As a retired, yet very active jazzhead, I have seen Wayne perform many times over the years with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers as well as with the renowned Miles Davis Quintet. His Town Hall performance confirmed once again his musical genius and, not surprisingly, that he still has his considerable chops at age 80.
While the music was totally different and more in vogue with the abstract improvisations preferred by many of today's younger jazz musicians, the arrangements, Wayne's musical dexterity and energy on his tenor and soprano, truly displayed his brilliance as a jazz master and legend. Supported by his stellar rhythm section; Danilo Perez on piano, John Patitucci on bass and the hard-driving, percussive drumming of Brian Blade, the entire performance was an incomparable Tour de Force. Long live Wayne Shorter.