Customer Reviews

High Life

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

High Life is an album that disappoints in one fashion: you wish Wayne Shorter would produce more music which features electric and electronic instruments interpreting his musical scores. On this album, Shorter, in his customary fashion, composes clever, adventurous, and logical melodies. The album also features Shorter's masterfully underplayed and understated yet spacious saxophone playing. His supporting cast of Marcus Miller, Will Calhoun, Rachel Z, and David Gilmore, among others, do a wonderful job bringing his songs to life. And what songs! His auditory writings evoke vivid visual images in the mind. At the Fair, where one can almost see a merry-go-round and ferris wheel spinning in the air, and Pandora's Awakening, where the song transforms as if Pandora's Box was actually opened, are prime examples. This album has been panned by those who seem to long for the Shorter of the past. Time moves on and Shorter's art has evolved in a most sophisticated manner. Please Wayne give us more!

Following the breakup of the famed fusion band Weather Report, Wayne Shorter set forth on decade-long musical journey, recording four albums of music which placed more emphasis on tightly controlled "through composition". The last of these albums was "HIGH LIFE" ( 1995 ), in which Shorter ( in addition to playing tenor/soprano saxophone ) wrote, orchestrated and arranged all the compositions ( performed by a small contingent of brass/woodwind/string instruments mixed with the standard "fusion" rhythm section and Rachel Z's synthesized background material ). A certain level of "maximalism" is on display, as Shorter the craftsman meticulously plies his trade: asymmetrical melodic themes, syncopated electric bass lines and lush impressionistic harmony woven into Marcus Miller's propulsive production style.

"HIGH LIFE" is an adventurous blend of mystery and romance, a stroll through an aural carnival ( jazz, pop, classical and "world" music as seen through the funhouse mirror ). Production elements notwithstanding, it would be a mistake to identify the "popular" surface of the music as any concession to the mass market since Shorter's distinctive musical personality ( incredibly consistent over 40 years ) is readily apparent throughout. To be sure, "HIGH LIFE" is not the same type of ensemble effort as the Miles Davis Quintet or Weather Report; it would perhaps be better to think of the music as a kind of "soundtrack in search of a film", its cinematic aesthetic akin to the nocturnal peregrinations of the late Astor Piazzolla ( e.g. "ZERO HOUR" ). While he has recently returned ( "FOOTPRINTS: LIVE!" ) to the acoustic jazz combo format, the "urban contemporary" style of "HIGH LIFE" deserves attention as yet another example of Wayne Shorter's longstanding creativity.

Brief descriptions of the tunes:

The opener ( "Children of the Night" ) is a slightly disturbing midnight drive through city streets, its haunting theme and ethereal soprano sax played over heavy "hip-hop" style drumming.

"At the Fair": another foray into Shorter's surreal imaginative world.

"Maya" is a bluesy tune of sultry allure.

"On the Milky Way Express" is a coruscating sequel to the opening tune.

The ominous tone of "Pandora Awakened" is evocative of Shorter's classic album "SPEAK NO EVIL"
( 1965 ).

"Virgo Rising" features an undulating sensuality influenced by "world" music.

"High Life": wearily dissonant romanticism ( similar to Frank Zappa ).

"Midnight in Carlotta's Hair": an eerie ride on a Shorter carousel.

The brief closing tune ( "Black Swan" ), played by strings with light accompaniment, is a beautiful sequence of Ravelian harmony: a pensive dream hovering between comfort and disquiet.

This album might sound strange for some or too electric for old Wayne shorter lovers...but one thing for sure , it' s one of the best recording of the nineties.....wonderful compositions, superior harmonies , great sounds.....the musicians are brilliant from Marcus Miller to David Gilmore and Rachel Z ... Playing on layers with and against each other ...The climax of the songs remains strangely monotonous leaving all the room for the music to speak ... Wayne Shorter proves once again that he's one of the great innovators and inventors , opening new paths for the new generation of musicians...

Being a sax and bass player I was thrilled when Miller and Shorter got together on this one. "Maya" and "Midnight in Carlotta's Hair" just brilliant compositions, ethereal, just the way modern jazz should sound. Miller fits in just right without any hardcore slapping...hope they collaborate again

The context is a refreshing change of pace from the snobbish and overbearing offers from some of the "old lions" out there.
If you aren't a Wayne Shorter fan, you will certainly become a fan of bassist/producer Marcus Miller. Whose brilliant and upbeat style, brings a bright shine to the musical mixture.
This is a listeners' album, and if you truly like to listen to music, this is an offering which will defintely have you doing so on a regular basis.
It is unfortunate that it had so limited a release the first time around.
Thank you to Mr. shorter and Mr. Miller.

From a jazz icon, a high-classed disco album. Well arranged, well played, well recorded, but well--who needs it? A major disappointment from a major talent.

wayne shorter produced by marcus miller - the result not far off miller's own unique solo albums and miller's famed work with miles. this is funky, head music with one flaw - only wayne as soloist! ALL other parts are played as written! the tunes are beautiful, tearfully so. the album suffers from a same-ness throughout, though, as the arrangements for each track are pretty similar. good, but we should expect more from this veteran of the jazz idiom (miles would've approved though!).

To be frank, I only bought this album (used) because Marcus Miller produced and played on this album. Upon first listening it appears to be a kind of smooth jazz/fusion hybrid reminiscent of the kind of stuff you hear on the weather channel. Obviously this is going to immediately alienate a lot of listeners. However, this is one of those albums that reveals itself and grows on you after subsequent listening. In some places it recaptures that classic sound of "Weather Report", which shows what an integral part of that band Shorter was. "Maya", for instance, is a perfect example. It sounds like a 21st century version of Weather Report, had Jaco survived and the band remained together. Miller mimics Jaco perfectly. A minor disappointment is the fact that Miller doesn't take any extended solos on the album, but his playing and fills are still impeccably good. I've read the other reviews posted for this album and they all make valid points (even the scathing ones). Would I pay full price for a new copy of this album? No. Is it worthwhile to buy a cheap copy and enjoy it as a guilty pleasure? Sure.

That's really about as best as I can put it. This stuff isn't way out there, but it's definitely got a cerebral quality. On the one hand it is accessible, on the other I guarantee you're not going to be humming any of the tunes later on. This is for thoughtful, private listening. If you put it on at a party, you will immediately annoy everyone. Another description that comes to mind is radio-friendly, contemporary jazz from a parallel universe, where all the rules are a little different. I would be amazed, however, if there is a commercial radio station in our own dimension with a format to accomodate it.

Wayne Shorter does muzak. Oh, I suppose he can blow, but the writing and arranging are strictly dentist's office material. If we "long for the Wayne Shorter of the past" it's because there was substance and adventure in his work, as varied as it was -- from the classic Blue Note quartets to the pop fusion of Weather Report to his less-known Brazilian experiments, Shorter was never dull. This album is. Like many of the greats of his generation, he seems to have lost his way; let's hope he finds it again.