Dreams of Gershwin

Among the best things to come out of the Gershwin centennial year was this emotionally involving set of performances for Japanese collectors by a most underappreciated trumpeter (in the U.S., that is). Far from just another facile hard bop run-through like so many other tributes, Henderson really digs into the essence of five Gershwin tunes and carries the mood over to two of his own, the lovely "Natsuko-san" (dedicated to his wife) and the exploratory title track that reminds me of his early-'70s period. Having followed up on the innovations of Miles Davis in the electric era, Henderson seems to do the same for Miles' example on Porgy And Bess in the '90s. "It Ain't Necessarily So" has some skipping, forthright work on flugelhorn, with some of Eddie's trademark flutterings and chromatic outside flurries. He quietly yet pointedly draws emotional blood on the tune of "I Loves You, Porgy" and muses most eloquently in a 6/8 "Summertime." The rhythm section of Kevin Hays (piano), Ed Howard (bass) and Billy Drummond (drums) gives Henderson the flexibility he needs, and Joe Locke provides a fluid bop countervoice on vibes and contributes "Saturn's Child" to close the CD. ~ Richard S. Ginell, Rovi