SCOTT HENDERSON + TRIBAL TECH : Discography (1985-2024) 22 Albums | APE (image+.cue), lossless + FLAC (image+.cue), lossless & FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A prolific fusion guitarist, Scott Henderson is a highly regarded virtuoso who initially emerged in the 1980s with his group Tribal Tech. With their intricate, genre-bending sound, Henderson and Tribal Tech became jazz-rock favorites, issuing albums like 1985's Spears and 1999's Thick. On his own, the guitarist has played with Jean-Luc Ponty, Joe Zawinul, and Jeff Berlin, and continued to explore his love of blues, rock, and funk on solo dates like 1997's Tore Down House with Thelma Houston and 2015's Vibe Station. Since 2019, he has led a trio with drummer Archibald Ligonnière and bassist Romain Labaye, releasing both People Mover and Karnevel!.
Nomad
Born in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1954, Henderson started playing guitar in his youth, inspired by players like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, and Jimmy Page. However, he soon gravitated toward jazz. After high school, he attended Florida Atlantic University before moving to Los Angeles where he studied with Joe Diorio at the Guitar Institute of Technology. There, he further honed his jazz skills, drawing upon the influence of artists like John Mclaughlin and Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, and the driving '60s work of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Though he played in various rock and covers bands, by the mid-'80s he was starting to grab the attention of the jazz world, working with violinist Jean-Luc Ponty and bassist Jeff Berlin. It was also during this period that he co-founded the progressive fusion band Tribal Tech with bassist Gary Willis, issuing 1985's Spears, 1987's Dr. Hee, and 1988's Nomad.
Illicit
Aside from Tribal Tech, Henderson continued to work as a sideman, playing with Chick Corea's original Elektric Band lineup, and as a member of Weather Report keyboardist Joe Zawinul's Syndicate. In 1991, Henderson was back with Tribal Tech for their self-titled third album. That same year, he was voted top jazz guitarist in Guitar World magazine. Two more Tribal Tech albums followed with Illicit in 1992 and Reality Check in 1994.
Dog Party
Henderson made his solo debut with 1994's Dog Party, an album that found him exploring his love of blues, rock, and funk. Two years later, Tore Down House followed. He then joined bassist Victor Wooten and drummer Steve Smith for the dynamic trio outing Vital Tech Tones (Vital Tech Tones 2 arrived in 2000). He then returned to his work with Tribal Tech for 1999's Thick and 2000's Rocket Science, after which the group disbanded. In 2002, Henderson issued his first post-Tribal Tech solo album with the bluesy Well to the Bone, featuring drummer Kirk Covington and bassist John Humphrey, as well as contributions from vocalists Wade Durham and Thelma Houston.
HBC
In 2012, the guitarist joined longtime associates bassist Jeff Berlin and drummer Dennis Chambers on the trio album HBC, for which they also toured. That same year, he reunited with Tribal Tech for X. The expansive Vibe Station followed in 2015 and found the guitarist playing with bassist Travis Carlton and drummer Alan Hertz. Along with performing, Henderson moved into teaching, working at the Guitar Institute of Technology, and releasing a number of instructional videos. In 2019, he issued People Mover, which showcased his trio with drummer Archibald Ligonnière and bassist Romain Labaye. The same trio returned for 2024's Karnevel! Matt Collar

1987 • Scott Henderson & Tribal Tech — Dr. Hee (Passport Jazz – PJCD 88030) FLAC

1990 • Scott Henderson & Tribal Tech — Nomad (Relativity – CDLR 45022) APE)

1991 • Scott Henderson, Gary Willis — Tribal Tech (Relativity – 88561-1049-2) FLAC

1992  • Scott Henderson & Tribal Tech — Illicit (Bluemoon – R 27 9180 2) FLAC

1993 • Scott Henderson, Gary Willis, Tribal Tech — Face First (2015, Bluemoon – WPCR-28243-Japan) FLAC

1994 • Scott Henderson — Dog Party (Germany Mesa 8122-79073-2) FLAC

1994 • Scott Henderson, Gary Willis, Tribal Tech — Primal Tracks (Bluemoon – R2 79196) FLAC

1995 • Scott Henderson, Gary Willis, Tribal Tech — Reality Check (Bluemoon – 2-92549) FLAC

1997 • Scott Henderson — Tore Down House (Mesa – 2-92722) FLAC

1998 • Scott Henderson, Steve Smith, Victor Wooten — Vital Tech Tones (Tone Center – TC 40002) APE

1999 • Scott Henderson, Gary Willis, Tribal Tech — Thick (ESC Records – ESC 03659-2) FLAC

2000 • Scott Henderson, Gary Willis, Tribal Tech — Rocket Science (ESC Records – ESC-EFA 03669-2EFA 03669-2) FLAC

2000 • Scott Henderson, Steve Smith, Victor Wooten — Vital Tech Tones VTT2 (Tone Center – TC-40082) FLAC

