Funky Grooves and Brass in the Studio
Henderson pilots a full ensemble through soul-jazz fusion with genuine swing and no pretense.
Recorded in 1977, Comin' Through brings together a deep bench of players for what amounts to a working band session — Paul Jackson holding down bass, Howard King driving the kit, and a front line anchored by Henderson's trumpet and Julian Priester's trombone. The lineup reads like a who's who of West Coast funk and soul jazz: Lee Ritenour and Al McKay on guitars, George Cables on electric piano alongside Patrice Rushen's clavinet, James Mtume on keys, and Philip Bailey adding texture on bongos and congas. That's a lot of people in one room, and the album could have turned into a crowded mess. Instead, it settles into something lean and purposeful — grooves that breathe, solos that have space around them, nothing stepping on anything else.
The sound sits somewhere between soul-jazz and funk fusion without quite becoming fusion in the showy sense. Henderson plays it straight and swinging; there's no wah-wah affectation, no noodling. His tone is direct, his phrasing clear. Mtume and Cables trade off on keys depending on what the tune needs. The real win here is that every player knows their job and does it. This is journeyman work at a high level — not a landmark session, but solid and listenable start to finish. The album charted respectably on the British soul charts, which tells you something about the audience it found: people after groove and pocket, not virtuosity contests.
Comin' Through doesn't rank among Henderson's most celebrated records, and it's not the place to start with his work. It's more for listeners already comfortable with soul-jazz and curious how a straight-ahead horn player navigates a room full of keyboards and groove players. The Penguin Guide to Jazz found it competent but not essential. Fair enough. What matters is that Henderson sounds relaxed and in command here, and that counts for something.
Who's playing
Paul Jacksonbass
James Mtumepiano
George Cableselectric piano
Lee Ritenourguitar
Al McKayguitar
Manny Boydsaxophone
Eddie Hendersontrumpet
Julian Priestertrombone
Howard Kingdrums
Skip Drinkwaterpercussion
Philip Baileybongos, congas
Charles MimmsMinimoog
Patrice Rushenclavinet
Where next?
More by Eddie Henderson
All 20 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
