Shuffle and Deal

"This is masterclass stuff. An album to curl up with. An album that’ll sweep you off your feet, that’ll make the world seem a little better for just an hour or so." -- Simon Sweetman, Off the Tracks "His musical wisdom, gleaned during decades spent on the best jazz bandstands, informs every unerring note." -- Suzanne Lorge, Downbeat "On the cover he poses in his red Ferrari, and Eddie Henderson’s new album, SHUFFLE AND DEAL, certainly shows the veteran trumpeter in fine Formula One fettle." -- Chris Pearson, The Times (UK) "A superb winning effort, showing that jazz masters like these are ever so dependable in bringing jazz, that both moves and brings contentment, that is needed so much in these turbulent times." -- Jeff Krow, Audiophile Audition *** Released just before his 80th birthday, SHUFFLE AND DEAL reveals master jazz trumpeter Eddie Henderson at the height of his powers, able to unleash blistering, agile runs on bop burners as well as explore ballads with an exquisite fragility. If anything about this date looks backwards through the trumpeter’s eight-decade history, it’s not the vitality of the playing but the structure of the program, which keeps an engaged audience firmly in mind throughout. “I want the audience to really feel the music and start moving,” Henderson insists. “Jazz started as dance music in the first place, so I want to bring that element back into the music. The telltale common denominator when people are really enjoying themselves is when they feel like they want to get up and dance. Not the European concept of listening to music, just sitting still and static, shushing people and politely clapping at the end of the tune. No! I thought it was supposed to be fun. That’s the way I grew up.” Henderson is joined by a brilliant all-star quintet featuring pianist Kenny Barron, alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, bassist Gerald Cannon and drummer Mike Clark.