Wayne Shorter American jazzman, saxophonist and composer Date of Birth: 25.08.1933 Country: USA

Biography of Wayne Shorter

Wayne Shorter, an American jazz musician, saxophonist, and composer, is a legendary figure in the jazz world. He is a multiple Grammy Award winner and is considered one of the greatest living jazz composers. Wayne Shorter was born in Newark, New Jersey. In 1952, he graduated from Newark Arts High School, where he was already playing the trumpet. Both Wayne and his brother Alan were introduced to music by their father. While he initially played the trumpet and clarinet, he later switched to the tenor saxophone.

In 1956, Shorter graduated from New York University and then served in the army for two years. During this time, he met the legendary jazz pianist Horace Silver. By the late 1950s, Shorter had become a well-known saxophonist in the jazz world and in 1959, he joined Art Blakey's famous band. He remained with Blakey for five years and even became the musical director of the group at one point.

In 1964, Shorter joined Miles Davis' jazz band. Interestingly, John Coltrane had recommended Shorter to replace him in Davis' band back in 1960, but Shorter joined the band in 1964. Together with Davis and Shorter, the famous quintet included Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams, and this lineup was later referred to as the Second Great Quintet. Shorter's contributions to the band were immense, as he composed famous pieces such as "Prince of Darkness," "E.S.P.," "Footprints," "Sanctuary," and "Nefertiti."

While still a member of Davis' band, Shorter began recording as a solo artist for Blue Note Records. He released albums such as "Night Dreamer," "JuJu," "The Soothsayer," "Adam's Apple," "Schizophrenia," "Super Nova," "Moto Grosso Feio," and "Odyssey of Iska" during the 1960s and 1970s. He later recorded for Columbia Records. In the early 1970s, Shorter co-founded the jazz band Weather Report with pianist Joe Zawinul. He remained with the band until 1985 and they recorded over 15 albums together, serving as a launching pad for many jazz musicians.

Throughout his career, Shorter collaborated with Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, and many other jazz musicians. He appeared as a sideman on over a hundred albums by renowned jazz musicians such as Blakey, Davis, Hubbard, and Morgan. Shorter's own discography consists of 24 albums, with his last one, "Beyond the Sound Barrier," recorded in 2005.

In terms of his personal life, Wayne Shorter met his future wife Teruka Nakagami in 1961. They had a daughter named Miyako, but their marriage ended in 1964. In 1970, Shorter married Ana Maria, but tragedy struck in 1986 when their 14-year-old daughter Iska passed away. In 1996, Ana Maria also died in a car accident, as a passenger on TWA Flight 800, which crashed over the Atlantic Ocean. In 1999, Shorter married his close friend Ana Maria's Caroline Dos Santos. It is known that Wayne Shorter practices Buddhism and is a member of the Sōka Gakkai Buddhist movement.

Wayne Shorter is considered a living legend of jazz and one of the greatest jazz composers and performers.