Woody Shaw

*2025 stock* Elemental Music proudly announces the release of "Woody Shaw – Tokyo '81," a remarkable newly discovered live recording from one of jazz’s most visionary trumpet players. Captured on December 7, 1981, in Tokyo, this previously unreleased performance reveals Shaw at the height of his creative powers, supported by his all-star quintet: Steve Turre (trombone, percussion), Mulgrew Miller (piano), Stafford James (bass), and Tony Reedus (drums).

Boasting Shaw's signature melodic inventiveness and harmonic daring, this electrifying set includes stunning renditions of his acclaimed “Rosewood,” a spirited take on Thelonious Monk’s “'Round Midnight,” and heartfelt originals like “From Moment to Moment” and “Theme for Maxine”. The album stands as a testament to the group’s singular chemistry, marked by telepathic interplay and passionate soloing that encapsulate the forward-moving spirit of post-bop jazz.

The release comes with an extensive 16-page booklet, featuring rare photographs and insightful essays by jazz luminary Michael Cuscuna and Woody Shaw’s son, Woody Louis Armstrong Shaw III, who contextualize the historic significance of this lost treasure.