Eddie Henderson -

Eddie Henderson (born Oct. 26, 1940) is an American trumpeter, cornetist, and composer who emerged in Herbie Hancock‘s backing band Mwandishi. On Capricorn, he released the popular 1973/74 albums Realization and Inside Out. Switching to Blue Note, he made the 1975/76 albums Sunburst and Heritage, followed by a trio of titles on Capitol, including the 1977 release Comin’ Through.

During the 1970s and early ’80s, Henderson played on albums by Charles Earland, Norman Connors, Gary Bartz, Buster Williams, Pharoah Sanders, and The Originals.

Background

He was born Edward Jackson Henderson on October 26, 1940, in New York City. His mother had a dance act called the Brown Twins with her twin sister. His father sang with The Charioteers, a renowned gospel-pop vocal group during the 1930s and ’40s.

At age nine, Henderson met Louis Armstrong and got an informal trumpet lesson. In 1954, the Hendersons moved to San Francisco, where Eddie attended the S.F. Conservatory of Music. He would later perform with the S.F. Conservatory Symphony Orchestra. Miles Davis, a long-time friend of Eddie’s parents, dropped by the family home in 1957 and played a gig with the 17-year-old. Other inspirations for the young player included Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Brown, and Woody Shaw.^[1]

Envisioning music as a part-time pursuit, Henderson earned degrees in zoology (UC Berkeley, 1964) and medicine (Howard Uni, 1968). He took an internship at a Bay Area clinic, then got summoned for a week-long gig with Herbie Hancock‘s Mwandishi. Henderson ultimately backed Hancock for three years and played on his 1972 Warner release Crossings. That same year, he played on albums by Buddy Terry (Lean on Him, Pure Dynamite), Pete Yellin (Dance of Allegra), and Norman Connors (Dance of Magic). In 1973, he got a solo deal with Capricorn Records.

Realization

Eddie Henderson released his debut bandleader album, Realization, in July 1973 on Capricorn.

Realization spotlights his trumpet, cornet, and flugelhorn against four Mwandishi colleagues, including bassist Buster Williams, drummer Billy Hart, and reedist Bennie Maupin (flute, clarinet, tenor sax.). Hart rotates with RTF drummer Lenny White. Henderson delegates keyboards between Herbie Hancock (Fender Rhodes and Univox electric piano) and Pat Gleeson (ARP synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, organ).

“Scorpio-Libra” opens on a blunt bass-and-drum figure, with clipped brass lines, Fender Rhodes haze, and synthesizer effects that thicken the ensemble field. “Mars in Libra” uses a related rhythmic base, then sets wider horn phrases and freer drum cross-accents against a repeated bass line.

“Anua” starts from bass, drums, sustained flute, keyboard tones, and low synthesizer motion before Henderson enters above dense ensemble chords. “Spiritual Awakening” drops to electronic water-and-bird sonorities, brief horn figures, and scattered ensemble entry. “Revelation Realization” places Henderson and Maupin over a slow bass pattern, recessed drums, Rhodes detail, and a long fade built from wind-like synthesizer motion.

A1. “Scorpio-Libra” (11:12)
A2. “Mars in Libra” (8:40)

B1. “Anua” (8:50) — Maupin
B2. “Spiritual Awakening” (2:33)
B3. “Revelation / Realization” (8:00) — Hancock, Henderson

Gleeson co-produced the album with Good God soundman Skip Drinkwater on February 27–28, 1973, at Different Fur Trading Company in San Francisco, where John Vieira engineered Realization in sequence with Sextant and titles by Malo and Sopwith Camel. Drinkwater worked in succession on albums by Catalyst, The Visitors, and the Henderson-involved Norman Connors release Dark of Light.

Bruce Steinberg designed and photographed the cover, which renders Henderson in a monochrome trumpet blast through a fireball in outer space.

Inside Out

Eddie Henderson released his second album, Inside Out, in January 1974 on Capricorn.

