Essential Albums
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In 1992, Verve threw veteran Joe Henderson in the studio with a pack of young lions and asked him to play a collection of Billy Strayhorn songs. Henderson and crew emerged with a beautiful recording that showcases Henderson's versatile tenor, the passion of the younger players, and the emotional appeal of Strayhorn's compositions. A large part of the success is owed to the strategy of mixing up the instrumentation: the album includes one solo, three duets, two trios, one quartet, and three quintets (with Wynton Marsalis's burnished trumpet), each leading Henderson in a different direction. The true highlights are the pared-down ensembles. "Isfahan," a duo with Henderson and bassist Christian McBride, finds Henderson coaxing some lovely, light-and-airy sounds from his tenor. On "Rain Check," a trio with McBride and drummer Greg Hutchinson, Henderson flies into the stratosphere with probing statements, and on "Lotus Blossom," a duet with pianist Stephen Scott, Henderson's quiet flurries are supported by Scott's elegant reading. Henderson stokes the engine with intense, far-reaching ideas on "Take the 'A' Train," a duet with Hutchinson, and teases the melody playfully on the abstract title track, taken here as a solo. - 1973
- 1968
- 1966
- The November 1964 <i>Inner Urge</i> session found rising tenor saxophone master Joe Henderson, then 27, at the helm of a quartet with two of John Coltrane’s renowned sidemen, pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Elvin Jones (both of whom would record Coltrane’s <i>A Love Supreme</i> just over a week later). Bob Cranshaw, the album’s bassist, was a regular with Sonny Rollins, the other leading tenor of the day. Henderson inherited much from these role models, but he approached the tenor legacy on his own terms, building a sound and vocabulary that paved the way for Michael Brecker, David Liebman, Joe Lovano, and countless others.<br /> Henderson’s fourth Blue Note album is a paramount example of the label’s mid-’60s post-bop aesthetic, with just five songs at a tight but impactful 45 minutes. “Inner Urge,” much like a number of Coltrane compositions, remains a challenging test piece for improvisers to this day. “Isotope” presents an angular take on the blues, while “El Barrio” sets up an extended groove very much in the Coltrane “modal” wheelhouse of the period. The Coltrane influence spikes again in the cascading harmonies Tyner superimposes on Cole Porter’s “Night and Day.” And Duke Pearson’s ballad “You Know I Care” is an occasion for Henderson to summon the tenor ancestors, navigating the tune with a warm, deep tone and ceaseless ideas.<br /> Following <i>Inner Urge</i>, <i>Mode for Joe</i> was Henderson’s last Blue Note release before the transition to his prolific tenure on Milestone. Though he returned to Blue Note for <i>The State of the Tenor</i> in 1985, he spent the remainder of his career with Verve until his passing in 2001 at age 64.
- Tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson’s relationship with Blue Note begins with this crisp hard-bop album from 1963. Flaunting his expressive talents in the themes, he's soulfully inventive throughout, with a richly varied solo on "Jinrikisha." But trumpeter Kenny Dorham, who composed opener "Blue Bossa," nearly steals the show, playing spitfire-fast on "Homestretch" and boasting a burnished tone on "La Mesha." The band also includes drummer Pete La Roca, bassist Butch Warren, and pianist McCoy Tyner (who kept his name off the cover art, due to contractual obligations).