Shorter Stories: The Music of Wayne Shorter celebrates the music of master composer and saxophonist Wayne Shorter through new arrangements featuring a seven-piece lineup primarily comprised of members of the University of Northern Iowa School of Music faculty. Christopher Merz (band leader, saxophone, principle arranger) originally conceived of the project after hosting composer/arranger John Beasley at UNI (Beasley’s project, the Monkestra, similarly tackles the music of Thelonious Monk). The following summer, he wrote 8 new settings of some of the best-known of Shorter’s compositions, for performance on a faculty recital. A year later, the band recorded their debut album, New Juju, now available from all digital outlets on the SkyDeck label. Other members of the ensemble include UNI professors Michael Conrad (piano, arranger), Anthony Williams (trombone), and Josh Hakanson (drums), along with guitarist Bob Dunn (UNI, retired), bassist David Altemeier (UNI alumnus) and trumpeter/arranger Jon Ailabouni (UW LaCrosse). Each member is also involved with several other projects, including the Iowa Jazz Composers’ Orchestra, Christopher’s Very Happy Band, the Mike Conrad Trio, the Jon Ailabouni Quintet, Extra Anejo, Alto Maiz, Big Fun, the Iowa Bop Collective, and the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra.
Shorter Stories takes place on Monday, July 21st at 7:00pm at the Storm Cellar, 3233 South 13th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. The event is open to the public. For more information you may visit www.artsincorporated.org/cjs and www.facebook.com/CapitalJazzSociety