Inside Out contains dense ensemble pieces with overdubbed brass, staggered percussion, clavinet, Rhodes, and ARP synthesizer. Pinned by drummer Eric Gravatt and conguero Bill Summers, Henderson interacts with returning sideman Herbie Hancock, Buster Williams, Billy Hart, and reedist Bennie Maupin, who overlays clarinet, bass clarinet, flutes, and tenor saxophone.

“Moussaka” opens on reed and electronic sustain, then adds congas and a firm bass figure that heralds Henderson’s muted horn and Hancock’s Rhodes; late brass overdubs thicken the final section. “Omnipresence” packs busy toms, horn fragments, and electronic tones into a short interlude. “Discoveries” runs multiple horn lines across rapid rolls, clavinet accents, and low synthesizer burble. “Fusion” shifts beneath clipped horn and keyboard phrases after a seamless join.

“Dreams” sets looser low-end motion and drum activity under steadier lead lines across a clear mix. “Inside Out” drives fixed ostinatos under the key soloists. “Exit #1” closes with slow ensemble sustain and electronic tone color, sans percussion.

A1. “Moussaka” (8:59) — Maupin
A2. “Omnipresence” (2:14) — Henderson
A3. “Discoveries” (5:08) — Henderson
A4. “Fusion” (3:33) — Henderson

B1. “Dreams” (7:21) — Henderson
B2. “Inside Out” (9:25) — Henderson
B3. “Exit #1” (2:54) — Maupin

Sessions occurred at Different Fur in October 1973 with Skip Drinkwater, who oversaw Henderson on the subsequent Norman Connors albums Love from the Sun and Slew Foot.

In 1974, Henderson interacted with saxophonist Joe Henderson (no relation) on Born to Love You, the third album by trumpeter Luis Gasca. Eddie also backed Charles Earland on the organist’s Prestige titles Leaving This Planet and The Dynamite Brothers.

Sunburst

Eddie Henderson released his third album, Sunburst, in July 1975 on Blue Note.

Sunburst sets Eddie Henderson inside shorter, bass-driven electric ensemble pieces, with lines from keyboardist George Duke, trombonist Julian Priester, Weather Report bassist Alphonso Johnson, and returning sideman Bennie Maupin and Buster Williams, who deputizes Johnson on the final track.

“Explodition” opens with rapidfire rhythmic rolls before Henderson trumpet-blasts cuts across Rhodes and synthesizer color. “The Kumquat Kids” packs processed horn shrieks, clipped keyboard chatter, and short brass punches into a compact, hard-accented rhythm. “Sunburst” starts with high-register keys before a suspended middle passage with cymbal wash, synthesizer swirl, trumpet bursts, and long trombone tones. “Involuntary Bliss” slows with an ostinato under sustained brass and a MiniMoog spotlight.

“Hop Scotch” snaps through short brass, keys, and crowded call-and-response over a tight rhythmic base. “Galaxy” embarks on trumpet-enmeshed synth sustain before Maupin takes saxello through a wide middle section above marimba shimmer, low bass, and loose percussion. “We End in a Dream” closes as a brief two-part sketch, with a soft low-register pulse and light rhythmic motion.

A1. “Explodition” (6:41) — Duke
A2. “The Kumquat Kids” (4:30) — Johnson
A3. “Sunburst” (5:49) — Henderson
A4. “Involuntary Bliss” (6:52) — Johnson

B1. “Hop Scotch” (3:53) — Harvey Mason
B2. “Galaxy” (6:36) — Henderson
B3. “We End in a Dream” (3:11) — Maupin

Henderson recorded Sunburst at Wally Heider Recording in San Francisco in March and April 1975 with Skip Drinkwater, who worked in sequence with Lee & Brown, Eleventh House (Level One), and Alphonse Mouzon (Mind Transplant).

Meanwhile, Henderson played on 1975 albums by Lenny Williams (Rise Sleeping Beauty) and Norman Connors (Saturday Night Special). On July 19, Henderson and Connors performed a set with alto saxophonist Gary Bartz at the Nemu Jazz Inn. Cobblestone Records documented the event with the joint-credited Dance of Magic (Live at Nemu Jazz Inn -1), which features their take on the Coltrane composition “Naima” and lengthy renditions of Hancock (“Revelation”) and the Connors-written title track, stretched here to a full side (27:07).

