Martin Johnson
Appearances
Fresh Air
The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'
Throughout the history of jazz, there have been many famous duo collaborators, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, just to name three, and I'm sure avid jazz fans can add many more without a second thought.
Fresh Air
The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'
The partnership of pianist McCoy Tyner and saxophonist Joe Henderson may not be on the same level of those legends, but they did vital work together in the 60s. McCoy appeared on three of Henderson's first four recordings as a leader, and the saxophonist returned the favor on Tyner's The Real McCoy, his debut recording for Blue Note, and one of his best-loved albums.
Fresh Air
The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'
On the recently released Forces of Nature, you can hear their potent mix, Ignite, in a New York landmark for great jazz in the 60s and 70s, the gritty, long-gone club known as Slugs.
Fresh Air
The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'
Henderson is one of the greats of the post-war tenor saxophone, but in the mid-60s, he's the youngest member of that crowd. You can hear John Coltrane's thunderous emotions, Sonny Rollins' lean passion for playful melody, and Wayne Shorter's naughty complexity. Henderson synthesized these influences into a unique sound.
Fresh Air
The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'
When paired with Tyner, who had recently completed a five-year stint with Coltrane, he found the perfect foil. Hear how the pianist stops framing the sax solo and pushes Henderson on in and out. By 1966, Tyner had redefined the role of the pianist as an accompanist, and that shines in this concert. But he also asserts a tender facility with ballads.
Fresh Air
The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'
On We'll Be Together Again, he poignantly captures the sense of longing.
Fresh Air
The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'
shows mainstream jazz incorporating the open structures proposed by the avant-garde wing while remaining in a straight-ahead vein. The up-tempo tunes are urgent and forceful. It's like the change from a comfortable drive in the city to a skittering race on a country road. ¦ That's the tune taking off. The recording features an ace rhythm section.
Fresh Air
The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'
Bassist Henry Grimes, who was better known for his work with Free Jazz Stallwords, and drummer Jack Dijonet. And it's the drummer who's responsible for the recording's existence. He had an engineer tape the event, and it was in his home archive. He rediscovered it a few years ago and set plans in motion for the release. Dijonet is only 23 years old here.
Fresh Air
The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'
and still very much in the throes of contemporary greats like Coltrane drummer Elvin Jones, but you can hear a distinctive voice emerging on these tracks. He would go on to play with Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, and build a formidable discography as a leader. Here's The Believer. The music here is a prelude to iconic records by each leader.
Fresh Air
The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'
A few months after the concert, Joe Henderson recorded Mode for Joe, one of his most beloved 60s discs. And Tyner recorded his album The Real McCoy, his first for Blue Note and one of his best. After that, the two rarely worked together again, making this document a winding down of a valuable alliance.