Suite Sioux

Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Herbie Hancock (electric piano), Ron Carter (bass) and Lenny White (drums). From the album Red Clay (1970).

The Sioux were a tribe of Native Americans settled in the central prairies of what are now the United States and southern Canadian prairies. Originally from the Great Lakes region, when they began their migration to the large plains they grouped into seven tribes that formed the “Council of the Seven Fires”. They were a nomadic and warrior people, and their traditional dwelling was the Tipi, a tent made of wooden sticks and furs. They traveled according to the movement of the bison herds, which then abounded in the region.

From this animal they extracted most of the resources for life: meat to feed themselves, skin to dress and make their homes and antlers to make weapons. The families, the basic social and government unit, formed clans led by a patriarchal chief chosen from among the bravest warriors. The peace pipe was smoked by adult males around a fire and practiced on special occasions, and the dances were very important to them. As they became expert hunters, the Sioux peoples grew in population and by 1750 there were about 30,000 people.

This theme is a mix of hard bop and soul jazz. The rhythm section makes a small introduction and then Henderson and Hubbard join in to expose the theme with a soft main melody of call and response, and a powerful bridge in AABA structure. Afterwards, Carter introduces walking and Hubbard enters to perform his solo full of twirls and passages executed at supersonic speed. His virtuosity has no limits and his conception of improvisation is exciting and unusual. Then Henderson arrives with a well-calculated and moderate dialogue, but the rhythm section doubles the time and he shoots out as if the devil were chasing him. When the rhythm returns to normal, Henderson comes back to his parsimony, but with a few swifter phrases. Hancock follows him with serenity as well, but accelerates when the tune doubles the time and resumes his light and refined melodic line when calm is restored. Later the group leaves White to make a solo with strength and confidence. To finish, the group re-exposes the theme by fading out.