born Aug. 25, 1933, Newark, N.J., U.S.
U.S. saxophonist and composer.
After studying at New York University and serving in the U.S. Army, he played with Art Blakey 's group (1959–64), acting as its music director. Shorter then joined Miles Davis 's remarkable mid-1960s group, which included Herbie Hancock , bassist Ron Carter (b. 1937), and drummer Tony Williams (b. 1945). In 1970 Shorter and Joe Zawinul (b. 1932) formed Weather Report, the most significant jazz-rock "fusion" band of the 1970s, with bassist Jaco Pastorius (1951–87). Shorter wrote many distinctive jazz standards.