Wayne Henderson

Wayne Henderson (b. September 24, 1939, in Houston, Texas) is a soul-jazz and hard bop trombonist and record producer. In 1961, he co-founded the soul jazz/hard bop group The Jazz Crusaders. Henderson left the group (who had changed their name to The Crusaders) in 1975 to pursue a career in producing, but revived The Jazz Crusaders in 1995.

Henderson is a very fluent technician who exhibits the influence of lesser apt, yet significant trombonists such as Kid Ory and Jack Teagarden. One can hear his Texas roots in his performances.

Some of his best work is on the mid-1970s double album Southern Comfort from his band The Crusaders. It also features Joe Sample on piano, and Stix Hooper on drums, Larry Carlton on guitar, and Wilton Felder on tenor sax and bass.

Henderson resided in Compton, California, and had turned his garage at home into a sound studio. In that converted garage, he and the other members of The Crusaders rehearsed the tunes "Eleanor Rigby", by the Beatles, and "So Far Away", by Carole King, songs that were later recorded by The Crusaders.


 * Step into Your Life (1978, Polydor)
 * Emphasized (1979, Polydor)
 * Prime Time (1980, Polydor)

In 2007, Henderson took a position with the California College of Music in Pasadena, California.

As leader

 * Soul Sound System (1969, Atlantic)
 * At Big Daddies (1977, ABC)
 * Big Daddy's Place (1977, ABC)
 * Living on a Dream (1978, Polydor)

As producer
With Monk Montgomery With Gábor Szabó
 * It's Never Too Late (1969)
 * Bass Odyssey (1971)
 * Faces (Mercury, 1977)