Joe Henderson / Alice Coltrane | Elements | Vinyl

Recorded in October 1973 for Orrin Keepnews’s Milestone label, The Elements pairs tenor saxophone giant Joe Henderson with Alice Coltrane, whose harp, piano, tanpura, and harmonium give the four side-long compositions — ‘Fire,’ ‘Air,’ ‘Water,’ and ‘Earth’ — their meditative, incense-scented atmosphere. Violinist Michael White, bassist Charlie Haden, and a small hand-percussion ensemble round out a lineup built for open, modal improvisation rather than tight arrangements. Each of Henderson’s four originals is named for and evokes its classical element, making the album one of the era’s purest distillations of the spiritual-jazz movement that also produced Alice Coltrane’s own Impulse! and Warner Bros. recordings. This Concord vinyl restores a cult favorite that has grown in stature among crate-diggers and spiritual-jazz reissue collectors.

Track List

Side A

1. Fire
2. Air

Side B

1. Water
2. Earth

Release Details

• UPC: 0888072025165
• Label: CONCORD MUSIC GROUP
• Format: LP Vinyl — Standard
• Genre: Jazz
• Release Date: 7/28/2023