2002 • Scott Henderson — Well to the Bone (ESC Records – ESC-EFA 03683-2) FLAC

2007 • Scott Henderson — Collection (Tone Center – TC 40542) FLAC

2012 • Tribal Tech — X (Tone Center – TC4071-2) FLAC

2012 • Scott Henderson, Jeff Berlin, Dennis Chambers — HBC (Music Theories Recordings – MTR 7399 2) FLAC

2012 • Tribal Tech — X (Tone Center – TC4071-2) FLAC

2015 • Scott Henderson — Vibe Station (Not On Label, Scott Henderson, Self-released) ) FLAC

2019 • Scott Henderson — People Mover (Not On Label, Scott Henderson Self-released) FLAC

2024 • Scott Henderson — Karnevel! (Mango Prom Music – none) @FLAC

THE ZAWINUL SYNDICATE — The Immigrants (1988) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Although Zawinul tried touring alone in the immediate wake of the breakup of Weather Report, he soon returned to a group format, first with Weather Update in 1986 and a couple of years later with the raffishly named Zawinul Syndicate. The multi-national Syndicate basically expands the Weather Report format into a sextet, with a rock guitar (Scott Henderson) replacing the sax, an extra percussionist on board to join WR's Alex Acuna, and more vocal support then ever -- and if a Wayne Shorter-like melody line was needed, Zawinul would play it himself on his new Korg Pepe wind synthesizer. If anything, The Immigrants burrows even further into the world-music bloodstream than WR ever did, with vocals in Spanish and wordless syllables on top of Zawinul's one-chord Third World grooves. There is also a heavier pop emphasis (again nothing new for Zawinul), including a recomposition of "Mercy Mercy Mercy" called "No Mercy for Me," now an assertive paean to self-reliance that is soulfully sung by the Perri sisters. Some of the tunes and grooves fall short of Zawinul's irresistible best, but "King Hip" swaggers at a high level and "From Venice to Vienna" -- another of Zawinul's nostalgic memoirs of Europe -- lingers hauntingly at the album's close. Richard S. Ginell   Tracklist & Credits :

THE ZAWINUL SYNDICATE — Black Water (1989) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

With a few changes in personnel, the Zawinul Syndicate continues to be Joe Zawinul's personal vehicle for pan-global fusions of jazz, Afro-Latin rhythms, rock and whatever world music he can lay his hands on. Again Zawinul keeps a configuration of vocalists on board, including his own gritty electronically processed voice, and he even dusts off his childhood accordion for a bit of Austrian local color on "Medicine Man." The leadoff track, a group remake of "Carnivalito" recorded live in Copenhagen, is, oddly enough, inferior to Zawinul's solo version -- too cluttered. But with the South African freedom-fighting, percolating "Black Water," the Syndicate is back on track, empowered as always by Zawinul's unquenchable urge to swing right in the pocket. And far from being predictable in its format, the Syndicate takes considerable time out to do Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Mood" and "Little Rootie Tootie" in amazingly reverent, though electronic, fashion. One can, however, do without bassist Gerald Veasley's spoken admonition to Monk's critics that reeks of PC. Richard S. Ginell   Tracklist & Credits :

JOE ZAWINUL & THE ZAWINUL SYNDICATE — Vienna Nights | Live At Joe Zawinul's Birdland (2005) 2xCD | WV (image+.cue), lossless

Considering the stunning array of jazz fusion talent that legendary composer and keyboardist Joe Zawinul has employed as leader of the pioneering Weather Report and his ever-evolving Zawinul Syndicate, our expectations should be raised when he says of his current multi-national lineup, "It's the best band I've ever had." Recorded at his Birdland Club in his hometown of Vienna over two engagements in 2003, this explosive, multi-faceted disc is a wonderful showcase for the largely African-leaning sounds of the current Syndicate. The most fascinating aspect of Zawinul over his decades in the spotlight has been his desire to play it cool in the shadows as he showcases brilliant young talent; he does this immediately here, as African vocal pop star Salif Keita shines on the rumbling, heavy grooving "Y'elena" (which Zawinul originally produced in 1991) and which features an irrepressible groove by drummer Nathaniel Townsley and Linley Marthe, a native of Mauritius who is the latest of the leader's post-Jaco Pastorius bass discoveries. The African express continues on the bubbly "Two Lines," which blends the exotic drumming of Algerian native Karim Ziad and frenetic soloing by the familiar electric guitar genius Scott Henderson. The joyful moodswinging spirit of the rest of the set is summed up in wacky, locomotive jams like "Rooftops of Vienna" contrasted by more mystical, rhythmically varied excursions like "Do You Want Some Tea, Grandpa?" and "Café Andalusia." Zawinul eventually takes more of a spotlight on the Argentine-flavored "Borges Buenos Aires," and pays homage to his jazz roots on a dreamy, impressionistic Ellington classic, "Come Sunday." Zawinul fans will eat this dual set up instantly, but lovers of fusion and world music will come around quickly thereafter. Jonathan Widran
Tracklist & Credits :

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

SCOTT HENDERSON / JEFF BERLIN / DENNIS CHAMBERS - HBC (2012) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless