Exuberance and Elegance With the death of Joe Henderson (1937-2001), the jazz world lost one of the greatest ever tenor saxophonists. The acclaim that he duly deserved only came towards the end of his career. Andy Scherrer is the perfect person to pay homage to this outstanding jazzman. Scherrer is arguably one of the most accomplished tenor saxophonists around today. His musical prowess is appreciated throughout the world from Hammerfest to Palermo, Vladivostok to Glasgow. Wherever he plays his reputation precedes him. It is safe to say that his career is at its zenith. Scherrer's musical execution maintains its elegance and eloquence even under high pressure. With each performance, he straddles a creative tightrope, finding a balance between flights of imaginative fancy and clear artistic fluidity. For his unpretentious yet profound "Tribute to Joe Henderson", Scherrer has selected some of Henderson's lesser-known works, like the funky "Gazelle" and "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem", from the 1970s, as well as a couple of tracks Henderson recorded on the legendary Blue Note record label like "A Shade of Jade" and "Serenity". Scherrer also includes the ballad "Bloodcount", written by Billy Strayhorn on his death bed, which Henderson performed on one of his last albums, as well as his own composition dedicated to the man himself "Blues for Joe". Scherrer's "Henderson Band" comprises some of the best talent in the contemporary Swiss jazz scene. The trumpet player Matthieu Michel, like Scherrer, is a member of the Vienna Art Orchestra. Jean-Paul Brodbeck (piano), Fabian Gisler (double bass) and Dominic Egli (drums), who also play in the Domenic Landolf quartet which was formed in 1998, provide a highly inventive and adaptable rhythm section. Tom Gsteiger, 2004 (English translation by Transit)