Search - Joe Henderson :: Inner Urge

A true masterpeice of jazz

Douglas Gray | Rochester, NY | 03/23/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In my opinion, this fourth issue as a leader for Blue Note is the landmark album where Joe Henderson (tenor sax) completes his emergence as a mature, inventive and visionary jazz composer, tenorman and leader, joining the likes of John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter. Most of Joe's work on this album is powered with emotion and invention. And what was the magical element in common to the greatest work off all three tenormen? The team of McCoy Tyner (piano) and Elvin Jones (drums) in the rhythm section - a team that has lured many a bassist into their game, including Bob Cranshaw (bass), who is brilliant on this day in November 1964. McCoy and Elvin are sewn together like two distinctly unique and beautiful colors and textures of cloth, all laid out flat, expertly and intricately stitched together to form your favorite quilt - the one you just love to lay on top of you. This quartet worked very well together, providing the opportunity for each individual to shine in his own light. The seminal sessions of Coltrane, Shorter and Henderson were typically quartet staffings, providing the leader the utmost power to set the scene and explore at will. The support provided by this rhythm section for Joe Henderson was truly inspirational.The quality of the recording is very good.Inner Urge - A unique Henderson invention, this medium-swing piece has a pleasantly dark melody followed by an extended bass solo by Bob, during which he quotes bits of the head often. Joe is next at the front, and he expresses himself freely, both inside and out, behind the anxious prodding of his accomplished rhythm section. McCoy follows in his richly inventive and original style with an extremely powerful and adept improvisation. Elvin is awarded an extended solo for his enriching support of the others, and delivers a magnificent invention that only Elvin could have conceived.Isotope - A witty and playful head written by Joe, played in unison by Joe and McCoy. Joe starts his solo here in a far more relaxed atmosphere, and behaves appropriately, yet the lengthy solo yields plenty of time to raise the energy level. Joe looks out the window, but never really steps outside. McCoy is his unmistakable self, yet keeps things relatively straight ahead, until Elvin forces him out on the porch for some really fresh air. Elvin trades some extraordinary 4's with Joe before the head finds its way back home.El Barrio - A masterpiece of Joe's, this one begins with Joe alone, honking out some mysterious, ethereal calls to the soul, which emerges faithfully as the group fades in behind him very slowly and softly. The entire work is seasoned with a just a bit of Spanish flavor. Joe continues his long, dark, haunting tale of woe, and the story freely and clearly evokes colorful and elaborate images. Joe's work here is truly remarkable. I was hypnotized by the clarity of his vision. The epic story told, McCoy tells his story as only he can, with a blazing right hand over a combination of pedal-depressed drones and chromatic chord explosions. He studies a variety of colors and textures, describing them all very well. Joe creeps back in and takes the piece home. A truly unique masterpiece, proud to hang in the world's greatest museums.You Know I Care - I was gently landed back on Earth by this Duke Pearson standard, stated beautifully by Joe in the warm, rich style we just forgot he had. His solo his passionate, inventive and very well constructed. McCoy always plays the ballads straight, but he also plays them very well. His solo is witty and displays his enviable technique.Night And Day - A Cole Porter standard played in a new light. As light-hearted and pretty as this piece is, the boys get it all nice and dirty right from the start. Joe is unrestrained and playful with the changes. Uncharacteristically for a ballad, McCoy plays this one a little bit his own way as well. A very traditional work played in a very original and imaginative way.This whole album (even the standards!) really got to me. Of the dozen or so Henderson-as-a-leader albums I own, I rank this as his very best. It's one of jazz's greatest tenor players with one of the jazz's greatest rhythm sections, during one of greatest periods in jazz. I've given 5 stars to a lot of great jazz albums, and this one is better than most of them. After this, look into Joe's other Blue Notes, including 'In 'N Out', 'Mode For Joe' and 'Page One'."

THE Joe Henderson Album

John J. Pas | MI, USA | 01/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The reviewer directly below can be entitled to his own opinion, but this album is amazing not simply for Henderson's playing (that's a given), but for the compositions as well. The title cut is simply one of the greatest tracks in the Blue Note catalog. The way it is structured makes for great improvising. The tension-release inherent in the track is powerfully exploited by Henderson as he builds intensity in each chorus, his dark tone perfectly matching the composition. His second solo in even more powerful as he plays repeated rhythmic figures and rips along scales with a passionately charged tone. 'Isotope' is almost as good. Henderson builds every chorus almost as well as Inner Urge. As his solo continues, you keep hoping he will go on for another chorus. And he keeps his ideas varied and constantly changing-very modern, but still very bluesy. 'El Barrio' has much of the intesity of Inner Urge but in a less structured format. 'On You Know I Care,' Henderson shows how versatile his extremely dark tone is. On this ballad, he employs his tone in a very appropriate manner. 'Night and Day' is an excellent closer; uptempo and full of rhythmic turns and singable phrases in Joe's solo. The two best tracks here, however, are 'Inner Urge' and 'Isotope.' In the liner notes, Joe is quoted as saying 'Inner Urge' was a very personal composition as it fulfilled a certain urgency inside of him. That urgency and power expressed in 'Inner Urge' is what truly makes this album Joe's best. Great album."