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
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