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Wayne Shorter- Alegria


Sundog

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I have yet to buy this album. I been on a bit of a Shorter kick lately, and my interest in this album has been reawakened. I have "Footprints Live" and I have to say it's a bit of a tough listen for me. Have not really warmed up to it 100%. Just to give you some perspective, my favorite Wayne albums are JuJu, Speak No Evil, Night Dreamer, and Adam's Apple. Given all that, what do you say? Should I purchase? As always TIA.

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I think it's a fine record, very interesting, and another fascinaing step in the continuing evolution of Wayne as player and composer. But if you don't dig FOOTPRINTS LIVE all that much and/or prefer the Wayne of the BN days, then this one might well not thrill you, at least immediately. OTOH, if you start getting comfortable with FL, then ALEGRIA, which was actually recorded first, will fall right into place. Or vice versa. ALEGRIA's compositional structures are much more "obvious" than those of FOOTPRINTS LIVE, so this might be the one that helps you "get" FL.

Either way though, if you're looking for the Wayne "style" of 35-40 years ago, you'll not find it here. The essence remains, is even stronger, actually, but the style itself, in both playing and writing, has evolved quite a bit since then.

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ALEGRIA's compositional structures are much more "obvious" than those of FOOTPRINTS LIVE, so this might be the one that helps you "get" FL.

That's what I was hoping for. I certainly don't expect Wayne to go back to his Blue Note days, however it would be nice to have just a bit more structure. This sounds like an interesting album. I didn't realize ALEGRIA was recorded first. Sounds like FOOTPRINTS and ALEGRIA are "bookends" of sorts. I'll put it at the top of my "purchase" queue. Thanks again.

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Cool, and I hope you enjoy it. Seems to be an album that people are incapable of indiference towards!

Actually, I seem to have managed just that. I bought it a couple of weeks ago and haven't listened to it yet. I'm sure I'll form an opinion as soon as I hear it, though... :g

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  • 2 months later...

I'll put it at the top of my "purchase" queue.

Well I still haven't purchased Alegria yet. I can't seem to find it at a decent price (that's Verve for ya'). However, I listened to "Footprints Live" today and it just clicked for me. This is a very fine album just about any way you look at it! That's some of the most compelling playing I've heard in quite some time. Wayne's still got that fire! Kind of nice when you do a 180 on an album that is a tough listen at first. Could "The "All Seeing Eye" be far behind?

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I like both albums. Footprints Live sat on the rack for a year after I got it from BMG, and I finally gave it a listen a few months ago after getting on that Weather Report kick. Like you, Sundog, I found it very compelling.

You can get Alegria from BMG as well.

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IMHO Footprints Live is an unbelievable piece of work. To me it is Wayne's biography of a sort. The way he weaves his past into his present with a vision of where his future lies is mesmerizing. I think you really need to listen to his early stuff a lot to really appreciate what he accomplishes on Footprints. It is an amazing effort. He is all there for all to see. His past, his present, his future all incorporated into a single effort and still in a new and fresh way. Wayne is a genius on this one and I do not use that term lightly. Footprints is almost like a lecture with emotion. It is instructional, yet not too intellectual. Great, great work, again IMO.

Alegria is very good as well but it doesn't accomplish what Footprints does for me.

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I think you really need to listen to his early stuff a lot to really appreciate what he accomplishes on Footprints. It is an amazing effort. He is all there for all to see. His past, his present, his future all incorporated into a single effort and still in a new and fresh way.

I think you just explained to me why the album just clicked all of a sudden. I have been listening to a lot of older Wayne this past summer. When I listened to FPL the other day I did get the feeling that he was weaving the old and the new in a very exciting, creative, and forward thinking manner. You nailed it. Thanks!

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Sundog,

Do not be afraid of All Seeing Eye or Soothsayer either, although I have never been overly impressed with the recording quality of Soothsayer. I think they will RVG that one soon IMO, but probably not soon enough. Both are really great. It took me a long time to get into All Seeing Eye but if you get into Footprints you will probably enjoy it now after several close listenings. It is still not my favorite Wayne but it has moved up the list. Don't forget Et Cetera and Schizophrenia. Both are worth looking for.

Shorter is fantastic. Glad you are enjoying his work. We will just add you to the Shorter stack. You will find a lot of company here! :D:D:D

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  • 3 years later...

Really?

I admit I like this more than any other recent Shorter. . . but don't recollect it being that great sounding or spellbinding.

vive la difference!

Maybe I had a little too much of the birthday vino yesterday, but it definitely sounds excellent. Of course I just got a new SET amp and SET's are a match made in heaven for the K-Horns.

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Really?

I admit I like this more than any other recent Shorter. . . but don't recollect it being that great sounding or spellbinding.

vive la difference!

Maybe I had a little too much of the birthday vino yesterday, but it definitely sounds excellent. Of course I just got a new SET amp and SET's are a match made in heaven for the K-Horns.

It is a very good sounding CD (so is footprints live IMO). It took me a little while to warm up to them; but Wayne's last 3 releases are some of my very favorites of his entire career.

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Don't forget Et Cetera and Schizophrenia. Both are worth looking for.

Et Cetera is my favorite Wayne session from the Blue Note years. The performances by all five musicians are unbelievable.

Guy

Agreed. I find Et Cetera (and Schizophrenia for that matter) to be much more enjoyable (IMO) than Speak No Evil, Ju Ju, etc.

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