Our Thing

Our Thing

• HENDERSON JOE
• JAZZ
• INTERNATIONAL
• MUSIC

Joe Henderson and Kenny Dorham formed a remarkable partnership on several early 1960s Blue Note records, the younger tenor saxophonist's ruggedly bristling, twisting lines finding an effective foil in the veteran trumpeter's keening sound and pointed economy. <I>Our Thing</I>, from 1963, followed Henderson's <I>Page One</I> and Dorham's <I>Una Mas</I> in the series, and the closeness shows in the aplomb with which they navigate each other's challenging tunes. Henderson was already developing an "inside-outside" approach, moving in and out of chord changes with broad freedom, adding split-tones to his phrases with telling effect on his own "Teeter Totter" and on Dorham's beautiful "Escapade." He gets added stimulus from Andrew Hill, a highly original pianist who's making his recording debut here. Whether he's soloing or comping, Hill has a knack for abstracting the contours of a piece, adding close-voiced chords and sudden flashes of melody to point in other directions. Dorham's "Pedro's Time" is a long blues with a Latin feel that recalls his "Una Mas" or "Blue Bossa," and it highlights the fine playing of bassist Eddie Kahn and drummer Pete La Roca. <I>--Stuart Broomer</I>