In 2001, Wayne Shorter went on tour as the leader of a quartet that included Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, and Brian Blade and, to dizzying critical acclaim, made some of the most thrilling, imaginative improvised music since the celebrated Miles Davis quintet that featured Shorter and many of his own compositions in the 1960's. Featuring all Shorter compositions that are utterly re-born in the context of the new quartet, Footprints Live! captures the excitement and the sheer musical alchemy of this history-making tour.
Wayne Shorter's musical expression is as spontaneous, imaginative, and compelling today as at any time in his illustrious career. Footprints Live! is transcendental jazz, a spirited four-way conversation led by a wizard of post-bop impressionism and a supreme colorist in sound who, with his inspired band, takes the listener on an exhilarating journey.
1. "Sanctuary" was recorded twice by Miles: a 1968 acoustic version was not originally issued; an electric version appeared on Bitches Brew in 1969.
2. "Masquelero" was first recorded on Miles Davis's Sorcerer, 1967.
3. "Valse Triste": from Wayne Shorter's The Soothsayer 1965.
4. "Go": from Shorter's Schizophrenia, 1967, his last acoustic record.
5. "Aung San Suu Kyi": from 1997's 1+1 with Herbie Hancock.
6. "Footprints" appeared on Shorter's Adams Apple in 1966 as well as on Davis' Miles Smiles later the same year. "Footprints" is one of Shorter's best known and most recorded tunes.
7. "Atlantis" is the title track from a Shorter solo electric album on Columbia in 1985.
8. "JuJu" is the title track from Shorter's 1964 Blue Note album and another of Shorter's best known tunes.
