Ernie Henry

𝙏𝙤𝙣𝙚-𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨, 𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 — 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙀𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙚 𝙃𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙨 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧.

Originally released in 1956 on Riverside, this was the debut LP from alto saxophonist Ernie Henry, showcasing a voice steeped in bebop but already searching for new shapes. Featuring support from musicians like Kenny Drew and Art Taylor, the session delivers crisp, lyrical improvisations with an unforced elegance.

Henry’s sound is clean yet emotive, direct but never flat — a snapshot of an artist brimming with potential before his untimely passing at age 31.

A key title in the Riverside catalogue, now freshly pressed and ready for a new listen. A must for fans of ’50s post-bop and lesser-known greats.