RE: Michael Henderson History Questions (help?)

[Freekmagnet]

Hi FreakMagnet,

Well DARK MAGUS is a good album, however, personally, I find it somewhat too GUITAR heavy.

Cheers,

Paul

Ha-ha-

Like I said - not easy listening.

 

[OnTheOneBaby]

The Funky Bass Book by Bass Player mag editors gives Yazoo City, Mississippi as birth place (1951). Later the family moved to Detroit (1959).

Michael Henderson started gigging and hanging with Motown artists quite young, only 14 or something and was only 19 when he was asked to join in Miles' gang (1970) which tenure ended around mid 75. After that he started quite succesful solo career which ended with total fed up with the music business 1986.

Michael Henderson is known for his melodious, soulful, inventive and elastic bass lines with warm, fat sound from his solo albums and session work. I'd like to stress the word soulful, for his hard funk efforts were often the weakest tracks of his albums. Clumsy copy-cats having the feeling that 'this ain't really my turf'.

For decades I've been wondering whatta hell he was thinking when he wasted his time with Miles playing those one/two bar ostinatos for twenty minutes night after night. I checked numerous live clips on Tube of Miles' performances in the early 70s and always the same stagnant rhythm concept, of which afficionados say hypnotic and I say boring. In his autobio Miles states that his aim was to reach black kids with his 'funk' (and make some extra buck) but the BMC factor of his 'funk' was nil and raising interest only among white college boys. So no wonder he ended as warm up act of Herbie Hancock of 'Head Hunter' fame. That' s an album how jazz funk should be done.

Here' s a clip of Henderson at his funkiest.

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

The Funky Bass Book by Bass Player mag editors gives Yazoo City, Mississippi as birth place (1951). Later the family moved to Detroit (1959).

Thanks a lot man.

I will UPDATE my PowerPoint presentation yet again! lol

Paul

 

[Bob_Ross]

Here' s a clip of Henderson at his funkiest.

I'm presuming you're using that word tongue-in-cheek...

 

[ahc]

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I am a huge Michael Henderson, and I have followed him since his first solo album, Solid. Between Jamerson, Stevie Wonder, and Miles Davis, Henderson was directly exposed to some of the most brilliant minds in music, and that knowledge showed up in his basslines. To me, the best word for Michael Henderson's bass playing is elegant. His explanation for what he was seeking when he composed "You are My Starship" in Bass Player last summer was really illuminating.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I'm presuming you're using that word tongue-in-cheek...

I think Michael Henderson and Fernaundo Saunders, the guy from Brainstorm (Lamont Johnson,) and Ralphe Armstrong, all have a great approach to fretless in r&b. I like to call them the Detroit Fretless Funk Mob. Although Henderson dropped out of school very young and started working at Motown, most of the guys benefitted from the strong public education programs that Detroit offered on music, kind of like East St. Louis and Brooklyn, Illinois in the greater St. Louis area.

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Thanks very much guys!

The PowerPoint Presentation was quite successful!

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Clark Dark]

This is my theme song



...every super hero should have one

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Hi,

Whist MH was playing with Miles, the ARTWORK on Miles' album covers was created by artist Corky McCoy. Does anyone know WHEN and WHERE he was born please? There really does seem to be very little documented about this guy, despite he excellent artwork?!

Thanks in advance guys . . .

Paul

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

Hi again,

Does anyone know if there is a resourceful Miles Davis FORUM please?

Cheers,

Paul

 

[markjazzbassist]

Hi again,

Does anyone know if there is a resourceful Miles Davis FORUM please?

Cheers,

Paul

http://www.amazon.com/Miles-Beyond-Electric-Explorations-1967-1991/dp/0823083462

this is a great resource and should help you find what you need.

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

http://www.amazon.com/Miles-Beyond-Electric-Explorations-1967-1991/dp/0823083462

this is a great resource and should help you find what you need.

Great Mark,

So do you own this book yourself? I only have a couple of books on Miles. The AutoBio and the Ian Carr one.

Paul

 

[markjazzbassist]

Great Mark,

So do you own this book yourself? I only have a couple of books on Miles. The AutoBio and the Ian Carr one.

Paul

yes. it contains very very detailed notes on everything in his electric era. should have all you need on henderson and miles.

 

[monsterjazzlicks]

yes. it contains very very detailed notes on everything in his electric era. should have all you need on henderson and miles.

Cheers Mark,

Nice one.

I never knew about this book!

I bought Erskine's NO BEETHOVEN on Weather Report in the summer, so I am looking forward to that also.

Paul

 

[burk48237]

I was in 7th or 8th grade had just started playing bass, and walked to my neighborhood music store (Wonderland Music in Oak Park, MI). Anyway there was the guy just smoking out bass lines on a Fender Jazz, never in my life had I heard a guy walk like that on an electric bass. I ended up just watching him play for about twenty minutes. I asked him a few questions about technique in my very limited musical vocabulary. After he left the salesman said, do you know who that guy was? Its Michael Henderson, he's played with Miles Davis and Stevie Wonder. I at least had heard of Stevie Wonder by the time.

A couple of my buddies toured with him last year, Reginald Canty, and Mike (mikebass) Fredericks. I don't believe he plays much bass on tour these days. He mostly tours of his R & B "Wide Receiver" days.


Detroit is a great place to be a bass player. I sat in at a Jam session a week ago Sunday, put on by Kern Brantley (Lady Gaga and many others) and Nate Watts showed up. There are some fabulous players in this town. Ralphe Armstrong is another guy I run into around town with some fair regularity.

 

[pdbass]

My little offering to a physical and musical GIANT of the bass.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

My little offering to a physical and musical GIANT of the bass.

Dude, you keep outdoing yourself! Thank you so much for covering a hero of mine. Since he emphasized his vocals during his solo career, it is easy to overlook what a great bassist he is. The Jazz and advanced harmonic ideas he applied to Smooth R&B never get old to me.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

My little offering to a physical and musical GIANT of the bass.

Keep bringing the great content. It is much appreciated !!

 

[foal30]

I don't think Henderson "wasted his time" with Miles Davis at all

There's some deep and dark grooves/vibes in some of the recordings.