Infant Eyes

Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Herbie Hancock (piano), Ron Carter (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums). From the album Speak No Evil (1966).

The development of a child’s vision begins before his or her birth. It’s very important how the mother takes care of her own body during pregnancy for the progress of the baby’s body and mind, including the eyes and the vision centers in the brain. A newborn’s visual system takes some time to develop. In the first week of life, babies see very few details, their first vision of the world is blurred and only in shades of gray.

A child’s vision takes several months to complete its evolution. Babies need some time to learn to see, in the same manner they learn to walk and talk. They need to exercise focusing their eyes, moving them precisely and using them together. From birth, babies explore their surroundings with their eyes. Even before they know how to use their hands or crawl, their eyes provide esential information for their growth.

This theme is also performed in 3/4 meter, which gives it a cordial and positive character. Shorter begins by adjusting to the melody of the theme, but then continues to develop his own speech, full of freshness and expressiveness. He is followed by Hubbard with phrases built from different motifs and skillfully assembled. Then Hancock enters with a consistent and original melodic line that he plays with conviction, and at the end the group re-exposes the theme.