According to Rolling Stone, Wayne Shorter, a well-known saxophonist, died at the age of 89. Shorter’s team released a statement confirming the devastating news.
“Visionary composer, saxophonist, visual artist, ardent Buddhist, dedicated husband, father, and grandfather Wayne Shorter died at 89, leaving the world as we know it and embarking on a new adventure as part of his great life,” according to the statement.
“His cherished family in Los Angeles was with him during his passing.”
Shorter’s family has yet to respond to the tragic news. On the other hand, Shorter’s friend and fellow musician Herbie Hancock offered a heartfelt tribute to the late superstar on Twitter.
“My dearest friend, Wayne Shorter, departed us with courage in his heart, love, compassion for humanity, and a longing spirit for the everlasting future,” Hancock wrote on Twitter.
The musician also praised shorter for his “great qualities as a saxophonist, composer, orchestrator, and recently, composer of the magnificent opera.”
“I miss being around him and his amazing Wayne-isms,” he continued, “but his soul lives on in my heart.”
Unfortunately, Shorter has joined the growing list of celebrities that died in 2023. Shorter’s artistic legacy from the 1950s to the 1970s included regular collaborations with Miles Davis and many other pioneering jazz performers.
Wayne Shorter had a long and illustrious career spanning more than 70 years. Shorter’s professional career began in 1956 when the Horace Silver Quintet hired him as a saxophonist.
Shorter’s big break came two years later when he joined the Jazz Messengers, a jazz-fusion combo founded by Art Blakey, the Jazz Messengers’ permanent drummer. Shorter created a rich, mellifluous tone unprecedented among saxophonists at the time.
Yet, his friendship with Miles Davis generated some of Shorter’s most incredible duets. Shorter played saxophone and wrote songs for Davis, including “Footprints,” “Nefertiti,” and “Prince of Darkness.”
Shorter would carve out his path, pursuing numerous musical collaborations and solo work. During his career, Shorter received 23 Grammy nominations and won 12.
For his efforts, he was also rewarded. In February 2023, Shorter got his final Grammy for “Best Improvised Jazz Solo,” which he shared with soloist Leo Genovese for “Endangered Species.”
Shorter leaves behind one child, Mikako Shorter, for whom he wrote the song “Miyako,” and his wife, Carolina Dos Santos.
