Joe Henderson

The American jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson will always be associated with Blue Note Records whom he recorded with in the heyday of his career, between 1963 and 1968. Joe Henderson was born in Lima, Ohio on April 24, 1937, and had a thorough grounding in music theory from an early age; learning to play the drums, piano and saxophone. He eventually settled on the tenor sax and as a teenager became a familiar face on the Detroit jazz scene. His musical career was interrupted in 1960 by two years of military service but on his return to civilian life he signed to Blue Note and went on to become one of America's most respected jazz musicians. During his time with Blue Note, Henderson recorded almost thirty albums - his debut being Page One (1963) - many of which subsequently came to be regarded as classics from the era. As well as his own compositions Henderson also appeared as a sideman on albums with other Blue Note artists such as Horace Silver, Andrew Hill and Herbie Hancock. Towards the end of his career he recorded a trio of highly-acclaimed tribute albums showcasing the work Miles Davis, George Gershwin and Antonio Carlos Jobim. He died on June 30, 2001, at the age of 64 after a long struggle with emphysema.