ProJazz.net

Without a Net is a live album by American jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter together with Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, and Brian Blade. The album was released on 5 February 2013 via Blue Note to a critical success, receiving an average score of 86/100 from 11 reviewers on Metacritic, which indicates “universal acclaim”.

While any new album from Shorter is an event at this juncture (he’s nearly 80 yet in peak form here as composer and soloist), Without a Net is special even among the recordings made by this outstanding group (Thom Jurek, AllMusic).

 

For almost 80 minutes, the 79-year-old saxophonist controls his quartet while allowing it to explore various melodic terrains. Still, the music remains traditional in its approach and recalls the genre’s golden era. The songs, recorded in Los Angeles and Europe, proceed with an unhinged abandon, yet they never run off course (BBC).

 

Shorter’s return to Blue Note is momentous, and his volume of work—including Without a Net—is still expanding. The legendary saxophonist/composer, inquisitive near-octogenarian and avid reader of science fiction is still light years ahead of his time (Mark F. Turner, All About Jazz).

Track listing:
1. “Orbits” (Shorter) 4:50
2. “Starry Night” (Shorter) 8:49
3. “S.S. Golden Mean” (Shorter) 5:18
4. “Plaza Real” (Shorter) 6:59
5. “Myrrh” (Shorter) 3:05
6. “Pegasus” (Shorter) 23:08
7. “Flying Down to Rio” (Edward Eliscu, Gus Kahn, Vincent Youmans) 12:47
8. “Zero Gravity to the 10th Power” (Blade, Patitucci, Pérez, Shorter) 8:13
9. “(The Notes) Unidentified Flying Objects” (Blade, Patitucci, Pérez, Shorter) 4:13
Total length: 01:17:22

Personnel:
Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
John Patitucci – bass
Brian Blade – drums
Danilo Perez – piano

__________________________

Released: 5 February 2013
Recorded: 8 December 2010
Studio Walt Disney Concert Hall (“Pegasus” only)
Length: 1:17:22
Label: Blue Note 509999 79516 2 9
Producer: Wayne Shorter