Jazz / Show Tunes, Post-Bop
Joe Henderson - Arranger, Producer, Sax (Tenor)
Allan Tucker Mastering
Andy Kman Production Coordination
Aya Takemura Assistant Engineer
Bob Belden Musical Director, Arranger
Bob Parsons Preparation
Camille Tominaro Production Coordination
Chaka Khan Vocals
Conrad Herwig Trombone, Arranger
Dave Holland Bass
Dubose Heyward Lyricist
Giulio Turturro Design, Art Direction
Harry Weinger Reissue Supervisor
Hollis King Art Direction
Ira Gershwin Lyricist
Isabelle Wong Design
Jack DeJohnette Drums
Jim Anderson Engineer, Mixing
Jimmy Katz Photography
John Scofield Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Kevin Hays Arranger
Kevin Reeves Mastering
Kristina Schwarz Assistant Engineer
Leanne Ungar Engineer
Merri Cyr Photography
Nate Herr Release Coordinator
Richard Seidel Executive Producer
Samantha Black Assistant Production Coordination, Production Coordination
Simon Osborne Engineer
Stefon Harris Vibraphone
Sting Vocals
Tommy Flanagan Piano
In general, Joe Henderson's take on Porgy and Bess meets the high standards of his latter-day records for Verve. Working with arranger Bob Belden and a wonderful combo - including guitarist John Scofield, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Dave Holland, drummer Jack DeJohnette, trombonist Conrad Herwig and vibraphonist Stefon Harris - Henderson brings Gershwin's music to life with subtle beauty and grace. Furthermore, he demonstrates his uniqueness - Henderson's Porgy and Bess may share the same source as Miles Davis' legendary Porgy and Bess, yet it has an original sound, relying less on orchestration than that classic. While this disc is not flawless - instead of enhancing the music, guest spots from vocalists Chaka Khan and Sting actually stop the momentum, calling attention to themselves - it nevertheless is another valuable addition to Henderson's catalog.
---Leo Stanley, Courtesy All Music
Joe Henderson
Active Decades: '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s
Born: Apr 24, 1937 in Lima, OH
Died: Jun 30, 2001 in San Francisco, CA
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Ballads, Soul-Jazz, Fusion, Bossa Nova, Post-Bop, Hard Bop, Mainstream Jazz
Joe Henderson is proof that jazz can sell without watering down the music; it just takes creative marketing. Although his sound and style were virtually unchanged from the mid-'60s, Joe Henderson's signing with Verve in 1992 was treated as a major news event by the label (even though he had already recorded many memorable sessions for other companies). His Verve recordings had easy-to-market themes (tributes to Billy Strayhorn, Miles Davis, and Antonio Carlos Jobim) and, as a result, he became a national celebrity and a constant poll winner while still sounding the same as when he was in obscurity in the 1970s.
The general feeling is that it couldn't have happened to a more deserving jazz musician. After studying at Kentucky State College and Wayne State University, Joe Henderson played locally in Detroit before spending time in the military (1960-1962). He played briefly with Jack McDuff and then gained recognition for his work with Kenny Dorham (1962-1963), a veteran bop trumpeter who championed him and helped Henderson get signed to Blue Note. Henderson appeared on many Blue Note sessions both as a leader and as a sideman, spent 1964-1966 with Horace Silver's Quintet, and during 1969-1970 was in Herbie Hancock's band. From the start, he had a very distinctive sound and style which, although influenced a bit by both Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane, also contained a lot of brand new phrases and ideas. Henderson had long been able to improvise in both inside and outside settings, from hard bop to freeform. In the 1970s, he recorded frequently for Milestone and lived in San Francisco, but was somewhat taken for granted. The second half of the 1980s found him continuing his freelancing and teaching while recording for Blue Note, but it was when he hooked up with Verve that he suddenly became famous. Virtually all of his recordings are currently in print on CD, including a massive collection of his neglected (but generally rewarding) Milestone dates. On June 30, 2001, Joe Henderson passed away due to heart failure after a long battle with emphysema.
---Scott Yanow, All Music Guide |
