Search - Joe Henderson :: Inner Urge

Immaculate 60s release

Thomas Gabuzda | Montco PA, usa | 06/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you fundamentally like JoeHen's sound and style, you should definitely have this release. In general it is of dark, brooding, often Lydian (mode) tonality though of course Night and Day is bright and upbeat. It's ambience is superb, the improvising is heady and daring, and it is definitely one of Joe's great recordings. A short list of some others would be Red Clay, Straight Life, Mode for Joe, State of the Tenor (1 and 2), and the obscure Leaving this Planet (Charles Earland). All colossal."

A Henderson classic

Dennis W. Wong | 09/23/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If there were ever a fire in my apartment and I had to grab a couple of CDs I could not do without--this would be one of them. Recorded in November of 1964, a banner year for Blue Note since other classics stood out that year (Speak No Evil, Song for My Father), "Inner Urge" represents Joe Henderson at his best--there's not a single weak track in the bunch. Starting with the ground-breaking title tune, written in a diminished mode, plus the Monkish "Isotope", Henderson took center stage as perhaps the logical successor to the Coltrane throne. Other aurally blowing tracks include a totally improvised, recorded impromptu in the studio, "El Barrio", Duke Pearson's "You Say You care" and a completely revised, changes-wise, swinging "Night & Day". Backed by Coltrane duo of McCoy Tyner & Elvin Jones plus Rollins bassist, Bob Cranshaw, this is essential Henderson. If you are limited to only one Joe Henderson album, get this one!! Although he achieved material success on the Verve label, many Henderson fans felt his best work was for Blue Note--this album could stand as proof!!"

Amazing recording, but not easy listening

Troy Schilperoort | 05/01/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As far as Joe Henderson's playing goes, this recording is probably his most "intense" or "exploratory" playing. As a consequence, some of it, especially the beginning, tends to be hard listening for someone who isn't already familiar with jazz or the avant-garde. Accompanying Henderson on this recording is the rhythm section from the John Coltrane Quartet: McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. At times the group almost sounds like the John Coltrane quartet, rather than the Joe Henderson, plus Coltrane's rhythm section, featuring some of the most "out" playing of Henderson's on record.



The first three tunes on the album are written by Joe Henderson: Inner Urge is intense, fast, reckless yet controlled, and occasionally hard listening, but still enjoyable. Isotope is another Henderson original, now a standard, and is a funky blues. "El Barrio" pushes the limit, and is, at times, hard to listen to, but is still quality playing. "You know I care" is a ballad, and Joe Henderson plays beautifully here. It is at this point on the album where I really feel like I'm hearing the "classic Joe Henderson sound", rather than the "John Coltrane sound" that can be heard earlier on in the album. The album ends with a great version of Night and Day. Joe Henderson takes hold of this song and makes it his own.



Overall, this is one of Joe Henderson's better performances. If you are already familiar with the John Coltrane Quartet, you will probably like this album. If you like Joe Henderson and also enjoy the avant-garde, you will proabably like enjoy this album. However, this album is, for much of it, hard listening. If your only previous introduction to Joe Henderson is "Page One" or his performance on "The Sidewinder" or "Song For my Father," I would recommend listening to "Our Thing," "Mode for Joe," or "In'n'out" before you tackle Inner Urge."