Born in New York City and raised in San Francisco, trumpeter Eddie Henderson’s exceptional childhood was shaped by parents who counted Miles Davis as a family friend and enrolled him at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. After obtaining a medical degree from Howard University, the multi-talented Henderson got the opportunity to join Herbie Hancock’s influential band Mwandishi in the early-1970s where he first gained prominence as a working musician. Following his time with Hancock, the trumpeter went on to record a pair of seminal jazz-funk fusion classics as a leader for Blue Note—Sunburst (1975) and Heritage(1976)—both of which were produced by Skip Drinkwater. For Heritage, Henderson assembled a forward-looking crew that included Julian Priester on trombone, Hadley Caliman on woodwinds, Patrice Rushen on keyboards, Paul Jackson on bass, Mtume on percussion, and the drummers Mike Clark, Woody Theus, and Billy Hart. The 7-song set is heavy on vibe and rife with fierce grooves, dark textures, and intricate arrangements that take the listener on an epic journey.