JAZZ REVIEW : Shorter Gets Short Shrift at Bakery

What was Wayne Shorter doing at the Jazz Bakery Monday night? Good question, because neither he nor the audience seemed quite sure. Shorter had been scheduled as an unadvertised, surprise guest, but the real shock was that this world-renowned jazz saxophonist was nowhere to be seen until the performance was nearly over.

The problem was not with Shorter, who spent a good part of the evening in the dressing room with his soprano saxophone waiting to be called on stage by pianist Guilherme Vergueiro, whose Brazilian big band was the nominal headline act. Vergueiro is an interesting composer, and his ensemble is filled with first-rate players, but there was little doubt that much of the overflow crowd had been generated by the anticipation of a relatively rare appearance by Shorter.

Vergueiro, however, spent the opening half of the evening displaying his own music, without assistance from anyone except his group. Some of the pieces were very good. Vergueiro’s contrasting mix of subtle timbral textures and sudden, explosive brass accents suggested a rapidly growing compositional talent. Other works, especially the vocal numbers featuring his wife, singer Ana Carolina, had the feel of prepackaged Brazilian pop.

Vergueiro finally invited Shorter on stage toward the close of the program. But, rather than allow the saxophonist a moment to get into the flow of the music, Vergueiro immediately kicked off a breakneck samba rhythm. Shorter took the challenge and pulled the music up to a higher, more engaging level of improvisation. The best testimony to his impact was provided by the band’s saxophone players, who watched him intently, captivated by his every note.

Unfortunately, Shorter didn’t get to do much more than that. Vergueiro once again brought back Carolina, and one of the finest jazz saxophonists in the world was relegated to dispensing background fills.

It was a curious conclusion to a curious program. Granting Vergueiro’s desire to showcase his own group, he would have given his music far greater distinction had he been willing to flavor it--in a more respectful fashion--with a larger contribution from Shorter.