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Essential Tracks: "Black Nile" ' Album "Night Dreamer", Wayne Shorter, 1964

Essential tracks highlights tracks that arguably should be found somewhere in any serious jazz collector's library. This segment is also meant to inspire readers to seek out foundational tracks from the various sub-genres of this great music.

"Black Nile" from the 1964 Blue Note release - "Night Dreamer"

Shorter had been on the jazz scene for quite a while before this debut album on Blue Note. He spent quite a bit of time in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Lee Morgan and Miles Davis before Alfred Lyons opted to sign him to his own record deal.


The personnel on this album is a star-studded list for future legends. McCoy Tyner is on piano, Lee Morgan on trumpet, Reggie Workman on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. On "Black Nile", everyone gets to stretch and jam out; typical of sessions of time. Despite it's age, this one will be easy to find online, and should also be available on CD. A worthy foundational selection.

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