SCOTT HENDERSON & TRIBAL TECH - Spears (1985) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Scott Henderson's perfectly summarized his outlook when, in 1991, he told L.A. Jazz Scene: "Fusion isn't a dirty word to me. I'm proud to call myself a fusion player." Indeed, real jazz-fusion -- spontaneous, risk-taking and improvisatory -- is exactly what the electric guitarist passionately and enthusiastically embraces on Spears, his debut album. Drawing on such influences as Return to Forever, John McLaughlin and Weather Report, the hard-edged guitarist set the uncompromising tone for his career and that of his band Tribal Tech which, in 1985, included Gary Willis on electric bass, Pat Coil on electric keyboards, Michael Brecker-disciple Bob Sheppard on tenor and soprano sax and flute, Steve Houghton on drums and Brad Dutz on mallets & percussion. Often showing a complex and cerebral sense of melody and harmony, this CD (first released on Passport and reissued by Relativity in 1990) underscores the fact that when fusion is played with integrity, it's very much an extension of the jazz tradition. by Alex Henderson
Tracklist:
1 Caribbean 8:13
Scott Henderson
2 Punkin Head 6:10
Scott Henderson
3 Ivy Towers 4:49
Scott Henderson
4 Tribal 2:12
Scott Henderson
5 Spears 7:10
Scott Henderson
6 Island City Shuttle 7:28
Scott Henderson
7 Big Fun 7:58
Scott Henderson
Credits:
Bass – Gary Willis
Drums – Steve Houghton
Executive-Producer, Percussion [Mallets] – Brad Dutz
Keyboards – Pat Coil
Producer, Guitar, Composed By, Arranged By – Scott Henderson
Saxophone, Flute – Bob Sheppard

SCOTT HENDERSON & TRIBAL TECH - Dr. Hee (1987) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

When Scott Henderson recorded his second album with Tribal Tech, Dr. Hee, in 1987, commercial "quiet storm" and "smooth jazz" stations had found quite a niche for themselves by spotlighting bland, uninteresting (but commercially successful) fluff. But that type of muzak held no interest whatsoever for Henderson, who stuck to his guns and continued to triumph by offering gutsy, challenging fusion. Henderson isn't one to shy away from abstraction, and some of the songs on Dr. Hee (most written by either Henderson himself or his long-time partner, bassist Gary Willis) aren't always terribly easy to absorb. Like so much of the bebop, post-bop and free jazz that came before it, this CD (first released on Passport, then reissued by Relativity in 1990) reveals more and more of its richness with repeated listenings. by Alex Henderson
Tracklist:
1 Dr. Hee 6:51
2 Outskirts 5:48
3 Mango Prom 6:46
4 Solem 2:56
5 Salsa Lastra 5:37
6 Twilight In The Northridge 5:18
7 Seek And Find 4:53
8 The Rain 1:46
9 Ominous 5:05
Credits:
Bass, Synthesizer, Producer – Gary Willis
Drums – Steve Houghton
Flute, Saxophone – Bob Sheppard
Keyboards – Brad Dutz, Pat Coil, Will Boulware (tracks: 4, 7)
Percussion [Mallets] – Brad Dutz
Producer, Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer – Scott Henderson

