{"id":7327,"date":"2023-12-20T12:52:37","date_gmt":"2023-12-20T18:52:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/?p=7327"},"modified":"2023-12-20T12:55:44","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T18:55:44","slug":"dedication-eddie-henderson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/dedication-eddie-henderson\/","title":{"rendered":"Dedication: A Conversation with Dr. Eddie Henderson"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One would be hard-pressed to find a figure that better represents the evolution of modern improvisation-based music than Eddie Henderson. At age nine, the trumpeter studied with the master of the jazz idiom – Louis Armstrong. Eight years later, Henderson met Miles Davis, who shifted his focus away from European classical music. Later, Henderson became a powerful force in fusing jazz with rock, electronic, and other musical forms as part of both Herbie Hancock’s groundbreaking Mwandishi ensemble and through great Blue Note albums under his own name. Now an elder statesman of the music, he has played a central role in continuing its perseverance by instilling his lessons to young artists, including Giveton Gelin<\/a>. But all of that is only part of Henderson’s story.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professional musicianship came as a later career to Henderson. First, he served his country in the Air Force during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Upon returning to civilian life, Henderson studied zoology at UC Berkeley and later earned his Medical degree from Howard University. The latter is particularly incredible considering the dearth of Black physicians at the time, a problem that still plagues the profession. But trailblazing is a familiar trait to him; he was also the first African American to compete for a national figure skating championship. Each of the three sides of Henderson’s career – doctor, figure skater, and musician – are unique, yet one cannot help but find a unifying force behind them all. This centralizing element – his focus on hard work and stick-to-itiveness – is further highlighted in the documentary\u00a0Dr. Eddie Henderson: Uncommon Genius<\/em>, which will premiere on PBS in 2024. But, before then, he will lead a sextet at Smoke Jazz Club on December 26 and 27, 2023 as part of the venue’s annual John Coltrane Festival.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PostGenre: You will perform at the John Coltrane Festival. Did you know Coltrane well?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Eddie Henderson: Not well. I met him only a few times. I first met him back in 1958 when he was still playing with Miles Davis. I was in high school at the time. After that, I saw him intermittently with his quartet until he passed. But I did not know him well. Mostly just quick hellos and goodbyes to one another. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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PG: Going back before high school, you were nine years old when you studied with Louis Armstrong. Of course, since then, you have been involved in many various fusion and straight-ahead projects. Seventy-four years after studying with him, do you see jazz music today as a continuation of the music Satchmo represented, or has it turned into something else entirely?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EH: It\u2019s hard to say. Louis Armstrong was the initial innovator of jazz. Of course, things keep evolving as time passes. It’s hard to equate what Louis Armstrong did then to what’s happening today. There has been a gradual evolution, and today\u2019s music is very far removed from what Louis Armstrong did. Now a lot of jazz music is tied to hip hop. The art form itself has never been stagnant. It constantly evolves. And it\u2019s always going to change. It’s hard to compare one generation to the next as they\u2019re all steps on a path of evolution. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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PG: In terms of continuing the legacy of the music, as an educator, is there a younger trumpet player who you see as the future of the music or whose music deeply resonates with you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EH: Oh yeah, there are quite a few who are very talented. I have taught at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio for the last eight or nine years. There are several trumpet players there, up and coming, who are still largely unknown but exceptional. They\u2019re also often very well-versed in the history of the music and the language of jazz. They’re also very up-to-date on the instrument. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

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