Jazz legend Wayne Shorter ill, pulls out of SFJAZZ residency

CLAUDE PARIS/ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Saxophonist Wayne Shorter
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JOE GIBLIN/ASSOCIATED PRESSWayne Shorter played the Newport Jazz Festival Rhode Island in 2008.
The Wayne Shorter Quartet: Drummer Brian Blade, left, saxophonist Shorter, pianist Danilo Perez and bassist John Patitucci. Photo by Dorsey Alavi.
Saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter. SFJazz.
US musician Wayne Shorter arrives at the 41st Annual Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, DC, on December 2, 2018. - The 2018 honorees are: singer and actress Cher; composer and pianist Philip Glass; Country music entertainer Reba McEntire; and jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter. This year, the co-creators of Hamilton, writer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, director Thomas Kail, choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler, and music director Alex Lacamoire will receive a unique Kennedy Center Honors as trailblazing creators of a transformative work that defies category. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP)ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images
WASHINGTON DC - DECEMBER 1: The recipients of the 41st Annual Kennedy Center Honors pose for a group photo following a dinner hosted by United States Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan in their honor at the US Department of State on December 1, 2018 in Washington, D.C.. From left to right back row: Deputy Secretary of State Sullivan, Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Andy Blankenbuehler, Alex Lacamoire, Glenn Weiss, and Ricky Kirshner, Executive Producers with White Cherry. Front row, left to right: Grace Rodriguez, Wayne Shorter, Philip Glass, Reba McEntire, Cher, Deborah F. Rutter and David M. Rubenstein. The 2018 honorees are: singer and actress Cher; composer and pianist Philip Glass; Country music entertainer Reba McEntire; and jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter. This year, the co-creators of Hamilton, writer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda; director Thomas Kail; choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler; and music director Alex Lacamoire will receive a unique Kennedy Center Honors as trailblazing creators of a transformative work that defies category. (Photo by Ron Sachs - Pool /Getty Images)
CBS
An extraordinary group of renowned artists gather in Washington D.C. to salute this year's honorees at THE 41st ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS, to be broadcast Wednesday, Dec. 26 on the CBS Television Network. Pictured L-R: Standing, left to right: Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Andy Blankenbuehler and Alex Lacamoire. Sitting left to right: Wayne Shorter, Cher, Reba McEntire, and Philip Glass Photo: Michele Crowe/CBS ÃÂ©2018 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

By Jim Harrington | jharrington@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: December 21, 2018 at 1:11 p.m. | UPDATED: December 28, 2018 at 5:42 p.m.

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Wayne Shorter has pulled out of his upcoming residency at SFJAZZ due to illness.

In his place will be what a series of concerts billed as the “Friends of Wayne Shorter,” who will be celebrating the legacy and music of the great saxophonist-composer.

The all-star lineup includes Herbie Hancock, Branford Marsalis, Kamasi Washington, Terence Blanchard, Joshua Redman, Ambrose Akinmusire and Terrace Martin.

They’ll be backed by Shorter’s longtime band of Brian Blade, Danilo Pérez, and John Patitucci. Concerts are set for Jan. 3-6 at the SFJazz Center in San Francisco.

A full schedule is listed below.

News of Shorter’s cancellations came in a news release from SFJazz. There was no word on the nature of the 85-year-old jazz legend’s illness.

For more information, visit www.sfjazz.org/wayne.

Shorter, by any measure, is one of the greatest living jazz artists. He’s known for his work with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis’ “second great quintet” (simply put, one of the finest bands, of any genre, of all time) and the jazz-fusion juggernaut Weather Report.

He is also an immensely accomplished composer, band leader and solo artist. His body of work includes such ’60s classics as “JuJu,” “The All Seeing Eye,” “Adam’s Apple” and “Speak No Evil.”

His most recent offering is the triple album “Emanon,” named one of the best albums of 2018 by the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Paste and other publications.

Shorter has been a regular presence at SFJazz in recent years, and his eagerly-anticipated performances have been nothing short of astounding, with Shorter living up to his legendary status each time he takes the stage.

Shorter’s many awards and honors include being among the 2018 Kennedy Center Honorees.

.@Wayne_Shorter's #Emanon has been named one of the Best Albums of 2018 by NY Times, Rolling Stone, Paste & more! Find the jazz legend's new triple album + graphic novel here: https://t.co/6vY00uW916

“Emanon is another milestone… magical”—Rolling Stone pic.twitter.com/uNmaqQhEEa

— Blue Note Records (@bluenoterecords) December 20, 2018

Here’s a look at the schedule for the Friends of Wayne Shorter shows:

THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 7:30pm
Herbie Hancock piano & keyboards
Terence Blanchard trumpet
Terrace Martin alto saxophone & keyboards
Danilo Pérez piano
John Patitucci bass
Brian Blade drums

FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 7:30pm
Branford Marsalis tenor saxophone
Terence Blanchard trumpet
Danilo Pérez piano
John Patitucci bass
Brian Blade drums

SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 7:30pm
Kamasi Washington tenor saxophone
Terrace Martin alto saxophone & keyboards
Danilo Pérez piano
John Patitucci bass
Brian Blade drums

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 7:30pm
Joshua Redman tenor saxophone
Ambrose Akinmusire trumpet
Danilo Pérez piano
John Patitucci bass
Brian Blade drums

NOTE: Wayne Shorter will not be in attendance for these concerts.