Jazz giant and tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter is writing a piece for Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and this makes me happy.
Shorter has always had a home among the more harmonically-innovative jazz musicians, from the whole-tone-inspired "JuJu" to the Copland-esque use of open fourths in "Witch Hunt."
As Shorter says in the accompanying article, composition is "improvisation slowed down."
While you might find this to be an oversimplification, keep in mind the emphasis put on learning the art of improv in the Baroque and Classical eras.
I look forward to hearing what Shorter writes for OCO, and to his upcoming piece for the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
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