Stormy Mondays | Wayne Shorter Quartet New Year’s Mix

For a long time I’ve used John Coltrane’s music to help ring in the New Year, but this year’s Stormy Monday New Year’s Eve edition features the Wayne Shorter Quartet, simply the best improvisational band on the planet.

Featuring Wayne, Brian Blade, Danilo Perez and John Patitucci, the group has a preternatural ability to respond to its individual parts while organically exploring the cosmos, creating something more akin to improvised soundtracks for unseen films than anything else. While the group is known for having largely moved beyond songs, performing instead sweeping suites that touch on a multitude of ideas and hint and tease themes and codas, the mix featured here, from Sweden in 2003, comes from the early song based period that draws on both newer material and Wayne’s classic catalog. It opens with a tight “Smilin’ Through” followed by a beautiful stretch of “Tooth Fairy” > “Sanctuary” > “Go,” and closes with an expansive Over Shadow Hill Way that clocks in at nearly 20 minutes. It’s music to inspire you as the calendar begins anew. A happy and prosperous New Year to you all, and as always, enjoy!

DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK’S MIX

Written By: Dan Alford