The All Seeing Eye [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Wayne Shorter

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 2000)
• Original Release Date: October 15, 1965
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B00004X0QN
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #121,964 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

• This item is part of The RVG Edition Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Blue Note rarely recorded groups of more than quintet dimensions, but this 1965 recording gives Shorter the luxury of a septet to present the most challenging and forceful music of his career. He uses the four-horn frontline to develop thick textures and dense, layered harmonies that build on his work with the Messengers as well as his own quartet and quintet dates. There's a gravity of purpose in this meeting of post-bop and avant-garde impulses, a creative intensity that would be missing from his later work. Along with Shorter's energized tenor, there are strong contributions from several Bue Note regulars of the period, including trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, altoist James Spaulding, and trombonist Grachan Moncur III. The rhythm section of pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Joe Chambers creates a churning, explosive backdrop. The most powerful track, though, isn't composed by Shorter. It's the concluding "Mephistopheles," written by Wayne's brother, Alan. A looming, menacing theme, it has darkly foreboding flugelhorn playing by Alan, a gifted avant-gardist who appeared on very few recordings in his brief public career. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the single finest Wayne Shorter album, July 13, 2001

By	Ian Muldoon (Coffs Harbour, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Mr Thelonious Monk once said that he wasn't ahead of the public but that the public was 20 years behind, meaning he was NOW. Well, in 1965 Miles Davis recorded live at the Plugged Nickel, Ornette Coleman recorded whilst on tour in London and Stockholm. Meanwhile, in the studio, John Coltrane recorded Ascension and Herbie Hancock recorded Canteloupe Island. Wayne Shorter recorded THE ALL SEEING EYE in 1965 as well. That was then. And it was NOW music then. It is still NOW music NOW, cf, Kenny Wheeler A LONG TIME AGO c2000, et al. From the opening notes of Freddie Hubbard on Flugelhorn to the dying sounds of Alan Shorter's marvellous closer - Mephistopheles - this is great music. 1965 must have been a very special and creative time whilst the Beatles were on top (uh? What? Who?) Apart from the fine compositions programmed around Biblical themes, and the truly outstanding musicianship of these players (Mr Spaulding sounding like Mr Dolphy on Chaos for example, Mr Carter an absolute genius on bass, Mr Hubbard never sounding better or more inventive - Genesis is a revelation)as well as the recording quality and arrangements, I recommend you, dear listener, focus on Herbie Hancock for one listening to hear a master at work, whether throwing in a trill on Mephistopheles, or sounding like Mr Cecil Taylor on Chaos he's always there. Brilliant. An absolute stunner. Recommended without reservation.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Waynes Best record!!!, February 22, 2005

By	Jakob Hellberg (Gothenburg, Sweden) - See all my reviews

The all-seeing Eye is one of Shorters more obscure records but it's actually his best IMO. The reason for it's relatively unpopular status is probably because the music is pretty close to free-jazz at times (it's not a free jazz record though, explorative post-bop or inside/outside is probably the best description), a form of music many people hate. For me, who love free-jazz and this Blue Note post-bopstyle, it's pure heaven. Wayne Shorters playing is explosive throughout and so is Hancock. I'm not a big fan of Hubbard who appeared on far too many Blue Note records in this era (why they didn't use Woody Shaw more often is a mystery to me) but he does a good job without really standing out (as usual). The front line is filled out with the awesome trombonist/composer Grachan MoncurIII and the underrated altoist James Spaulding. They don't solo much but their contributions are no less important for that, giving the ensembles a rich sound.

My two favourite songs on this cd is "Chaos" and "Mephistopheles". "Chaos" is raw, edgy post-bop at it's very best with a great, Dolphy -inspired solo by Spaulding and one of my all-time favourite Shorter solos where he starts off pretty uninspired but soon turns into one of his most explosive solos (also check out Joe Chambers drum responses when Shorter kicks into high gear). Even Hancock gets aggressive on this one!!!

"Mephistopheles" is the most untypical song on the record. It was written by (and includes) Waynes brother Alan who was more of a free/avantgarde performer. It was also recorded for Marion Browns debut album with a different title. This version, however, is much better. The tempo is slower and the drums get into an awesome, almost tribal, groove. Hancock pretty much plays one chord throughout which gives it a hypnotic quality. This song sounds almost unlike anything in jazz and MUST be heard!

Overall, this album may not appeal to people who like other Shorter records like Ju-Ju, Speak No Evil (my other Shorter favorite) or the slick Adams Apple but if you like adventurous music, be sure to check it out!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shorter's Most Adventurous, Most Rewarding CD, September 12, 2000

By	Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"The All Seeing Eye" is the most avant-garde of all Wayne Shorter's Blue Note albums. This edition marks the second time it has been available on CD -- it was one of the first twelve albums issued in the Connoisseur Series, and it sold out very quickly. And deservedly so since it is a brilliant, intense, multi-layered soundfest that lives up to its omnipresent title. Recorded in late 1965 the album features some of the best musicians of the day -- Freddie Hubbard, Grachan Moncur, James Spaulding, Joe Chambers, Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter (the latter two of course were Wayne's colleagues in the great 1965-68 Miles Davis Quintet). It is a rare album that can accommodate the distinct sound of so many musicians, especially in a format designed to promote collective improvisation, but this one does. The overpowering horn textures on the title-track and "Genesis" are rivaled in terms of their quality and passion only by those on Archie Shepp's "Fire Music" (see my review) during this period. "Chaos" is a classic Blue Note hard bopper, reminiscent of Wayne's work with the Jazz Messengers a year earlier, while "Face of the Deep" is a ballad in the mode of his compositions with the Miles Davis group, though the four horn frontline adds a different dimension. The final track, "Mephistopheles," is the album's wildest. Written by Wayne's brother Alan, who joins the group on this track only, it showcases the most avant-garde of the Shorters with its meandering theme and dark, ominous feel. The RVG edition also seems to have a different sound from the original Connoisseur version. It's not of better quality, since the Connoisseur was also remastered with 20-bit technology, more like a different mix. In any event, the sound is great, the music is challenging and inventive, and this disc is a classic not to be missed.