Nomad

Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Grant Green (guitar), Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone), Duke Pearson (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass) and Al Harewood (drums). From the album Idle Moments (1965).

Despite having recorded post-bop, avant-garde and free jazz during the last years, in his first album as a leader The Kicker, Hutcherson showed his blues and hard bop music side, as well as in Grant Green’s Iddle Moments. In 1965 he recorded Dialogue and Components, and in 1966 Stick-Up!. In 1967 he returned to Los Angeles, but continued recording for Blue Note. There he formed a quintet with Harold Land and recorded Total Eclipse among other albums until they split up in 1971. In 1973 he formed a new quintet with Woody Shaw.

In 1974 he returned with Land and for several years they continued recording for Blue Note. In 1977 he switched to Columbia Records, with whom he recorded three albums. During the 1980s he also started to play the marimba and continued to record as a leader and sideman, and in the 1990s he toured. In 1994 he recorded a duo album with McCoy Tyner entitled Manhattan Moods and in 1999 he recorded Skyline with Verve Records. In 2004 he joined the SFJAZZ Collective ensemble, with whom he toured for four years and in 2009 he recorded Wise One. He died in 2016 of a pulmonary emphysema at 75 years of age.

At first the theme is full of unexpected twists and turns, but then takes a more conventional melody. Henderson begins by making a fluid and well structured solo with creative and original phrases. Hutcherson follows him playing interesting and suggestive melodies. Next Green enters with a lucid and inspired improvisation while Henderson and Hutcherson make a sound cushion underneath. Then Pearson comes in with a direct and accessible melodic line, and the group ends up re-exposing the theme.