Jazz 18: Page One

Some years ago - ouch, it's nearly 10 years! - I was downtown and stopped off at the Royal Exchange Theatre concourse for a coffee. I enjoyed it all the more because a guy had set up there playing sax and was giving a pretty good rendition of Kenny Dorham's 'Blue Bossa'. That is the opening track on an album I often listen to: Joe Henderson's Page One (1963 - 42 minutes). I love Henderson's clear delivery, his now astringent, now lamenting tone. On this album he takes us from the bright melody and rhythms of the opening number to the slow, meditative 'La Mesha', and then later back again to the Latin accents of 'Recorda Me'. All the while he has Kenny Dorham on trumpet and McCoy Tyner on piano, doing their impressive stuff. It's another one to have.

[Links to the rest of the series.]