Original Joe's In San Francisco

Joe Henderson Quintet - Isotope

We'll move the Decemball with these exquisite two sets of pure hard bop bliss, on their 50th anniversary.

I've done him on here before, and anyone reading his oughta know who he was, so no redundant historical data today.

I mean, he's the premier Joe of Jazz, as far as I've ever known.

Meaning every fan or player with whom I've ever interacted has referred to him by his first name only, and everyone has seemed to know they mean this Joe.

There are some great Joes, too. Joe Chambers, Joe Zawinul (everyone calls him Joe Z), Joe Farrell. Joe Morello. Joe Sample. I've covered a few, and the ones I haven't are well worthy of inclusion on this page.

But when Jazz fans and players alike say Joe, they don't mean anyone but one guy.

I feel awful lucky that I got to see him play not once, or twice, but four times before he left the planet just before 9/11/01. At four different and iconic Bay Area venues too.

As potent and powerful as any tenor ever to have bent a reed -- that's a bold statement for sure, but we're talking about Joe -- I don't think he ever played a song the same way once, much less twice.

His solos? One phrase, you know who it is. Just from the tone alone, the meat is on the bone.

So, fasho there are a lotta Joes with the flow. But when someone just says Joe, and no mo'? Then you know it's time for the eternally extra immortal Joe Henderson to blow.

 Joe Henderson Quintet

Great American Music Hall

San Francisco, California USA

12.19.1975

01 Afro-Centric

02 Invitation

03 Isotope 

04 Recorda Me

05 Power to the People

Total time: 2:23:00

disc break goes after Track 03

Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone 

Bill Bell - piano 

Ross Traut - guitar 

Ratzo Harris - bass 

Ralph Penland - drums

256/48k audio streamed from Wolfgang's Vault

spectral analysis is fully lossless well past the FM cutoff at 17 kHz

converted to 16/44 CD Audio, edited, repaired, tracked, very slightly remux-rebalanced & remastered by EN, December 2025
918 MB FLAC/direct link

This was taped 50 years ago tonight in the Great American in SF, a venue at which I've seen many an iconic performance, but in this one Joe and his guys just about levitate the place, with solos that just go and go from Joe and everyone else. Some of the tunes go on for over a half hour, but go by in what seems like half that.

Anyway I will hammer out the completion of The Feast of St. Anthony for Christmas, a compilation to finish out 2025 in truly ridiculous style, and I have a few more shows lined up for New Year's. So stay tuned, because around here we don't mess around with just any ordinary Joe.--J.

4.24.1937 - 6.30.2001