Beyond the Sound Barrier
Wayne Shortertook jazz by storm with 2002’sFootprints Live!, marking the return of the firebrand improviser of the 1960s after decades of self-effacing fusion.Beyond the Sound Barriercontinues in the same vein, with more live recordings of his working quartet. Pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade bring a mercurial collective creativity to the project, adding a fresh urgency to the kind of interactivity that marked Shorter’s classic Blue Notes and his work with Miles Davis. The group can venture into free jazz on "Tinker Bell," explore the classical lyricism of Mendelssohn’s "On Wings of Song," or bring new life to older compositions, as with the leader’s spinning, high velocity runs on "Joy Ryder" and the multi-dimensional exploration of "Over Shadow Hill Way." Each track is an adventure, with Shorter’s saxophones dancing through the band’s creative firestorm.--Stuart Broomer