Joe Henderson

Joe Henderson was one of the most individual, instantly recognizable post-bebop jazz soloists on any instrument. His unique sound, rich and rugged without ever being overly loud, and boundlessly creative improvising were not quite like anything heard before or since. Born in Lima, Ohio, Joe studied in Detroit where he met many legends of that city’s jazz scene. After two years in the army, he came to New York in 1962. Joe’s first studio recording was on Kenny Dorham’s classic Blue Note album “Una Mas” the following year; soon after, he recorded his own debut as a leader, “Page One,” also on Blue Note and featuring Dorham. Joe continued to record mostly on Blue Note as both leader and sideman through the ‘60s, appearing on many more iconic albums of the decade such as Lee Morgan’s “The Sidewinder” and Horace Silver’s “Song For My Father.” Many of Joe’s compositions from this era have become jazz standards.

For the rest of his career, he continued to perform and record mostly as a freelance leader. In the ‘90s he made several important recordings for Verve. These include the Grammy-winning “Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn” in 1992 and “Joe Henderson Big Band” in 1996, both produced by Don Sickler.