1969 · Album
Horizons
Recorded 1977 · Xanadu · Produced by Not specified in available sources
Swinging Hard in the Studio, 1977
The music swings with genuine excitement, no pretense, just a saxophonist and his band playing well together.
In 1977, Charles McPherson walked into the studio with a clear idea: capture the kind of straightforward, hard-swinging saxophone playing that had defined his approach to the instrument. The session that produced New Horizons was built on that principle—musicians in a room, playing the tunes, getting it right. There's no production flourish here, no overdubs or studio tricks. What you hear is the band playing, and McPherson leading the way on tenor and soprano.
This is a solid mid-career record for McPherson, the kind of album that doesn't announce itself but rewards attention. The music is typically swinging and has its exciting moments, as AllMusic noted in their 4-star review. McPherson trades solos, pushes the tempos, and plays with the kind of confidence that comes from knowing exactly what he wants to say. The tunes breathe. There's space in the arrangements, room for everybody to contribute.
If you're already familiar with McPherson's work, New Horizons fits squarely in his tradition—direct, capable, uninterested in fashion. It's not a departure or a reinvention. It's a saxophonist playing the way he knows how, recorded cleanly on the Xanadu label, made available without fanfare. The album works best for listeners who appreciate straightforward playing over conceptual ambition.
Who's playing
Walter Bookerdouble bass
Cedar Waltonpiano
Pat Martinoguitar
Charles McPhersonalto saxophone
Billy Higginsdrums
Nasir Hafizvibraphone
Where next?
More by Charles McPherson
All 22 albums →
The musicians on this record
♫
Spectrum 1968
Cedar Walton
plays piano here
plays piano here
El Hombre 1967
Pat Martino
plays guitar here
plays guitar here
♫
The Oracle 1989
Billy Higgins
plays drums (drum set) here
plays drums (drum set) here
