Recording of the Month

Joe Henderson: Multiple
Milestone/Craft CR 00845 (LP). 1973/2025. Orrin Keepnews, prod.; Elvin Campbell, Al Vanderbilt, engs.
Performance ****½
Sonics ****½

The essence of jazz is supposed to be the free-flowing exploration of ideas and expressions. Yet hardcore fans of the music have the unnerving habit of supporting and denigrating the work of the same player from record to record. Artistic growth is often seen as a negative. Even devoted fans might not follow an artist who veers off into a stylistic direction they abhor. The classic example is Miles Davis, who went through several artistic reinventions during his long career. Many of those who love Kind of Blue recoil from Dark Magus, On the Corner, or You're Under Arrest. So-called fusion—adding influences from rock and/or funk—is most often the villain in these judgments.

After starting out as a hard-bop devotee in the early 1960s, with such classic Blue Note sessions as Page One, Our Thing, and Inner Urge, Joe Henderson grew curious about funk, about adding it to his jazz mix. In 1973, on Orrin Keepnews's Milestone label (now owned by the Concord Music Group), Henderson cut Multiple, one of the highlights of his discography.

At this point in the ongoing vinyl reissue boom, it's safe to assume that most everything that was once prohibitively expensive to acquire in its original form has now been unearthed, remastered, and reissued, or eventually will be. Multiple was until now one of the rarest and most expensive vinyl gets headlined by the inestimable tenorist. Multiple was only released once on LP, in 1973, in the US, Japan, and Germany, and even less-than-perfect copies go for upwards of $200.

Happily, Multiple has now been reissued on LP by Craft Records' fusion-focused Jazz Dispensary reissue program (footnote 1). Multiple was recorded in New York City at Mercury Sound Studios on January 30 and 31, 1973, with additional recording done in February and April of that same year. Originally produced by Keepnews and engineered by Elvin Campbell and Al Vanderbilt, the sound, which was always exemplary, has been brightened and given fresh edges by this new remastering. With new lacquers cut from an analog tape source by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio, the 180gm disc was pressed at RTI.

A large part of the success of this five-track collection is due to the personnel. While there's no such thing as a band that can't miss, Henderson (or Keepnews) made some very savvy personnel choices for these sessions, starting with the rhythm section of bassist Dave Holland (playing both electric and acoustic) and drummer Jack DeJohnette. Both had been a part of the most famous fusion session of them all, Miles Davis's Bitches Brew. Added to that are the ever-underestimated talents of pianist Larry Willis, who plays electric piano, ring modulator, and Echoplex. James "Blood" Ulmer and John Thomas play guitar, and Arthur Jenkins adds conga drum and extra percussion. Beyond tenor sax, Henderson adds flute, soprano saxophone, and vocals.

While rock is the influence most despised by jazz purists, it's funk that powers these sessions. The epic first track, "Tress-Cun-Deo-La," opens with Holland's bassline establishing the groove, over which Henderson contributes wordless vocals and energetic solo statements that vary from short squiggles to forthright blowing. Willis is beautifully inspired throughout, nimbly comping, darting in and out on electric piano, eventually adding a tinkling, funky solo appropriate to the groove. Ulmer adds his guitar to the mix. By the end, Henderson's chanting is dubbed in over his horn, before the track winds down to chanting and handclaps. It is a classic performance, the reason to own the album and one of Henderson's finest moments on record.

"Tress-Cun-Deo-La" is followed by some of the tenorist's most accessible playing, on the DeJohnette composition "Bwaata." Henderson is at his most relaxed and lyrical here, repeatedly returning to a melodic phrase that's so hooky that it (artfully) verges on pop music or smooth jazz. A burst of high skronking near the middle of its 10:54 run time precedes another dexterous solo from Holland. A subdued DeJohnette is at his textural best here, particularly in his nimble cymbal work. A Henderson flutter brings another classic track to its end.

"Song for Sinners," which opens side 2, has wordless chanting throughout, which is why many people think of Multiple as a spiritual jazz landmark. Lots of inventive playing from Willis, the secret weapon of these sessions, enlivens the background. Driven by a steady beat—some might call it a rock beat—Holland's "Turned Around" returns to a more familiar straight-ahead session, with propulsive drumming and splashy cymbals from DeJohnette.

The album closes with Henderson's spacey, jam-feeling "Me, Among Others," which is organized around a theme on tenor and again features Willis, the reach of his electric piano multiplied this time with reverb. It's a groovy, fitting ending, complete with its final run up the keyboard, to a hugely entertaining session from one of the giants, finally reissued. This session's timelessness confirms the wisdom of Henderson's decision to let the funk in.—Robert Baird

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Footnote 1: Last year, Craft/Jazz Dispensary reissued Henderson's Power to the People. See my take here. Stereophile has written about other Jazz Dispensary releases; see here and here.