Eddie Henderson & Friends: The Music of Amit Golan

In light of the circumstances surrounding this midsize combo session, chances are we won’t see another one quite like it. But no doubt there will be forthcoming tributes to the late Israeli pianist, composer and jazz educator Amit Golan.

Here’s the backstory, in a nutshell. Golan, who founded the jazz department at the Israeli Conservatory of Music in Tel Aviv, invited veteran trumpeter Eddie Henderson to play on a sextet recording session scheduled for last year. But Golan passed away, quite suddenly, six months prior to the date. As a tribute, his bandmates and Henderson decided to honor Golan’s plans and wishes, and the result is this relaxed, solid, evocative hard-bop outing recorded in Tel Aviv.