True tribute consists not only of respecting the music but also the spirit of it. Eddie Henderson's CD So What is one of the better tributes to the trumpeter Miles Davis, who died in 1991. Having known Davis personally in the late 1950s, Henderson has been deeply influenced by his sound, style and way of thinking about music. Henderson didn't want to pay tribute with just stereotypical cover versions.
As a result, he has made the classic standard numbers only the starting point for 'new' music. Henderson has urged the musicians to play the songs differently. When talented musicians, speaking their own language with their instruments, engage with this music, the standards are automatically brought to life. Because the recordings ran smoothly, the first take was often sufficient. Henderson creates a nuanced sound with his trumpet and flugelhorn, with deep contrasts from dark to light. Too often ignored or forgotten by the public, Eddie Henderson is a trumpet player worth hearing, as So What shows: an album that is more than just 'simple' repetition. (RM)more
