The Nu-Art Series brings trumpeter Eddie Henderson to St. Louis, Saturday, October 17. He’ll be accompanied by stalwarts Ptah Williams, piano, Jamal Nichols, bass, and a local (and, at one time, international) legend, Charles Bobo Shaw on drums.
Henderson’s biography, education, discography, accomplishments and musical mission are a prime example of an extended role model: the renaissance man.
The biography: he was born in New York City, October, 26, 1940. His mother was a dancer, one of the Brown twins (she can be seen in archival film footage sitting next to Fats Waller as he hams it up on “Aint Misbehavin”) at the Cotton Club, and his father was a member of a popular singing group of the time, Billy Williams and the Charioteers.
He received his first music lesson from Louis Armstrong, a family friend, when he was nine.
Eddie moved to San Francisco with his family when he was 14 years old. He studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music from 1954-56. Miles Davis was a guest at Henderson’s home during a Black Hawk Club gig and was impressed by Eddie’s ability to perform Davis’s Sketches of Spain without a fluff – but encouraged him to seek his own voice.
From 1958 to 1961, Henderson was in the U.S. Air Force.
The education: 1961 was the beginning of Eddie Henderson pursuing dual careers in medicine and music. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from the University of California at Berkeley in 1964. He got his M.D. at Howard University Medical School in 1968.
Eddie interned at San Francisco’s French Hospital during 1968-69 and undertook a two year residency in Psychiatry at the University of California Hospital from 1969-71. He practiced medicine part-time from 1975-85 at a small clinic, working about four hours a day.
Henderson said, “The head doctor knew I was into music, and he hired me with the stipulation that whenever I got tours I could come and go as I pleased. They would even pay me when I was gone. It was lovely. I just wanted to play music. But I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d have a chance to play with the big guys.”
Henderson first got world-wide recognition for his playing with Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi group in the early ‘70s. He has also played with Pharoah Sanders, Art Blakey, Johnny Griffin, Elvin Jones, Slide Hampton, McCoy Tyner, Beeny Golson, Max Roach, Jackie McClean, Dexter Gordon, Roy Haynes and the great Joe Henderson.
In the mid to late ‘70s, Henderson reached star status in England with a series of Hancock-influenced albums: Heritage and Sunburst on Blue Note; Mahal on Capitol; Inside Out and Comin’ Thru’ on Capricorn Records.
Let’s throw in one more little hook for the renaissance man: in 1961 Eddie Henderson became the first African American to compete for the National Figure Skating Championship, winning the Pacific and Midwestern titles.
When you follow a star you’re more than likely to reach the source of the light. Follow Eddie Henderson to the Luna Lounge, 13 Maryland Plaza, in the Central West End, October 17 from 8-11 p.m.