SCOTT HENDERSON & TRIBAL TECH - Nomad (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Like its predecessors, Henderson's third date as a leader is a fine example of how creative and inspired genuine jazz-rock can be. Tough and aggressive yet full of appealing melodic and harmonic nuances, this CD contains not one iota of the type of lightweight smooth jazz or Muzak for which Henderson has often voiced his contempt. With Nomad, Tribal Tech underwent a few personnel changes, and for the first time, recorded an entire album minus a sax. While electric bassist Gary Willis, drummer Steve Houghton, and percussionist/mallet player Brad Dutz remained, saxman Bob Sheppard was gone, and keyboardist Pat Coil had been replaced by David Goldblatt. Despite these changes, Tribal Tech's sound (which was essentially guided by Henderson and Willis) remained easily recognizable. The '70s breakthroughs of Weather Report, Return to Forever, and John McLaughlin, among others, still had an impact on Tribal Tech, but by 1988, it was even more evident that Henderson was a fine soloist and composer in his own right. by Alex Henderson
Tracklist:
1 Renegade 5:49
Gary Willis
2 Nomad 7:19
Scott Henderson
3 Robot Immigrants 5:06
Brad Dutz / David Goldblatt
4 Tunnel Vision 4:40
Gary Willis
5 Elegy for Shoe 4:07
David Goldblatt
6 Bofat 8:34
Scott Henderson
7 No No No 5:51
Gary Willis
8 Self Defense 5:02
Gary Willis
9 Rituals 5:43
Scott Henderson
Credits:
Bass, Producer – Gary Willis
Drums – Steve Houghton
Guitar, Producer – Scott Henderson
Keyboards – David Goldblatt
Keyboards, Percussion [Mallets] – Brad Dutz
Written-By – Goldblatt (tracks: 3, 5), Willis (tracks: 1, 4, 7, 8), Henderson (tracks: 2, 6, 9)

TRIBAL TECH - Tribal Tech (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Guitar god Scott Henderson is a fusion fanatic's dream, by virtue of his wild yet fluid and even melodic riffs. Bassist Gary Willis lacks Henderson's range compositionally and as a player, but still manages to keep the proceedings grooving. Backed by the keys of David Goldblatt, Joey Heredia's drums and the percussion of Brad Dutz, the two form a powerful musical bond as Tribal Tech. Unlike their previous album, TT's new disc features more melodies (the best ones, "Peru" and "Signal Path" are by Henderson), the softening effect of Goldblatt's key soloing and a tighter tune structure and production all around. There's still lots and lots of improvising, but on the less memorable Willis tunes, it seems to go on interminably. Pop jazz fans will finally be able to relate to Henderson's solid playing by virtue of a smoother context, but it's still mostly geared for the guitar lover or student. Extra credit is due for the very creative song titles, including "Elvis at the Hop" and "The Necessary Blond." by Jonathan Widran

Tracklist:

1 Signal Path 6:26

Scott Henderson

2 Big Girl Blues 6:15

Scott Henderson

3 Dense Dance 4:51

Gary Willis / Scott Willis

4 Got Tuh B 6:43

Gary Willis / Scott Willis

5 Peru 7:23

Scott Henderson

6 Elvis at the Hop 4:34

Scott Henderson

7 The Necessary Blonde 6:52

Gary Willis / Scott Willis

8 Fight the Giant 4:05

David Goldblatt

9 Sub Aqua 5:30

Scott Henderson

10 Formula One 4:44

Scott Henderson

11 Wasteland 8:03

Gary Willis

Credits:

Bass, Synthesizer, Producer – Gary Willis

Drums – Joey Heredia

Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer, Producer – Scott Henderson 

Keyboards, Producer – David Goldblatt

Percussion – Brad Dutz

Written-By – Willis (tracks: 3, 4, 7, 11), Henderson (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10)

TRIBAL TECH - Ilicit (1992-2015) Fusion Best Collection 1000 / RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

By the time Illicit was released in 1992, Scott Henderson & Tribal Tech (led by Henderson and bassists Gary Willis) had been established as one of the premier, if not the premier, experimental fusion outfits on the globe. That's "fusion" as in the fusion of jazz and rock, not the vanilla instrumental musings of artists like Kenny G, which are occasionally mislabled as such. Henderson's dramatic and powerful soloing and his incredibly refined chord work were the greatest causes for the early attention the group received, and Illicit only furthered the guitarist's reputation with its fire and musical vigor. Henderson's tone is sublime and Holdsworth-ian in its often horn-like quality, and Covington, bassist Gary Willis, and keyboardist Scott Kinsey somehow manage to match Henderson's dynamism and character. "Torque" is Illicit's clear highlight, with its prog rock bombast of power chords topped with angular, classically influenced harmony keyboard and guitar flurries. Experimental and intense, Illicit is as solid an offering as Tribal Tech delivered in the '90s. by Jason Anderson
Tracklist:
1 The Big Wave 6:31
Gary Willis
2 Stoopid 5:47
Gary Willis
3 Black Cherry 6:42
Scott Henderson
4 Torque 6:02
Scott Henderson
5 Slidin' Into Charlisa 7:32
Scott Henderson
6 Root Food 8:13
Scott Henderson
7 Riot 6:58
Tribal Tech
8 Paha Sapa 3:24
Gary Willis
9 Babylon 5:26
Gary Willis
10 Aftermath 7:03
Tricky
Credits:
Bass – Gary Willis
Drums – Kirk Covington
Guitar – Scott Henderson
Keyboards – Scott Kinsey
Producer – Gary Willis, Peter R. Kelsey, Scott Henderson
Written-By – Willis (tracks: 1, 2, 8, 9), Henderson (tracks: 3 to 6), Tribal Tech (tracks: 7, 10)

