Wayne Shorter announces new music and graphic novel
It’s set to be his first release in five years, published by Blue Note
NEA Jazz Master saxophonist Wayne Shorter is releasing his first album in five years. The 84 year old made the announcement in the same week we heard that he is to be honoured by The Kennedy Center for his “enduring and indelible marks on American culture”. ‘Emanon’ is set to be an audio visual experience, only available on physical CD or LP accompanied by a graphic novel written by Shorter with Monica Sly, and featuring illustrations by Randy DuBurke.
Emanon (‘no name’ backwards) is the name of Shorter’s main character and of the four part orchestral suite he’s written and performed with Danilo Perez on piano, John Patitucci on bass, and Brian Blade on drums alongside the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. He says: “When Dizzy Gillespie had a piece of music in the late 40s called ‘Emanon,’ it hit me way back then as a teenager: ‘No name’ means a whole lot.”
The album also includes 6 tracks recorded live in London. It’s all released on Blue Note Records on August 24.