Orbiting

Abstract Wayne Shorter has been recognized as one of the most significant composers of both the 1960s postbop and post-2000 contemporary jazz eras. These periods are linked in Shorter's career by performances and rearrangements of his composition “Orbits,” originally recorded in 1967 and revisited on multiple albums between 2002 and 2018. This article argues that “Orbits” was constructed with an open-ended and generative form, and that Shorter's later rearrangements and revisitations respond to the potential of the original through new formal innovations. The article first examines the original performance's connection to the phenomenon of “circular compositions” as defined by jazz scholars (Waters et al. 2016), arguing that “Orbits” suggests a broader interpretation of the circular principle. Then, analysis and transcription of twenty-first-century performances show how Shorter and his Quartet continually recontextualize the material of the original. These performances explore the theme of circularity in new ways, including through formal rearrangement, fusion with other pieces, and extramusical reference. The conclusion draws connections between Shorter's practice of formal experimentation, notions of circularity, and the composer's underlying philosophy of artistic creation and transmission.