Wayne Shorter’s five greatest rock music moments

Tyler Golsen Thu 2nd Mar 2023 18.52 GMT

To even casual jazz fans across the globe, Wayne Shorter is nothing short of a legend. As a member of two of the most legendary ensembles in the genre’s history, Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis’ Second Great Quintet, Shorter’s diverse saxophone skills made him of the most in-demand players in the world. But to rock audiences, Shorter’s name is slightly more elusive.

Shorter, who recently passed away at the age of 89, is perhaps most famous for founding acclaimed jazz-fusion outfit Weather Report with fellow legends Joe Zawinul and Don Alias. He could be seen sharing bills with prominent rock, and R&B acts across the 1970s as rock audiences became enamoured with the bass skills of the band’s bassist, Jaco Pastorius. At the famous Havana Jam in 1979, Shorter and Weather Report played alongside rock greats like Stephen Stills and Billy Joel.

Throughout his career, Shorter became interested in exploring beyond the traditional jazz form. Weather Report heavily incorporated elements of funk and soul into their sound. It wasn’t long before Shorter found himself being tapped to contribute to records from a diverse array of artists in multiple genres. Exploration and experimentation had always been a critical element of Shorter’s musical philosophy, which often presented itself in the guise of taking on styles that weren’t in his natural comfort zone.

There wasn’t a single genre that Shorter wasn’t willing to take on at least once: folk, electronica, disco, easy listening, flamenco, and even pop music were all filtered through Shorter’s signature sax sound. Across nearly eight decades of work, Shorter has amassed one of music history’s most diverse and impressive discographies. Shorter even found some time to play rock and roll during those years.

While it was never his primary focus, Shorter often played with famous rock stars. Whether those players were jazz-adjacent, like Carlos Santana, Joni Mitchell, and Steely Dan, or simply admirers, like The Rolling Stones, Shorter was an easy presence who could slip into any composition. If you’re looking to appreciate Shorter’s work but have difficulty getting acclimated to jazz, here are some of his greatest moments in the world of rock music.

Wayne Shorter’s five greatest rock music moments:

Joni Mitchell – ‘Jericho’

Joni Mitchell had more or less fully transitioned away from folk and into jazz by the end of the 1970s, so much so that her final album of the decade would be a direct tribute to the legendary bass player and composer Charles Mingus. Mitchell had already lured Pastorius to be her in-house bassist, so it didn’t take much to get Shorter on board as well.

‘Jericho’ had been a staple of Mitchell’s live performances for years, having appeared on the live album Miles of Aisles three years before its studio appearance on 1977’s Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter. Shorter’s soprano sax adds a heightened layer of jazz to the folky track, with quick bursts of colour floating around the song’s busy arrangement.

Steely Dan – ‘Aja’

The worst-kept secret in music was that Donald Fagen and Walter Becker were jazz freaks masquerading as rock and rollers. With each subsequent Steely Dan album came a greater dedication to jazz, and by the time 1977’s Aja rolled around, they had almost completely returned to their preferred genre.

“Almost” is the operative phrase. While the album’s title track sprawls and solos like a classic jazz composition, it also has a prominent mixture of rock in its DNA. During his solo, Shorter seems to infuse elements of classic rock and roll sax players like King Curtis and Rudy Pompilli into his playing, easing up just enough on his jazz roots to create a truly unique solo.

Carlos Santana – ‘Soweto (Africa Libre)’

If we’re all being honest with ourselves, Santana’s Spirits Dancing in the Flesh is not one of the high points of Carlos Santana’s career. Featuring a reconfigured Santana lineup with none of the band’s classic members, the album leans far too heavily on outdated production, cheesy synthesisers, and exhausting gimmicks. Santana himself is as sharp as ever on the guitar, but the album as a whole tends to fall flat.