Heritage

Eddie Henderson released his fourth album, Heritage, in July 1976 on Blue Note.

Heritage places Eddie Henderson in tighter electric forms, with bassist Paul Jackson, keyboardist Patrice Rushen, percussionist Mtume, and the Headhunters rhythm vocabulary, which gives the album a harder rhythmic grid than the earlier Capricorn sessions.

“Inside You” opens with ARP string haze, electric-piano pattern, and long horn lines across a calm pulse. “Acuphuncture” locks short brass punches, clipped keyboard figures, and clean trumpet phrasing into a compact syncopated form. “Time & Space” paces moderate with soprano saxophone lines and layered keys. “Nostalgia” returns to wider ensemble spacing, muted horn, and open keyboard voicings.

“Kudu” rises from a sustained intro into a Paul Jackson bass figure, clavinet accents, and sharper trumpet phrases. “Dr. Mganga” drives a full ensemble motif with tight low-end repetition, electric-piano runs, percussion detail, and brass blasts. “Dark Shadows” closes on a bass-clarinet line, muted trumpet theme, trombone figures, and a late rhythmic break before the band resumes the opening pattern.

A1. “Inside You” (4:52) — Mtume
A2. “Acuphuncture” (3:44) — Julian Priester
A3. “Time and Space” (5:19) — Henderson
A4. “Nostalgia” (4:12) — Pat O’Hearn

B1. “Kudu” (6:08) — Rushen
B2. “Dr. Mganga” (7:33) — Brent Rampone
B3. “Dark Shadows” (6:54) — Henderson

Henderson recorded Heritage at Wally Heider Sound on April 2, 1976, with Skip Drinkwater, who worked in sequence with Lee & Brown, ex-Gaturs Willie Lee, and the solo debuts of Lee Ritenour and Alphonso Johnson.

Comin’ Through

Eddie Henderson released his fifth album, Comin’ Through, in July 1977 on Capitol.

Comin’ Through presents compact electric pieces shaped by four-beat pulse, bright horn charts, and clean studio separation. The ensemble features returning sidemen Mtume, Paul Jackson, and Julian Priester along with drummer Howard “Locksmith” King. Henderson employs multiple reedists (Mani Boyd, Connie Henderson), guitarists (Al McKay, Lee Ritenour), and keyboardists (George Cables, Charles Mimms, Patrice Rushen). Mtume and Rushen double as vocalists beside Dianne Reeves and EW&F tenor Philip Bailey.

“Say You Will” rides a steady dance rhythm while Henderson states a direct trumpet line over repeating bass and hi-hat figures. “Open Eyes” slows the pace with sliding bass from Paul Jackson, low backing voices, clavinet taps, and active horn-section answers. “Morning Song” opens more space around electric-piano voicings and restrained trumpet phrases. “Movin’ On” starts with solo electric piano, then adds clavinet, steady low-end motion, long reverb-heavy trumpet tones, and a saxophone break by Manny Boyd.

“Return to the Source” leans on rhythm-guitar chop, vocal backing, and muted trumpet across a slower, clipped pulse. “The Funk Surgeon” packs slap bass, rhythm-guitar chatter, horn stabs, and duck-toned Mini-Moog into the album’s most explicit dance-floor piece. “Beyond Forever” turns on a mid-song tempo lift, with bass, keyboards, and percussion tightening around the new pace. “Connie” closes with flugelhorn and Fender Rhodes alone, reducing the album to sustained notes and soft harmonic shimmer.

A1. “Say You Will” (4:28) — James Mtume
A2. “Open Eyes” (3:53) — Patrice Rushen
A3. “Morning Song” (5:38) — George Cables
A4. “Movin’ On” (5:54) — Eddie Henderson

B1. “Return to the Source” (4:32) — Mtume
B2. “The Funk Surgeon” (4:59) — Rushen
B3. “Beyond Forever” (4:38) — Cables
B4. “Connie” (3:05) — Henderson

Henderson recorded Comin’ Through in San Francisco (Wally Heider) and Hollywood (Chateau Recorders) with Skip Drinkwater, who worked in sequence with Art Webb and the Nielsen Pearson Band.

In September 1977, Comin’ Through reached No. 21 on the Record World R&B LP chart.

Meanwhile, Henderson played on concurrent albums by Gary Bartz (Music Is My Sanctuary), Bennie Maupin (Slow Traffic to the Right), and Billy Hart (Enhance). He also appeared with the latter two on V.S.O.P., a double-album by the post-bop supergroup assembled by Herbie Hancock.

Mahal

Eddie Henderson released his sixth album, Mahal, in August 1978 on Capitol.

Mahal places Henderson in polished electric arrangements built from dance pulse, clipped rhythm guitar, bright keyboard sheen, brass punctuation, and soft ballad space. He reunites Julian Priester with Bennie Maupin and Herbie Hancock, backed by the Paul Jackson/Howard King rhythm section. Henderson also welcomes flutist Hubert Laws, guitarist Ray Obiedo, and percussionist Bill Summers.

“Butterfly” recasts the Hancock piece with brighter synthesizer layers, guitar flicker, and a steadier pulse beneath trumpet by Henderson. “Cyclops” locks blocky piano chords, brass answers, and rounded low-end motion into a compact, single-oriented form. “Emotions” sets Paul Jackson bass harmonics beneath vocal-like flugelhorn phrases and light Rhodes support. “Prance On” rides clipped guitar, synthetic string accents, and a blunt bass pattern across a clean dance-floor arrangement.

“Amoroso” uses a straight drum pattern while horn-and-bass figures carry most of the syncopation under muted trumpet and keyboard flurries. “Mahal” slows the album into soft ensemble voicings, faint keys, sustained brass, and a gentle bass pulse. “Ecstasy” closes as a flugelhorn-and-Rhodes duet, with Henderson holding long tones over sparse Rhodes shimmer.

A1. “Butterfly” (8:05) — Hancock, Maupin
A2. “Cyclops” (5:18) — Mtume
A3. “Emotions” (4:59) — Henderson
A4. “Prance On” (5:16) — Mtume

B1. “Amoroso” (5:38) — Maupin
B2. “Mahal” (4:27) — Henderson
B3. “Ecstasy” (3:25) — Henderson

Henderson recorded Mahal at Wally Heider with Skip Drinkwater, who worked in sequence on titles by Mtume, Zbigniew Seifert, and Medusa, a funk-rock combo with Eric Tagg.

Capitol issued “Prance On” as a single (b/w “Say You Will”), which reached No. 44 on the UK singles chart in November 1978.

Meanwhile, Henderson played on Happy Together, the second of two duo albums by percussion legend Pete Escovedo and his daughter Sheila, who later achieved stardom as Sheila E.

Runnin’ To Your Love

Eddie Henderson released his seventh album, Runnin’ To Your Love, in 1979 on Capitol.

Henderson placed trumpet and flugelhorn inside a vocal-assisted electric arrangement with brass-section lines, rhythm guitar, synthesizer, and percussion. Patrice Rushen and Charles Mimms arranged with Henderson and co-produced three pieces with Skip Drinkwater, while Paul Jackson, Mike Clark, Bill Summers, Herbie Hancock, John Lee, and Gerry Brown appear in the credited ensemble.

A1. “Runnin’ To Your Love” (7:29) — Rushen
A2. “Sunchaser” (5:50) — Lee
A3. “Hibby” (5:51) — Henderson

B1. “This Band Is Hot” (5:54) — Rushen
B2. “Please Your Mind” (3:20) — Mimms
B3. “Moon” (4:11) — Henderson
B4. “Marlana” (4:41) — Henderson

Henderson recorded Runnin’ To Your Love at The Automatt in San Francisco with producer Skip Drinkwater and engineer Jeff Titmus.

Roy Kohara designed the sleeve with photography by Bruce Polonsky (cover) and Phil Fewsmith (liner).

Capitol lifted two singles: “Runnin’ To Your Love” as a single (b/w “Hibby”) and “This Band Is Hot” (b/w “Moon”).

Discography: