Jim Snidero-THE MUSIC OF JOE HENDERSON

DrJ · February 13, 2004

The short story is: this is highly worthwhile music in just about every way. Beautifully captured by Rudy Van Gelder, Snidero plays his way thoughtfully and with quiet conviction through some of Joe's best tunes:

1. If (Henderson) - 5:05

2. Serenity (Henderson) - 6:28

3. Punjab (Henderson) - 7:43

4. Inner Urge (Henderson) - 5:09

5. Step Lightly (Henderson) - 8:21

6. Recorda-Me (Henderson) - 5:37

7. Black Narcissus (Henderson) - 7:45

8. Afro-Centric (Henderson) - 7:36

Never heard Joe Magnarelli (trumpet) before this, but he's a fine front line partner in best Dorham/Henderson tradition. Conrad Herwig on trombone gives it a MODE FOR JOE kind of feeling on some of the cuts I'm used to hearing in a more open configuration (like "Punjab" for instance has a nifty bit of reharmonization) - nice, never cluttered. David Hazeltine is fine on piano too - more impressive actually as a soloist then as a comper.

If there's a problem with the album that keeps it out of the "modern classic" category, it's with the rhythm section (rounded out by Dennis Irwin on bass and Kenny Washington on drums). Washington especially is a fantastic drummer in the right setting, no question, but I just don't hear him as the "right" player for this recording. The rhythm section ends up sounding reigned in, taking their cues from him, when someone like Ralph Peterson would have had just as much sense of that vintage period BN tradition thing but still really stoked the fires and put a more modern spin on it. With Washington, rhythmically it's more "retro" sounding than a recording like IN 'N' OUT from 1964 (was Elvin ahead of his time? Yes...)!