"Wild Flower," Wayne Shorter's haunting waltz composition, receives a deeply personal treatment on Stephen Riley's 2019 album I Remember You. Shorter composed the piece for his 1965 Blue Note album Speak No Evil, and its 64-bar ABAB-prime form in B-flat creates a spacious harmonic landscape that unfolds in three-quarter time. Riley opens with two expansive choruses of tenor saxophone at a waltz tempo of approximately 166 BPM, bringing his characteristically airy, Lester Young-influenced tone to Shorter's sophisticated harmonic language. The waltz feel gives the performance a floating, dreamlike quality that complements Riley's behind-the-beat phrasing. Guitarist Vic Juris follows with two choruses of electric guitar improvisation, pushing the tempo slightly as the intensity builds. Bassist Jay Anderson closes the solo section with a single chorus, maintaining the waltz feel with melodic bass lines. Shorter's compositions, with their unusual forms and advanced harmony, demand a different kind of improvisational approach than standard Broadway tunes, and Riley's trio demonstrates a deep understanding of the material's internal logic. The extended form allows each soloist ample space to develop ideas, and the waltz meter adds a distinctive rhythmic character that sets this track apart. The recording captures Riley's ability to inhabit Shorter's compositional world while maintaining his own artistic identity.
