During the 1960s, Joe Henderson was arguably THE voice of the tenor sax, particularly on the Blue Note label, rivaled only by Wayne Shorter. This four disc set includes his classic sessions as a leader, usually teamed with trumpeter Kenny Dorham, and every song here a definition of the era and genre.
His 1963 debut with Dorham, McCoy Tyner/p, Butch Warren/b and Pete LaRoca is a true classic, including pieces he’d forever be associated with, namely “Blue Bossa” and “Recorda Me”. The darker followup with Dorham, La Roca, Eddie Khan/b and Andrew Hill/p featured the bluesy “Teeter Totter” and left leaning and complex “Out Thing”. Back with Tyner and bringing in Coltrane alumnus Elvin Jones/dr and Rollins sideman Bob Cranshaw/b, Henderson cries out on “El Barrio”, while getting Monkish on “ Isotope” and melodious on “Inner Urge”.
Henderson starts loosening up on the next album with Dorham, and the Coltrane rhythm section of Tyner, Jones and Richard Davis/b on tricky and sophisticated pieces like “In “N Out” and “Punjab” while on the next album bringing in a larger ensemble of Lee Morgan/tp, Curtis Fuller/tb, Bobby Hutcherson/vib, Cedar Walton/p, Ron Carter/b and Joe Chambers/dr for a mix of hard bop and free wailing on “Free Wheelin’” , “Mode For Joe” and “A Shade of Jade”. Switching over to Milestone Records, Henderson records with Mike Lawrence/tp, Grachan Moncur III/tb, Kenny Barron/p, Louis H ayes/dr and Carter for a hammering “Mamacita” and Henderson going deep and dark on “Chelsea Bridge”. Mixing and matching the previous team with Don Friedman/p and Jack DeJohnette/dr, Henderson bops hard on “Invitation” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” before ending the decade on a loose as a goose teaming with Carter, DeJohnette, and Mike Lawrence/tp for a lyrical “Lazy Afternoon” and free flowing “Foresight and Afterthought”. This is the poster child of what a tenor was supposed to do.