Joe Henderson
tenor saxophone
Tenor saxophonist from Ohio who spent his early years as a player in Detroit; Barry says Henderson came to his house for lessons.
- mentions
- 9
- recordings
- 9
- Barry speaking
- 5
What Barry says
Barry says Joe Henderson came to his Detroit house to take lessons and learned to play there, naming him alongside Paul Chambers, Roland Hanna, Sonny Red, Yusef Lateef, John Coltrane and others who came to him.
Believe: a talk to musicians7:26The last train to Monk: an interview8:58Interview: Detroit, Bud Powell and the shuffle3:30Ep.3 | Everything no one has ever told you about jazz | Barry Harris0:33Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶125
He knows some people do not believe him when he says that Henderson, later a famous tenor player, used to come for lessons, so he has kept a 1958 Down Beat yearbook that credits him with teaching or influencing most Detroit musicians.
In the oral history he lists Henderson’s lessons with those of Yusef Lateef, Kirk Lightsey and Motown bassist James Jamerson, as signs that most Detroit musicians came through him.
When Ted Panken suggests Wilberforce College as a source of Ohio’s strong arranging tradition, Barry guesses, with an ‘I think’, that Frank Foster and Joe Henderson both went there.
In his own words
I name some of the musicians that came to my house, and probably some people don’t believe me. You know, like I may say, Joe Henderson used to come take lessons
Paul Chambers learned to play in my house... He learned to play in my house, Joe Henderson learned to play in my house. All these people.
Most of the Detroiters came through my house. Roland Hanna and Sonny Red would climb those stairs to learn those chords. Joe Henderson came for lessons.
Joe Henderson came to my house, Sir Roland Hanna came to my house, [Sonny] Red came to my house, John Coltrane came to my house.
Henderson came to town, he studied with me, you know, so I’ve had all, mostly all of them, man.
Every mention
9 moments in the recordings, 5 of them Barry speaking. Each says who is talking.
The Spirit of Bebop
- 23:30
Henderson used to come for lessons; Barry knows people doubt it, so he keeps the 1958 yearbook.
Believe: a talk to musicians
- 7:26
Henderson learned to play at Barry’s house, like Paul Chambers.
The last train to Monk: an interview
- 8:58
When Henderson came to town he studied with Barry.
Interview: Detroit, Bud Powell and the shuffle
- 3:30
Henderson came to Barry to learn how to play.
Ep.3 | Everything no one has ever told you about jazz | Barry Harris
- 0:33
Named among the young musicians, Coltrane and Roland Hanna too, who came to Barry’s house to practise.
Barry Harris Funeral
- 41:58
Someone else
At the funeral Gene Gee says teachers of his, Henderson among them, all studied Barry’s concept.
The Great Pianist Barry Harris’ Funeral At Abyssinian Baptist Church In Harlem
- 28:30
Someone else
The same funeral tribute in another recording: Henderson among teachers who studied Barry’s concept.
12-15-18 “Mr. Barry Harris aka The Man Who Walks on Notes” - Star Eyes
- 3:13
Someone else
A narrated biography says Barry was tutoring hometown players such as Henderson by 1956.
JAZZ NOTES 026 | Jazz Biography | Jazz From Detroit Pt 2 | Jazz Radio
- 22:27
Someone else
A radio host names Henderson among Detroit’s esteemed soloists, in a show on Detroit jazz.
In the interviews and notes
Barry tells Aaron Graves that Henderson came and began taking lessons, as did Yusef Lateef, while Kirk Lightsey and Motown’s James Jamerson also learned from him; he wishes he had brought the yearbook page saying most Detroit musicians came through him.
He describes his house as a mecca where all the musicians came, and says Henderson came there and learned.
In JazzTimes he says most Detroiters came through his house and that Henderson came for lessons, alongside Roland Hanna, Sonny Red and a curious John Coltrane.
unknown (JazzTimes; the byline is missing on the current site), Barry Harris: Teacher Man ¶7
Talking about the arrangers Ohio produced, he guesses, without being sure, that Frank Foster and Henderson both studied at Wilberforce.
Ted Panken names Henderson first among the young, information-hungry musicians who frequented Barry’s house.
Recalling Barry’s advice that playing should stay at the level of conversation, never shouting, a forum member thinks of Henderson as a light player who works the microphone, and notes that Barry taught him too.
jazzguitar.be members (usernames kept per post), Things I learned from Barry Harris Study Group ¶441
Brian de Lima counts Henderson, with John Coltrane, Donald Byrd and Paul Chambers, among the well-known players who were once Barry’s students.
Stressing that Barry’s scale outlines of a tune are not yet improvisation and should not be run up and down over and over, a forum member borrows Joe Henderson’s jibe that overused chord-scale theory makes players sound like a phone book.
jazzguitar.be members (usernames kept per post), Official Barry Harris Thread (jazzguitar.be forum thread) ¶2374jazzguitar.be members (usernames kept per post), Official Barry Harris Thread (jazzguitar.be forum thread) ¶2375
Recordings that name them
Barry’s performances and records in the archive that credit or name them.
- Ep.3 | Everything no one has ever told you about jazz | Barry Harrisn.d., 12 min YouTube
- 12-15-18 “Mr. Barry Harris aka The Man Who Walks on Notes” - Star Eyes2018, 15 min YouTube
- The Siderwinder (Jazz 1963)-Lee Morgan-Joe Henderson-Barry Harris2012, 9 min YouTube
- Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder2012, 10 min YouTube
- Lee Morgan - Totem Pole2011, 10 min YouTube
Method ideas nearby
Ideas of the method taught in the classes where they come up, with how many mentions fall in each.
- 14.3Learn from the masters by ear; study the small things3
- 15.4The lineage2
- 1.4Triplets and thinking in six1
- 11.1Two hands together1
- 11.2Keep the left hand low and make it interesting1
- 11.4Play from the body and the arm, not the fingers1
- 12.1Everybody sings1
- 12.2Know the song; learn many songs; find your key1