Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity — Season 1
Fear nothing.
About this season
A cinematic ode to jazz legend, Wayne Shorter. Depicted in 3 portals, the viewer is transported into prolific periods of Shorter's life and how through adversity, he grew to greatness, shattered the limitations of jazz, and became one of the most influential musicians and composers in American music.
Episodes (3)
1. Newark Flash In NYC 1933-1971
7.5Aired 24 August 2023 • 78 min
Portal 1 transports us into Shorter's childhood, filled with comics and movies that serendipitously lead him to music. He writes and plays with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, records stunning solo compositions for Blue Note Records and joins the Miles Davis Quintet. Shorter’s virtuosity and arrangements take Davis in a new direction, inspiring the titles of some Miles Davis Quintet albums.
2. Faith Is to Be Fearless 1972–1999
7.5Aired 24 August 2023 • 59 min
Portal 2 explores Shorter's struggle with trauma and addiction. He discovers Buddhism. He and Joseph Zawinul form the popular jazz rock group Weather Report and become pioneers of the jazz rock movement. Shorter collaborates with Milton Nascimentos, Joni Mitchell, and Herbie Hancock, marking this era as the most commercially successful period of his career.
3. Zero Gravity 2000 - ∞
7.5Aired 24 August 2023 • 51 min
In Portal 3, Shorter redefines jazz and encourage artistic exploration to affect social change. He sees "Zero Gravity" as breaking free from the genre's confines and oppressive societal conditioning. In his 80's, he innovates with his quartet and orchestral compositions, creating his most prolific body of work. He proves that the human being behind the instrument remains of the utmost importance.