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Herbie Hancock - The Essential (disc 2)
Artist: Herbie Hancock
Title: The Essential (disc 2)
Label: Sony BMG
Audio CD (February 28, 2006)
Original Release Date: 2006
Genre Jazz
Style Hard Bop, Modal Music, Post-Bop,
Crossover Jazz, Funk, Fusion, Soul Jazz
Source: Original CD
Extractor: EAC 0.99 prebeta 4
Used drive: HL-DT-STDVDRAM GSA-E10L
Read offset correction: 667
Read mode : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : No
Codec: Flac 1.2.1; Level 8
Single File.flac, Eac.log,
File.cue Multiple wav file with Gaps (Noncompliant)
Accurately ripped (confidence 20)
Size Torrent: 403 Mb
Covers Included
Tracklisting:
Disc: 2
1. Butterfly
2. People Music
3. Milestones
4. 4 Am
5. Come Running To Me
6. Finger Painting
7. Stars In Your Eyes
8. Rockit
9. St. Louis Blues
10. Manhattan
Personnel:
Herbie Hancock Arp 2600, Arp Echoplex, Arp Odyssey, Arp Pro Soloist, Arp Strings, Clavitar, Composer, Fairlight CMI, Fender Rhodes, Handclapping, Keyboards, Micro Moog, Mini Moog, Oberheim, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Piano (Electric), Rhythm Sequencing, Synthesizer, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Billy Hart Drums, Percussion
Alex Al Bass
Michael Beinhorn Dmx, Electronic Drums, Mini Moog
Garnett Brown Trombone
Terri Lyne Carrington Drums
Ron Carter Bass
Mike Clarke Drums
George Coleman Sax (Tenor)
Johnny Coles Flugelhorn
Miles Davis Composer, Trumpet
Jerry Dodgion Flute (Alto)
Sheila Escovedo Percussion
Dexter Gordon Sax (Tenor)
Albert "Tootie" Heath Drums
Eddie Henderson Trumpet
Joe Henderson Flute, Sax (Tenor)
Billy Higgins Drums
Freddie Hubbard Cornet, Trumpet
Paul Jackson Bass (Electric),
Thad Jones Flugelhorn
Bill Laswell Bass (Electric)
James Levi Drums
Harvey Mason, Sr. Composer, Drums
Bennie Maupin Clarinet (Bass), Composer, Flute (Alto), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Roy McCurdy Drums
Alphonse Mouzon Drums, Keyboards
Baba Duru Oshun Tabla
Jaco Pastorius Bass (Electric)
Peter Phillips Trombone (Bass)
Julian Priester Trombone (Alto)
Raul Rekow Conga
Mickey Roker Drums
Sonny Rollins Sax (Tenor)
Wayne Shorter Sax (Tenor)
Bill Summers Percussion
Greg Walker Vocals
Butch Warren Bass
Freddie "Ready Freddie" Washington Bass (Electric)
Wah Wah Watson Guitar
Buster Williams Bass, Bass (Acoustic)
Tony Ruption Williams Drums
Stevie Wonder Harmonica, Vocals
Listen to Samples
http://allmusic.com/album/the-essential-herbie-hancock-r822308/review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m76zkvNJfHI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVJFuAZJAb8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6WrK7m4ZPk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdpaC5RrvWY&feature=related
reviews
Calling a two-disc retrospective of the varied and celebrated career of Herbie Hancock "essential" is a tall order to fill. Sony/BMG's Legacy does, as would be expected, an incomplete but decent job at offering a fine representative look at the artist, and at choosing best-known cuts to do so. This set is admirably cross-licensed by producer Bob Belden, who also wrote the great liner notes. Disc one is a journey in and of itself and offers a fine portrait not only of Hancock's changes as a musician, but also the changes in jazz brewing at the time. It begins with "Watermelon Man" from Takin' Off, Hancock's first Blue Note recording in 1962, and follows curiously enough with a fine reading of "'Round Midnight" off Sonny Rollins' Now's the Time offering for RCA in 1964. You get "Cantaloupe Island" and the title track from Maiden Voyage before Hancock's Columbia recordings as a member of the Miles Davis Quintet in 1966 begin. The two quintet cuts are "Circle" and "Sorcerer." There is no electric Miles-era material found here. This compilation follows the artist to Warner Brothers for "Tell Me a Bedtime Story" off Fat Albert's Rotunda (the serial music for Bill Cosby's groovy kids cartoon show), and then moves into the solo material with "Hidden Shadows" from Sextant and "Chameleon" from Head Hunters. The disc ends with "Joanna's Theme," from the soundtrack to the film Death Wish. When one considers what's been covered so far, the journey is actually amazing. Platter two continues with more fusion tracks, from Thrust, and a couple from the undervalued Mr. Hands issued in 1980, 1978's Sunlight, the truly awful Monster, and the innovative Future Shock (yes, it's "Rockit"; what else?). But there are also tracks from the many acoustic recordings he did for Columbia such as the Herbie Hancock Trio disc with Tony Williams and Ron Carter. Ditto material from V.S.O.P., the Gershwin's World outing, and of course the solo album New Standard in 1995. Fans can argue all day about what should have been left out and what should have been included but wasn't, but what does matter is how the wild twists and turns in Hancock's career have showcased him to be a chameleon as well as an innovator. While one may wish to place Maiden Voyage or Head Hunters in a newbie's hands, this serves as an undeniably well-rounded historical introduction.
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No other artist in the last 45 years of jazz has remained on the cutting edge of the music like pianist and keyboardist Herbie Hancock: a musician with passion, an open mind and an awareness of history that constantly propels him forward into new sonic territory.
After listening to the first few songs on The Essential Herbie Hancock, you'll understand this intimately. Both Hancock's 1962 hit "Watermelon Man" and his 1964 gem "Cantaloupe Island," which quietly made a strong contribution to hip-hop music in the 1990s (the group Us3 sampled Hancock's track for their hit "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)") are included in the collection. You'll also hear 1965's "Maiden Voyage," another mainstay on jazz radio for decades now, and a powerful version of "'Round Midnight" by Sonny Rollins where Hancock cleverly backs the saxophonist. Following these four monster recordings, the lineup for the next tune "Circle" is Hancock on keys, Miles Davis on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Tony Williams on drums and Ron Carter on bass. Together, they seem to be saying everything "My Funny Valentine" ever said only in a modern and more expressive way.
A very well put-together release, The Essential Herbie Hancock includes recordings from an assortment of labels where Hancock recorded, including Blue Note, Verve and RCA. Some of the songs are largely forgotten, but this album re-introduces them to the listener, not forgetting any period of Hancock's growth and development. "Butterfly," an electronic dirge from Hancock's 1974 album Thrust, is here and is as powerful as ever, as is "Chameleon," Hancock's 1973 funk anthem.
But it is the lesser-known tunes that make The Essential Herbie Hancock a complete statement. "Hidden Shadows," a Hancock composition from 1973, is one such moment: more than 10 minutes of complete control, power and improvisational perfection where Hancock creates a wall of sound using keyboards, electronic effects and, most importantly, his heart and soul.
The last three recordings of this album bring Hancock's career and this compilation full circle. His 1983 club hit "Rockit," where Hancock anticipates a hip-hop future and battles hip-hop DJ Grandmaster D.S.T. with boldness and fun is followed by a little known version of "St. Louis Blues" with Hancock leading Stevie Wonder on vocals and harp. There are few arrangements of "St. Louis Blues" that are this inventive.
Of course, the final song here is "Manhattan," from his album The New Standard, another moment in Hancock's career where he challenged the status quo of jazz. Appropriately, on "Manhattan," it is Hancock on piano, all alone for a few moments and without need for any assistance--because as always, Herbie Hancock knows exactly what he wants to say.
-Brian Gilmore (as it originally appeared in Jazz Times Magazine) |
