In 1964, saxophonist Wayne Shorter had just left Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, where he had been probably the most significant composer in the band’s history and a superb musical director. He was about to join the second great Miles Davis Quintet. ‘Juju’ is indicative of the journey Shorter’s music was making at this point, and it owes more than a nod towards early Impulse! John Coltrane. It helps having two Trane’s stalwarts from his quartet – Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner in on the date and bassist Reggie Workman who had also worked with Coltrane. The title song and the Japanese tinged ‘Mahjong’ highlight the Coltrane theme. ‘Yes Or No’ is in Hard Bop/ Blakey territory and skips along at a frightening yet engaging pace. ‘Juju’ was Shorter’s second Blue Note album and his fifth/ sixth as leader! It is a masterpiece.