Search - Wayne Shorter :: Phantom Navigator

Essential Wayne Shorter

Michael Kydonieus | San Francisco, CA United States | 02/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When "Phantom Navigator" was first released, there were cries of "Sellout!" because of the slickness of the production, use of pop song forms, and sparse solos. This was said to be Shorter's "bubblegum record." Nothing could be further from the truth. This is arguably Shorter's most experimental solo record ever, including his long-form "The All Seeing Eye" and the records from his "free jazz" period, which include "Supernova" and the recently discovered "Moto Grosso Feio." Like Steely Dan, on whose song "Aja" he memorably guest soloed, Shorter uses the slickness of the production, the prettiness of the instrumentation and the repetitive song forms to camoflauge radical compositions. Sure, "Red Alert" has a rock beat, but when have you heard a chromatic stepwise bass pattern coupled with dissonant harmonies, wedded to such ferocious soloing? How often do you hear such ambiguous harmony, as on "Flagships?" Sure, "Remote Control" has pop-like elements, but when was the last time you heard saxophones, mandolin samples, and a synthesized lion roar in a pop song? Never, that's when. So why is this cd criminally underrated? I'll tell you why. To appreciate this album, you need an open mind and open ears, both of which are sorely lacking in the Ken Burns/Wynton Marsalis mentality. Those who think "Phantom Navigator" simplistic should try transcribing some of the arrangements or solos therein--that'll wipe the smug, self-appointed-cultural-guardian look off their faces. Sadly, "Phantom Navigator" was Shorter's last great album, up to this point, although his playing is still wonderful (check out his work on John Scofield's "Quiet"). If you would like to read more reviews like this, check out JazzboNotes.com.

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Difficult masterpiece

Michael Kydonieus | 03/12/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is shocking at first, due to its very flashy, seemingly commercial, electronic production.
But it's also "shocking" because of the very radical, unusual compositional approach. The songs on this album are more complex and personal than on any other recent jazz album. This has absolutely nothing to do with "smooth jazz", as some superficial listeners believed.
Wayne likes to link very unusual, but sparse harmonies with elaborate counterpoint, with sometimes deliberatively simple, childlike melodies. The result is hauntingly beautiful and intensely dramatic. An unknown world surges from these sounds, and a new kind of humanism. But it's a world that requires time, patience and open-mindedness to penetrate"

Wayne's is the Navigator

Derrick Wilson | Atlanta GA | 05/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"FLAGSHIPS IS THE STUFF,AT THE END IS SO BEAUTIFUL. AND CONDITION RED IS A FUSION MASTERPEICE! THE WHOLE ALBUM REPRESENTS SHORTERS BEST FUSION ALBUM. I WISH HE WOULD GO BACK TO DOING ALBUMS LIKE THIS AS FAR AS FUSION IS CONCERNED. BUT THEN AGAIN HE CAME OUT OF THAT MILES SCHOOL, SO WHY WOULD HE GO BACK. WAYNE SHORTER IS SORT OF A PHANTOM NAVIGATOR WHEN HE IS ON STAGE! READ THAT MILES BOOK, "WAYNE WILL BE STANDING THERE LIKE AN ANGEL, BUT WHEN HE PUT THAT HORN TO HIS MOUTH HE WAS A MOTHER""