Jazz Articles about Joe Henderson

About Joe Henderson

Album Review

Whatever era Henderson you champion or pine for--his dazzling side work with Horace Silver and Lee Morgan or, as a leader, the 60's defiant Inner Urge or Page One, the 70's fusion/funk explorer of Multiple or the revered elder statesman of his later years--The Elements delivers some damn fine head music. With its shifting atmospheres, dynamics, world music palette --harp, horn, piano, percussion; bass, violin; and all the bells and whistles of studio wizardry circa '73, Henderson and company presciently ...

Album Review

Joe Henderson: Mirror, Mirror

Read "Mirror, Mirror" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
January 3, 2017

As anticipated, Germany-based MPS' famed audio engineering expertise--besides its tenure as a prominent jazz record label-- lives up to expectations with a superb remastering effort of the 1980 LP led by tenor sax great John Henderson and a band featuring jazz giants, pianist Chick Corea, bassist Ron Carter and drummer, Billy Higgins. The packaging includes the original liners and a photo of the original master tape box. The 180-gram vinyl offering boasts a detailed soundstage, but more importantly ...

My Blue Note Obsession

Point Of Departure

by Marc Davis
October 12, 2015

I have put off writing this blog post as long as possible. For three weeks, I've been listening to Andrew Hill's Point of Departure and contemplating what I can say that isn't blatantly subjective and negative.I give up. I just don't like it.I honestly thought I might appreciate this, even though I don't generally like avant-garde jazz. Almost everyone seems to love this record. Let me count the ways:The new book Uncompromising Expression, a ...

My Blue Note Obsession

Joe Henderson: Page One – 1963

by Marc Davis
June 15, 2015

Joe Henderson is one of those jazz guys who made such a spectacular comeback late in life that you tend to forget how good he was in the beginning. Page One is all the evidence you need of Henderson's early heroics. Let's start at the end. The last four albums of Henderson's long, outstanding career were arguably his very best. Each was a tribute to music's past and each was amazing. In 1992, there was So ...

Album Review

Joe Henderson: Mode for Joe

Read "Mode for Joe" reviewed by Greg Simmons

by Greg Simmons
August 29, 2013

Recorded and released in 1966, Mode for Joe was Joe Henderson's last session as a leader for Blue Note Records until 1985's State of the Tenor.True to form for the period, the recording features a cast of legendary players in peak form. In this case Henderson shares front line duties with a fiery Lee Morgan on trumpet and a young Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. Curtis Fuller's trombone adds low-end heft to the melodic statements. Forget that ...

Album Review

Pete La Roca: Basra

by Greg Simmons
January 3, 2013

Pete La Roca was one of those musicians with a long but under-sung career. He was a sideman to some great Blue Note leaders including saxophonists Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, and Joe Henderson, but he only ever recorded one date (1965's Basra) under his own name during the label's heyday, and indeed only three records total as a leader over a fifty-year career. He was a drummer in the background in almost every sense.According to La Roca's obituary ...

Album Review

Joe Henderson: In 'N Out

Read "In 'N Out" reviewed by Greg Simmons

by Greg Simmons
November 6, 2012

Music Matters is extending its reissue run of classic Blue Note records, which has led them to tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson's 1964 session In 'N Out. His third album as a leader for the label, In 'N Out mixes aggressive hard bop with more searching ballads on its way to turning into a musically diverse, first-rate performance. The rhythm section of the opening title track has John Coltrane written all over it, and with drummer Elvin Jones and ...