Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity

It's hard to imagine a more fitting marriage of form and subject - the five-act arc of Mr Shorter's peerless musical career, and the rare abundance of contemporary footage, both uniquely suited to the mini-series format. Could that runtime have been better employed? Doubtlessly - in the early chapters especially, there's a distracting overreliance on interstellar animations, stock footage and earnest reconstructions. As the film constantly reminds us, Wayne's music paints its own pictures in the mind - so let us wonder, and wander, alone occasionally.

Coupled with an (often) familiar cast of talking heads, a lot of the mammoth runtime is sucked up in worthy reverence, and more studious (read: nerdier) jazz fans might find themselves learning nothing new. Little that wasn't covered in Michelle Mercer's (definitive?) biography Footprints: The Life and Work of Wayne Shorter. The beauty then, is in the form - in what the camera can bring - which is why the third, final, chapter is such a joy; overflowing with candid footage of the ageing, sage-like, legendary Wayne hunched over manuscript paper on his cluttered desk, holding court in front of adoring students - and onstage. I've long believed that the Wayne Shorter Quartet of 2000-2017 is the most thrillingly intuitive group working in decades, possibly ever - and every second of music and insight is a joy to behold (even if it could have been mixed rather louder!) Beneath the spellbound platitudes, mind, there's little to no technical contextualization of what made the group so thrilling - nothing approaching the insight of the 2013 documentary Language of the Unknown, freely available on YouTube.

It's too easy, too tempting to crown Zero Gravity the greatest project of its kind - a temptation that says more about the length of Shorter's shadow, the wealth of living contemporaries, and, yes, the unique conditions of a home-streaming runtime. But perhaps it says more about the seventh art's recent (dis)interest in America's only home-grown art-form, which has favoured dramatic mythmaking imagery over the insight of the documentary form. Let's hope Zero Gravity's success paves the way for more serious celluloid studies to come.

So glad this wasn't one of those quickie projects with a bunch of critics & peripheral personages pontificating on this extra ordinary man and musician. The musicians who weighed in are top caliber (too may to mention), friends and, best of all, Wayne Shorter himself who demonstrates with his ruminations what everbody says throughout the doc: he's a visionary who dwells on another plane.

Anyone who appreciates music, even those who aren't jazz fans, will find a lot to unpack here. Shorter refused to be button-holed into categories, and his life avoids the typical jazz player's trajectories (addictions & other destructive behavior, selling out to stay relevant, etc.). Act 2 focuses on his mid-career with heartbreaking personal losses, and hearing how he came through it is inspirational.

But Act 3 (post-Weather Report, with which I wasn't that familiar) is an uplifting, glorious final act that brings tears of joy and a smile that lingers long after the doc ends. Hopefully, afterward, folks will check out those Blue Note solo albums, the early Weather Reports and, especially, his quartet and solo projects. They'll be thankful they did.

A must-see for any musician or music lover! It is very well done, and it provides an excellent historical perspective on a foundational genre. Also, it underscores how important spirit and intention are to achieving musical flow. A masterclass in this it was, packed with important lessons for anyone who wants to elevate their musical collaborations and creations. Technical skill and proficiency with your instrument are obvious prerequisites to making good music, but this documentary makes it clear that there is much more to it that relates to how you approach your whole life. I wish that they had touched on his beautifully supportive connection to Tina Turner but, besides that omission, I would say that watching this was thoroughly enjoyable and time very well spent!

Greetings again from the darkness. When the musical geniuses we respect and admire speak in awe and wonderment about another musician, we know it's time to pay attention. Of course, Wayne Shorter has long been recognized as a Jazz giant, and unfortunately he passed away earlier this year. For this three-plus hour documentary, director Dorsay Alavi interviews such renowned artists as Joni Mitchell, Sonny Rollins, Carlos Santana, and Herbie Hancock. It's fascinating to hear those on top of the mountain express high-level respect for Shorter using such descriptions as greatness, visionary, and genius.

Progressing in mostly chronological order, Alavi divides the film into 3 parts, or "portals" paying tribute to Shorter's Buddhist practices. Portal 1 is subtitled "Newark Flash in NYC 1933-1971". Portal 2 is "Faith is to be Fearless 1972-1999", and Portal 3 is "Zero Gravity 2000". We learn about Shorter's childhood, including the bond with his mother, his early artistic talent, and his influences: movies, comic books, and music on the radio. Early on, he performed with his brother, and they went by Mr. Weird and Doc Strange. Later, Wayne became known as "Fast Fingers" for his work on the clarinet and sax, and after a stint in the Army, he joined Art Blakey's band. When Miles Davis pursued Shorter to replace John Coltrane, the move freed Shorter to concentrate on his own compositions, leading to Miles Davis' "ESP".

The second portal focuses more on Shorter's family life, which featured some highs to go with much tragedy - more than one man's share. The challenges of marriage(s) and parenting are discussed, as is Shorter's transition to fronting Weather Report, the band that brought jazz fusion to mass audiences and mainstream radio. It's also in this phase where a grieving Shorter bonds with his third wife Carolina, a close friend of his second wife Ana Maria. It's also here where Herbie Hancock and Wayne cement a friendship strengthened by musical talent and appreciation.

Portal three takes us through Shorter's life post-Weather Report, allowing Wayne to explore even more new avenues for his music. The Wayne Shorter Quartet is featured and we hear from the other musicians that played with him. We are struck by how Shorter pushed each of them towards freedom and musical expression ... they describe it as building the composition live, improvising the feel. It's in this later stage where Shorter mentors many young musicians who are drawn to his brilliance. He is a musical Yoda ... taking them off the page and into a new realm of artistry.

One of my favorite sequences comes when Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding collaborate on "Gaia". Her singing and bass playing are ethereal, while his playing was never more free. One of Shorter's fellow musicians describes his career as "the soundtrack of his life", and another that his "music sounds like life." Perhaps no other musician has received such compliments from those they played alongside and those they influenced. Wayne Shorter certainly deserves to be mentioned with Miles Davis, Charlie Bird, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, and Thelonius Monk as being among the greats of jazz, and while Dorsay Alavi's documentary may be a bit long, the case is made.

Premiering on Prime Video on August 25, 2023.

I have just finished binging all three "portals" and I am compelled to immediately post this review, shouting from the highest mountain top, that this film is quite simply one of the best, if not, the best documentaries I have ever seen! It transcends the genre taking us on a mystical journey under the surface of the known while at the same time walking us through the extraordinary life of Wayne Shorter where we learn about the boy, the man and the artist who grew to become one of the great geniuses in music of the 20th century and well into this current century. Dorsay Alavi is an extraordinary filmmaker! Her careful and deliberate use of animation, visual effects and masterful editing all come together to deliver a film that matches Wayne Shorter's genius in every possible way. This is one of those rare films that I will surely rewatch annually for years to come.