The All Seeing Eye

Artist: Wayne Shorter
Label: Blue Note Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Limited Edition
Media: LP Record
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 724382910015
EAN: 0724382910015
ASIN: B000005GXM

Release Date: 1994-07-12

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Tracks:

All Seeing Eye
Genesis
Chaos
Face of the Deep
Mephistopheles

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Customer Reviews:

An Avant-Garde Jazz Masterpiece........2005-10-02

While much of Wayne Shorter's other albums neatly fit into the conventions of jazz, 1965's "The All Seeing Eye" defies those conventions and stands as the most challenging and most daring record of his career with Blue Note. Featuring an all-star lineup that includes heavyweights Herbie Hancock (piano), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), and Joe Chambers (drums), "The All Seeing-Eye" is an often fascinating journey of dark moods, interesting textures, and unexpected highs. The frenetic, kickoff title cut has Hubbard and Shorter feeding off each others' energy to the frantic beat of Chambers on drums. "Chaos," a great hard bop number, hits you hard with its fierce blows of aggression, while the best is saved for last: the dark and ominous "Mephistopheles" which is a true mind-blower. A must own for those who like a little spice in their jazz collection, "The All Seeing Eye"'s power can't be underestimated. Turn off the lights, crank up the sound, and step into Wayne's World.

Waynes Best record!!!.......2005-02-22

The all-seeing Eye is one of Shorters more obscure records but it's actually his best IMO. The reason for it's relatively unpopular status is probably because the music is pretty close to free-jazz at times (it's not a free jazz record though, explorative post-bop or inside/outside is probably the best description), a form of music many people hate. For me, who love free-jazz and this Blue Note post-bopstyle, it's pure heaven. Wayne Shorters playing is explosive throughout and so is Hancock. I'm not a big fan of Hubbard who appeared on far too many Blue Note records in this era (why they didn't use Woody Shaw more often is a mystery to me) but he does a good job without really standing out (as usual). The front line is filled out with the awesome trombonist/composer Grachan MoncurIII and the underrated altoist James Spaulding. They don't solo much but their contributions are no less important for that, giving the ensembles a rich sound.

My two favourite songs on this cd is "Chaos" and "Mephistopheles". "Chaos" is raw, edgy post-bop at it's very best with a great, Dolphy -inspired solo by Spaulding and one of my all-time favourite Shorter solos where he starts off pretty uninspired but soon turns into one of his most explosive solos (also check out Joe Chambers drum responses when Shorter kicks into high gear). Even Hancock gets aggressive on this one!!!

"Mephistopheles" is the most untypical song on the record. It was written by (and includes) Waynes brother Alan who was more of a free/avantgarde performer. It was also recorded for Marion Browns debut album with a different title. This version, however, is much better. The tempo is slower and the drums get into an awesome, almost tribal, groove. Hancock pretty much plays one chord throughout which gives it a hypnotic quality. This song sounds almost unlike anything in jazz and MUST be heard!

Overall, this album may not appeal to people who like other Shorter records like Ju-Ju, Speak No Evil (my other Shorter favorite) or the slick Adams Apple but if you like adventurous music, be sure to check it out!!!

Wayne Shorter lets freedom reign!.......2005-01-30

THE ALL SEEING EYE is a concept album that moves into freer territory than Wayne Shorter's other solo sessions of this period. Shorter's work here will probably be more interesting to followers of avant-garde jazz than to mainstream-leaning fans (to whom I would steer toward a number of his other albums, such as SPEAK NO EVIL). The tunes are ambitious, and such soloists as Freddie Hubbard play in an adventurous free-form style that is more out-of-the-box than even the classic inside/outside Miles Davis quintet albums of the period. An anomality in relation to other Shorter Blue Note albums, and arguably of more interest historically than a disc that most will play very often. Nonetheless, THE ALL SEEING EYE is an admirable stretch for an artist who seems to always find some fresh musical path to explore.

Alan Shorter's Role: can someone clarify?.......2003-11-29

The liner notes are a little ambiguous on whether or not Alan played on tracks other than his composition "Mephistopheles." Nat Hentoff writes that on Mephistopheles, Alan "takes his only solo in the set." Wayne gets quoted as saying "Freddie was essential for those top notes in the ensemble passages....And Alan, in everything he does--the solo and the ensemble work--has that constant sense of what makes dramatic impact." I guess if I listen closely, I should be able to determine if Alan is playing in the ensemble passages on the first four tunes. A five-horn front line--an octet--is an unusual grouping. What says the jazz scholars of Amazone?

you just can't get any more happening than Wayne.......2002-07-10

This is Wayne Shorter.

Blue Note Wayne Shorter.

The writer, the tenor who can see the ALL.

Seeing I is Seeing All.

Wayne Shorter!

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