Inner Urge (album)

Inner Urge is an album by jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson released in 1965, the fourth recorded as a leader for Blue Note Records. It was recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on November 30, 1964. It features performances by pianist McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones on drums, both associated with John Coltrane, bassist Bob Cranshaw and Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone.

The Penguin Guide to Jazz gave the album a four-star rating (of a possible four stars), describing the music as "dark and intense".

The compositions
The title track, "Inner Urge", was written at a time when Henderson was "consumed by an inner urgency which could only be satisfied through this tune. During that period I was coping with the anger and frustration that can come of trying to find your way in the maze of New York, and of trying to adjust the pace you have to set in hacking your way in that city in order to just exist." "Isotope" is a tribute to Thelonious Monk's humour in his tunes, whilst "El Barrio" represents Henderson's attachment to the "Spanish musical ethos". The piece especially brings back to mind Henderson's childhood in Lima, Ohio. The saxophonist recalls giving the other musicians two simple chords, B major and C major 7, and asking them "to play something with a Spanish feeling" on top of that. The melody was totally played off-the-cuff.

Track listing
All pieces by Joe Henderson, except as indicated.


 * 1) "Inner Urge" - 11:58
 * 2) "Isotope" - 9:15
 * 3) "El Barrio" - 7:15
 * 4) "You Know I Care" (Duke Pearson) - 7:22
 * 5) "Night and Day" (Cole Porter) - 7:24

Musicians

 * Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone
 * McCoy Tyner - piano
 * Bob Cranshaw - bass
 * Elvin Jones - drums

Personnel

 * Alfred Lion - producer
 * Francis Wolff - cover photograph