Tenor saxophonist
Wayne Shorter's Blue Note debut found him well prepared to enter the big time. With an impressive quintet that includes trumpeter
Lee Morgan, pianist
McCoy Tyner, bassist
Reggie Workman, and drummer
Elvin Jones,
Shorter performed a well-rounded program consisting of five of his originals, plus an adaptation of "Oriental Folk Song." Whether it be the brooding title cut, the
Coltrane-ish ballad "Virgo," or the jams on "Black Nile" and "Charcoal Blues," this is a memorable set of high-quality and still fresh music. [Some reissues add an alternate take of "Virgo."] ~ Scott Yanow