SFJAZZ Collective's Avishai Cohen: Notes on Joe Henderson's "Inner Urge"

Avishai Cohen © Jay Blakesberg

“I was sitting with this tune for a long time, mainly playing the melody, rubato, over an F# bass. My original plan was to use only that part — basically the melody, but almost unrecognizable, since it’s very slow, and played over different changes. I liked that idea because it presented just the melody and gave it a different look, a different perspective, far from the original tune. After arriving in San Francisco, I realized I also wanted to add a part that emphasized the unique bass movement of this tune. Even though it’s all in 4/4, it sometimes feels like it’s in a different rhythm. The original melody is only lightly hinted at. There are tenor saxophone and vibes solos where it goes to a regular 4/4 feel, and that part clearly tells the educated listener that you’re hearing ‘Inner Urge.’ Throughout the tune (but mostly in the intro and outro) you’ll hear some clues that show

I’ve been listening intensely to Rachmaninoff.”

— Avishai Cohen, album notes from the SFJAZZ Collective's new album The Music of Joe Henderson and New Compositions, now available!

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After a 4-night run at NYC's Jazz Standard, SFJAZZ Collective's 2015 Spring Tour heads west, to Loveland, CO tomorrow (4/15), and then the West Coast through the end of April!

See Tour Dates.