On August 23, Blue Notes Records will release Celebration Volume 1, the first in a series of archival recordings curated by the late jazz icon Wayne Shorter before he passed away on March 2, 2023 at the age of 89. The album is a 2014 recording of Shorter and his quartet, including pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Brian Blade, live at the Stockholm Jazz Festival in Sweden.
“When he heard the Stockholm concert, he said ‘this is the album!,” says Carolina Shorter, widow of Wayne Shorter, in a statement. “Then he started listening to more things and, over time, realized that it was going to have to be more than one record. He originally wanted to call the collection Unidentified Flying Objects – thinking of the notes everyone played as being UFOs! In January 2023, when he was hospitalized for the last time, he continued picking tracks and laying out the albums. His ‘Never Give Up’ spirit, which underlines his entire mission, was stronger than ever and he was excited to release more music. It was only in the last 10 days of his life that he realized he was not going to be around to see it to fruition. He started feeling the urgency of celebrating life and decided to change the name of the collection to Celebration. I said ‘Yes Wayne! Let’s celebrate!!! That’s what it should be called. A celebration!”
Born August 25, 1933 in Newark, New Jersey, Wayne Shorter was known as the originator of modern jazz and made an impact in the world of music for over 60 years. He released over 20 albums as bandleader before his passing.
The lead single off the album, Edge of the World (End Title) (Live), was released late last month on all digital platforms. Celebration Volume 1 will be released on on August 23 and is currently available for pre-order now on vinyl, CD, and digital download.
