Description

Personnel: Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone); James Spaulding (alto saxophone); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet, flugelhorn); Alan Shorter (flugelhorn); Grachan Moncur III (trombone); Herbie Hancock (piano); Ron Carter (acoustic bass); Joe Chambers (drums).
Producer: Alfred Lion.
Reissue producer: Michael Cuscuna.
Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on October 15, 1965. Originally released on Blue Note (4219). Includes liner notes by Nat Hentoff and Bob Blumenthal.
Digitally remastered using 24-bit technology by Rudy Van Gelder (2000, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey).
This is part of the Blue Note Rudy Van Gelder Editions series.
Wayne Shorter’s epic THE ALL SEEING EYE can be compared in character to John Coltrane’s A LOVE SUPREME. It is the culmination of the first leg of Shorter’s artistic journey, which began in earnest in 1964 with his first solo recordings for Blue Note. Like SUPREME, it is a deeply spiritual work, with both the album and song titles referring to God’s creation of the universe. Also, unlike his previous efforts, EYE marks the first time Shorter commanded such a large ensemble, a feature that would mark many future solo outings.
Compositionally, Shorter takes daring leaps here, greatly expanding his freer modal style. Traditional forms are bent and stretched beyond recognition as themes and solos meld into a continuous stream, projecting moods and varying intensities that reflect the album’s subject. The large horn section creates a massive sound on ensemble passages and a great variety of interpretations in solo jaunts. Also part of Shorter’s design is the role of the rhythm section, more an ebbing whirlwind than strictly a supporting unit. THE ALL SEEING EYE is one of Wayne Shorter’s boldest and most successful efforts.