This was reported by The New York Times, according to which Shorter’s agent Alisse Kingsley confirmed the death. Shorter was also among the most admired jazz composers.
Shorter exuded an unmistakably ethereal, mischievous and intimate tone from the tenor saxophone. Another favorite instrument of his was the soprano saxophone. In 1959, Shorter became a member of Art Blakey’s hard bop formation Jazz Messengers, then trumpeter Miles Davis invited him to join his quintet. Both of these formations are still considered to be among the best small groups in jazz history.
With Austrian-American keyboardist Joe Zawinul and Czech-American double bassist and bassist Miroslav Vitous, Shorter founded one of the most famous jazz rock groups of the 1970s and 1980s, Weather Report, in 1971.
He also collaborated with popular and rock music stars, such as singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell or guitarist Carlos Santana.
Wayne Shorter has released many albums under his own name as well. Many of his compositions, such as Footprints or Speak No Evil, have become jazz standards.
In this century, Shorter gave concerts with his new acoustic quartet, with which he performed in 2007 at the Prague Spring festival. He performed in Prague again in 2010. In 2013, Shorter visited Prague again as part of his tour, and in April 2016, this multiple Grammy award winner performed in Brno for the first time.
