Wayne Shorter — the celebrated American jazz saxophonist, composer and bandleader known best for his work with Miles Davis, the Jazz Messengers, Joni Mitchell, Weather Report and many more — has died. Shorter's publicist, Alisse Kingsley, confirmed the artist died in hospital today, though a cause of death was not revealed. He was 89.
Across a career of over half a century, Shorter would contribute to two of jazz music's most formative groups in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and the Miles Davis Quintet, later going on to co-found fusion outfit Weather Report.
Shorter would also find success with popular music, appearing on 10 Joni Mitchell albums between 1977 and 2002, composing and performing with Latin rock legend Carlos Santana, and delivering a momentous tenor sax solo on the title track of Steely Dan's 1977 album Aja.
An 11-time Grammy winner, Shorter was honoured with the Recording Academy's Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 for his "prolific contributions to our culture and history." In 2018, he received the Kennedy Center Honors from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for his contributions to the arts.
Across a career of over half a century, Shorter would contribute to two of jazz music's most formative groups in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and the Miles Davis Quintet, later going on to co-found fusion outfit Weather Report.
Shorter would also find success with popular music, appearing on 10 Joni Mitchell albums between 1977 and 2002, composing and performing with Latin rock legend Carlos Santana, and delivering a momentous tenor sax solo on the title track of Steely Dan's 1977 album Aja.
An 11-time Grammy winner, Shorter was honoured with the Recording Academy's Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 for his "prolific contributions to our culture and history." In 2018, he received the Kennedy Center Honors from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for his contributions to the arts.
