Day 12: Joe Henderson Big Band [1996]

I was surprised when this album came out, I mean, Joe Henderson playing in a big band!?! AND he wrote a bunch of the arrangements? Wha??

It turns out he had a short lived big band in the mid sixties. The big band was a vehicle for his larger composition ideas. A lot of fantastic NY musicians played in that band, unfortunately it didn't last very long and they rarely played in public. I first heard this album while I was at the Wind Shoppe in Edmonton Alberta getting my horn fixed. Scott and Russ constantly have music playing and this was either on the radio or they were playing the actual disc I can't remember. I either bought this CD or borrowed it from them and never returned it (oops) at any rate the disc is very well recorded and the two different bands play great throughout. Joe sounds great throughout. His sound always comes across so big on recording while live he was very quiet-The first time I saw Joe play I don't think he ever played near the microphone and thinking back I can't actually remember really hearing him (even though I was in the front row)-he was so quiet! At any rate he comes through as the dominant soloist on this album filled with some of his most well known songs. the arrangements are done by Joe, Slide Hampton, Bob Belden and Mike Mossman. All excellent arrangers, I may be biased but Mossman's Recordame is a real standout!!