TRIBAL TECH - Face First (1993-2015) Fusion Best Collection 1000 / RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Although it was their sixth album overall, Tribal Tech's 1993 release, Face First, was only the second to feature the still-existing lineup of guitarist Scott Henderson, bassist Gary Willis, keyboardist Scott Kinsey, and drummer Kirk Covington. Previously, Henderson and Willis had juggled lineups and eased further away from traditional jazz toward improvisational fusion through the 1985-1991 albums Spears, Dr. Hee, Nomad, and Tribal Tech. But the quartet of musical leftists gelled on Face First, improving on its promising 1992 debut, Illicit. Henderson's solo on the opening title track -- over a percolating Willis bassline -- shows the guitarist's range of influences from Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix to Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Funk pieces like "Canine" and "Uh...Yeah OK" show glimpses of the group's future, all-improvised CDs; hummingbird-quick drummer Covington's lead vocal on the cover-band farce "Boat Gig" set the stage for Henderson"'s solo blues debut the next year. In between, synth-master Kinsey's jazzy "After Hours" and Henderson's New Orleans-tinged "Revenge Stew" provide thought-provoking rest areas -- necessary because of breathtaking ten-minute thrill rides like the blues, bop, and beyond of "Salt Lick." Willis' Weather Report-like "The Precipice" and "Wounded" ease you to the finish of Face First, the album that made a statement that Henderson, Willis, and company have not yet begun to finish. by Bill Meredith 
Tracklist:
 1     Face First     7:03
    Written-By – Willis
2     Canine     6:20
    Written-By – Willis
3     After Hours     7:21
    Written-By – Kinsey
4     Revenge Stew     6:03
    Written-By – Henderson
5     Salt Lick     9:44
    Written-By – Henderson
6     Uh ... Yeah OK     6:41
    Written-By – Tribal Tech 
7     The Crawling Horror     7:45
    Written-By – Henderson
8     Boiler Room     1:34
    Written-By – Covington
9     Boat Gig     5:57
    Backing Vocals [Background] – Brett Garsed, Cheryl Graul, Dana Sue Collins, Willis, Henderson, Kinsey Vocals – Kirk CovingtonWritten-By – Henderson
10     The Precipice     6:13
    Written-By – Willis
11     Wounded     5:39
    Written-By – Willis
Credits:
    Bass, Producer – Gary Willis
    Drums – Kirk Covington
     Guitar, Producer – Scott Henderson
    Keyboards – Scott Kinsey

TRIBAL TECH - Reality Check (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist:
1 Stella by Starlight 2:17
Ned Washington / Victor Young
2 Stella by Infra-Red High Particle Neutron Beam 6:25
Scott Henderson
3 Nite Club 7:47
Gary Willis
4 Speak 5:19
Gary Willis
5 Worlds Waiting 8:08
Scott Henderson
6 Susie's Dingsbums 7:42
Scott Henderson
7 Jakarta 4:54
Scott Henderson
8 Hole in the Head 12:09
Gary Willis
9 Foreign Affairs 5:00
Scott Kinsey
10 Premonition 6:36
Gary Willis
11 Reality Check 3:01
Kirk Covington / Scott Henderson / Scott Kinsey / Tribal Tech / Gary Willis
Credits:
Bass – Gary Willis
Drums – Kirk Covington
Electric Guitar – Scott Henderson
Keyboards – Scott Kinsey