Wayne Shorter, one of the best jazz saxophonists, passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 89.
Shorter was a well-known player on the jazz scene in the late 1950s and is recognized with influencing much of jazz music in the 20th century.
Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, and Herbie Hancock were just a few of the legends the 12-time Grammy winner performed with.
His spokesperson stated that he passed away on Thursday with his family by his side.
A consistent theme emerged in the flood of social media tributes: gone, but not forgotten.
He performed with the Jazz Messengers in the 1950s with Blakey, Lee Morgan, and Freddie Hubbard before rising to the position of musical director for the group.
Yet after repeated failed attempts by jazz great Miles Davis to include him in Davis’ First Great Quintet, he was plucked away in 1964. He performed there with the renowned pianist Hancock.
Beginning in 1959, Shorter also put out solo recordings, among them the highly regarded Speak No Evil, Night Dreamer, and JuJu.
He had more creative flexibility when he was recording solo records. He started combining jazz with rock and Latin music, creating the sounds that his next band, Weather Report, would later popularize.
