Power to the People

This 1969 album from tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson features an absolutely killer backing band — Herbie Hancock on acoustic and electric piano, Ron Carter on upright and electric basses, and Jack DeJohnette on drums — with one somewhat lesser-known name: Mike Lawrence on trumpet. He was a session player who mostly worked in fusion and Latin music, with credits on albums by Bob James, Eddie Palmieri, Larry Coryell, Billy Cobham and others, all throughout the 1970s, but he died in 1983 and his name is mostly lost to history. He plays well here, delivering a high-flying solo on “Afro-Centric” as the band surges behind him. Henderson is the perfect balance of meditative and fiery, as always. The title is more a reflection of the year of release than the music — don’t come in expecting revolutionary chanting.