Shorter Stories at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities -- October 20.
Sunday, October 20, 5 p.m.
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities, 3707 Eastern Avemue, Davenport IA
With the group's debut recording New Juju newly out on SkyDeck Records and available on all digital platforms, the talents of the the University of Northern Iowa faculty septet Shorter Stories headline the latest event in Polyrhythms' Third Sunday Jazz Series, their October 20 concert at Davenport's Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities delivering a tribute to legendary composer and saxophonist Wayne Shorter.
Bringing a new flavor to classic compositions, Shorter Stories plays original arrangements of the music of Shorter, with a focus on his Blue Note years of the 1960s. This group features some of the most dynamic jazz musicians in the area: Christopher Merz (saxophone and arranger), Jon Ailabouni (trumpet), Anthony Williams (trombone), Bob Dunn (guitar), Mike Conrad (piano), Dave Altemeier (bass), and Josh Hakanson (drums).
Wayne Shorter was a jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader who came to mainstream prominence in 1959 upon joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, for whom he eventually became the primary composer. In 1964, he joined Miles Davis' Second Great Quintet, and then co-founded the jazz fusion band Weather Report in 1970, going on to record more than 20 albums as a bandleader. Many Shorter compositions have become jazz standards, while his music has earned worldwide recognition, critical praise, universal commendation, and 12 Grammy Awards. He was acclaimed for his mastery of the soprano saxophone since switching his focus from the tenor in the late 1960s and beginning an extended reign in 1970 as DownBeat's annual poll-winner on that instrument, winning the critics' poll for 10 consecutive years and the readers' for 18. New York Times music critic Ben Ratliff described Shorter in 2008 as "probably jazz's greatest living small-group composer and a contender for greatest living improviser," and in 2017, he was awarded the Polar Music Prize.
Shorter recorded several albums for Blue Note Records, featuring, almost exclusively, his own compositions, with a variety of line-ups, quartets, and larger groups, including Blue Note favorites such as trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. His first Blue Note album (of 11 in total recorded from 1964 to 1970) was Night Dreamer, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in 1964 with Lee Morgan (trumpet), McCoy Tyner (piano), Reggie Workman (bass), and Elvin Jones (drums). Two more albums were recorded in 1964: JuJu and Speak No Evil. Of the three Blue Note albums Shorter recorded in 1965, The All Seeing Eye was a workout with a larger group, while Adam's Apple was a return to carefully constructed melodies by Shorter leading a quartet. Then a sextet again in the following year for Schizophrenia with Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, trombonist Curtis Fuller, alto saxophonist/flautist James Spaulding, and strong rhythms by drummer Joe Chambers.
Shorter Stories performs their Third Sunday matinee concert at Davenport's Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities on October 20, admission to the 5 p.m. event is $20 (no reserved seating), and children K-12 and college students (ID required) will be admitted free. This concert event will also be preceded by a 3 p.m. jazz workshop with Christopher Mertz presented free of charge to all attendees, with a social hour starting at 4 p.m. and doors for the 5 p.m. performance opening at 4:30 p.m. For additional information, visit Polyrhythms.org.
