Tetragon/In Pursuit Of Blackness

Tetragon, Joe Henderson's second Milestone recording, features the great tenor with two separate rhythm sections: Kenny Barron or Don Friedman on piano, bassist Ron Carter and either Louis Hayes or Jack DeJohnette on drums. Highlights of this LP include the title track, "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "Invitation." In Pursuit of Blackness, the other LP on this two-fer set, features the great tenor with two very different groups. "Invitation" and "Gazelle" are taken from the same live sessions that resulted in his previous album If You're Not Part of the Solution and showcase Henderson's quintet with trumpeter Woody Shaw, keyboardist George Cables, bassist Ron McClure and drummer Lenny White. The remaining three tracks are funkier and freer, adding bassist Stanley Clarke to a rhythm section of Cables and White and featuring the rather ad-libbed "Mind Over Matter." It's an interesting if slightly erratic set. ~ Scott Yanow