a Net'' (Blue Note, rec. live 2010, rel. 2013) as Wayne Shorter Quartet *''

'' (Blue Note, 2018)

Personal life

Shorter met Teruko (Irene) Nakagami in 1961. They were later married and had a daughter, Miyako. Some of his compositions are copyrighted as "Miyako Music" and Shorter dedicated the pieces "Miyako" and "Infant Eyes" to his daughter. The couple separated in 1964. Shorter met Ana Maria Patricio in 1966 and they were married in 1970. In 1986, their daughter Iska died of a

grand mal Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and commun ...

seizure at age 14. Ana Maria and the couple's niece, Dalila, were both killed on July 17, 1996, on

TWA Flight 800 Trans World Airlines Flight 800 (TWA800) was a Boeing 747-100 that exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, on July 17, 1996, at about 8:31pm. Eastern Daylight Time, EDT, 12 minutes after takeoff from John F. K ...

, while travelling to visit him in Italy. Dalila was the daughter of Ana Maria Shorter's sister and her husband, jazz vocalist

Jon Lucien Lucien Leopold Harrigan (January 8, 1942 – August 18, 2007), known professionally as Jon Lucien, was a singer from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. His parents were Eric "Rico" Lucien Harrigan and Eloise Turnbull Harrigan of Tortolan famil ...

. In 1999, Shorter married Carolina Dos Santos, a close friend of Ana Maria. The Shorters practice

Nichiren Buddhism Nichiren Buddhism ( ja, 日蓮仏教), also known as Hokkeshū ( ja, 法華宗, meaning ''Lotus Sect'') is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren (1222–1282) and is one o ...

and are longtime members of the Buddhist association

Soka Gakkai International Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is an international Nichiren Buddhist organisation founded in 1975 by Daisaku Ikeda, as an umbrella organization of Soka Gakkai, which declares approximately 12 million adherents in 192 countries and territorie ...

. Composer and producer Rick Shorter (1934-2017) was Shorter's cousin.''Old Times'', Winter / Spring 2012
p. 12, UCC principal's son makes beautiful music, Nick Krewen
/ref>

References

External links

Wayne Shorter biography, discography and album reviews, credits & releases
at

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

Wayne Shorter discography, album releases & credits
at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

Wayne Shorter
at

Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...

Wayne Shorter discography
at JazzDisco.org
Wayne Shorter biography, discography, album credits & user reviews
at ProgArchives.com
Wayne Shorteralbums to be listened
on

Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...

Wayne Shorter albums to be listened
on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

"An Interview with Wayne Shorter"
by Bob Blumenthal at jazz.com
Wayne Shorter Quartet with NEC Philharmonia, Boston
at AllAboutJazz.com
Wayne Shorter's artist file on Montreal Jazz Festival's website

DTM interview

Interview with Wayne Shorter
on The Music Show, ABC Radio (Australia), June 2016. {{DEFAULTSORT:Shorter, Wayne 1933 births Living people Musicians from Newark, New Jersey Newark Arts High School alumni Modal jazz saxophonists Crossover jazz saxophonists Jazz fusion saxophonists Hard bop saxophonists Post-bop saxophonists African-American jazz composers American jazz composers American male jazz composers American Buddhists American jazz soprano saxophonists American jazz tenor saxophonists American male saxophonists African-American saxophonists African-American United States Army personnel The Jazz Messengers members Miles Davis Quintet members Kennedy Center honorees Members of Sōka Gakkai Converts to Buddhism Converts to Sōka Gakkai Blue Note Records artists Vee-Jay Records artists Weather Report members Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development alumni Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners 21st-century saxophonists V.S.O.P. (group) members