Shorter had previously worked with Santana on the strictly jazz LP The Swing of Delight, but here the saxophonist gets to let loose in a more traditionally rock setting. ‘Soweto (Africa Libre)’ finds Shorter ducking in and out with his soprano sax, clearly delighting in playing off the rapid-fire runs of Santana’s guitar work.

Don Henley – ‘The End of the Innocence’

It might be hard to remember now, but Don Henley’s ‘The End of the Innocence’ was a major critical and commercial hit in 1990. Winning a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, the song was also a top ten hit in the United States and preserved Henley’s place as one of the most viable voices in rock music.

It’s a pretty cheesy song to listen back to, especially with Bruce Hornsby’s piano tracks over the top, but one element of the track remains timeless: Shorter’s soprano sax solo. While it may not be his most enthusiastic performance on record, Shorter’s solo adds a necessary edge to Henley’s power ballad.

The Rolling Stones – ‘How Can I Stop’

Charlie Watts was a dedicated jazz fanatic, the only member of The Rolling Stones who would be watching Chuck Mangione rather than Chuck Berry. Another great jazz saxophonist, Sonny Rollins, contributed a beautiful sax solo to ‘Waiting on a Friend’ through his instigation.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Watts insisted that Shorter be brought in to play on the Bridges to Babylon track ‘How Can I Stop’. A raspy gospel ballad by Keith Richards, ‘How Can I Stop’, also gets its kicks from a killer soprano solo from Shorter, floating in after the track dives into its fifth minute. A shorter delicate layer of sax adds the perfect touch of heartbreak to Richards’ rousing performance.

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The Best Hi-Fi Music Streaming Service

Although streaming has become one of the most popular methods for listening to music, there are still some outliers who feel that streaming can’t provide a hi-fi listening experience. Luckily, a handful of companies have responded to these naysayers by developing services that provide high-resolution files you can stream and download. 

Below, you’ll find a list of the best hi-fi streaming services that are currently available. Each service provides its own unique take on high quality music streaming by offering different bells and whistles. The best way to know which one is right for you is to visit the sites below and start a free trial or two.

The Best Hi-Fi Music Streaming Service

Qobuz

Leading the pack, we have the audiophile-approved streaming service Qobuz. Since 2008, Qobuz has been dedicated to digital streaming for the most discerning listeners out there. They also provide high quality digital downloads for those who aren’t completely sold on streaming. 

Qobuz Studio offers studio quality streaming of over 90 million tracks, original editorial content, and offline listening. Qobuz Sublime offers the same, but also includes discounts of up to 60% on hi-res file purchases. Each plan has three options: solo, duo, and family. That means you can add up to six accounts under one subscription. 
If you’re looking for some of the highest quality streaming and digital download options available, then you’ll definitely want to learn more about Qobuz. 

Price	Where to Sign Up
$10.83 – $15 per month	Qobuz Website

Other High Quality Streaming Services

Amazon Music Unlimited

Amazon Music offers a high-quality streaming audio option called Amazon Music Unlimited. The service includes high definition streaming of over 100 million songs and exclusive albums that can be streamed in “Ultra HD.”

Price	Where to Sign Up
$8.99 per month	Amazon Website

Tidal

Tidal has become known for their “master quality authenticated” music streaming and the innovative audio formats included with their hi-fi plus plan. The plan also directs up to 10% of your subscription costs to the artists you listen to most.  

Price	Where to Sign Up
$9.99 – $19.99 per month	Tidal Website

Apple Music

Most Apple Music plans include lossless audio and you can experience immersive sound with the service’s Dolby Atmos technology. The compatibility with Siri and devices like the Apple Watch make Apple Music a convenient option for many music fans.

Price	Where to Sign Up
$10.99 per month	Apple Website

Deezer Premium

Like the other services, Deezer’s premium option offers high-fidelity FLAC files and various recommendation tools for discovering new music. The flow tool curates personalized playlists and the songcatcher feature will help you track down songs you don’t know the name of.

Price	Where to Sign Up
$10.99 per month	Deezer Website

Published in partnership with Qobuz.